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Carrot Pickle
Serves 4
60 mins
80 Kcal
Carrot Pickle is a tangy, spicy, and little sweet condiment commonly used in cooking in North India and Gujarat. The fresh carrots with which this pickle is prepared give a delicious taste and are rich in nutrients. It can be served as an accompaniment to various dishes ranging from parathas and rice to curries and fried snacks to add flavour to any dish. The typical carrot pickle recipe is mixing julienned or grated carrots with mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin, turmeric, and red chilli powder. These spices must be tempered in hot oil so that their essential oils come forth and their pungency comes alive. After tempering, the carrots are mixed with oil and spices, and then the mixture gets heated on low heat so that all flavours mix. The rest of the variations with this recipe are garlicky flavours, ginger, or even lemon juice for an extra sharpness in the pickle. The pickle should age in the jar for a few days. At this point, when all flavours are well developed, the sourness, saltiness, and spiciness form a perfect harmony with carrots' natural sweetness. Preserving pickle: with a mix of mustard oil and spices, it can be safely stored in a cool, dry place for a few weeks. What a simple recipe for carrot pickle, but still, it imbues an unbeatable homemade touch to any meal.
Ingredients required for Carrot Pickle
- 2 lemon
- 500 gms carrot
- 2 tbsp mustard seeds
- 2 tbsp salt
- 250 ml mustard oil
- 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tbsp red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
Cooking steps for Carrot Pickle
- 1Carrot pickle is a tangy, spicy, and flavorful condiment that enhances the zest of any meal.
- 2Start by washing and peeling 500 grams of fresh carrots. Peel the carrots, then cut them into thin strips, 2 inches in length. Make sure that all your carrot strips are about the same size so that they pickle and absorb the flavor of the spices evenly. Put the carrot strips aside in a large mixing bowl.
- 3The spice mix: Dry roast 2 tablespoons of mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds, and 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds without oil in a pan over medium heat. Stir until they emit fragrant aromas and turn a brown color.
- 4Once cooled, grind them into a coarse powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
- 5Go back to the mixing bowl with carrot strips. To the carrots, add the ground spice powder, 1 tablespoon of red chili powder, 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder, and 2 tablespoons of salt.
- 6Combine everything thoroughly so that each strip of carrot is fully coated with the spice mixture.
- 7Once the carrots are well mixed with the spices, add the juice of 2 fresh lemons to the bowl. This gives a tangy bite to your pickle as it cuts the spice quite well and adds that characteristic pickled flavor to your carrots. Now mix everything well again.
- 8Add 250 ml of mustard oil to a pan. Heat the oil to its smoke point.
- 9The sharp pungency of mustard oil is characteristic of most Indian pickles. Once the oil smokes, remove it from the heat source and allow it to cool down to room temperature. Cool it down because hot oil may burn the spices and ruin their fragrances.
- 10Pour the cooled oil over the carrot mixture and mix everything well so all the carrots are coated with the spices and oil. The richness of the pickle comes from both the preservative action of the mustard oil and its penetration into the carrots.
- 11Pour the carrot pickle mixture into a clean, sterilised glass jar. Seal it tightly and place it in a cool, dark space for 3-4 days so the flavors develop and the carrots soften. After 3-4 days, the pickle is ready to be served.
- 12Once opened, the carrot pickle should be kept in the fridge, and it can be consumed for weeks as it gets tastier with time.
- 13The recipe of carrot pickle is a tangy, spicy delight with a crunchy texture.
FAQs
How do you store carrot pickle with the maximum shelf life?
Carrot pickles can be refrigerated in an airtight glass container for 2-3 weeks. Ensure that the carrots are submerged under the pickling liquid to avoid spoilage. When storing for a longer time, you'll need to sterilise the jar before use and maintain the cleanliness of the spoon used when serving the pickle. In case the pickle turns dry after a few days, you can add a bit more oil to maintain the moisture.
How to make carrot pickle without oil?
Where traditional carrot pickle recipes call for oil to help preserve the pickle and deepen flavours, it is quite possible to make a no-oil version. Oil can be replaced by vinegar or lemon juice for a tangy, lighter version. However, the oil helps temper the flavour of spices and contributes to the shelf life of the pickle. Omitting this would mean a quicker time to consume and a more dominatingly tangy flavour profile.
Which spices can be added for flavour to the carrot pickle?
Carrot pickles can be prepared with considerable variation in spices to your taste preference. Common spices are mustard seeds, fenugreek, cumin, turmeric, and red chilli powder. You may add ginger, garlic, or hing (asafoetida) for an intense flavour. You may add a bit of jaggery or sugar for a sweeter pickle. Adjust the spice levels to fit your tastes and requirements. Make it as mild or hot as you like!