Punjabi-styled pickle

     Well, this post is most special to me, because this is my first achaar/pickle post.  All thanks to my dear potluck partner, Shoba from Foodmazaa.

With an hot mid-summer,  it is true that we always look upon to chilled beverages, but this pickle, I must say, is an all-weather-dish.  Especially to all savoury-lovers, this is an real treat.  The choice of spice mix is perfect, as it infused the smell of mesmerizing achaar, and to top that, you are making this with vegetables - puts forth an healthy option, isn't it?  

Yes, yes, I know... my time off is exceeding between posts -  nowadays, I am struggling to catch upon my usual routine, with my daughter shifted to another school, that includes odd sets of timings.  I, have hardly tried anything, but, I promise to be back in lane soon, keep in touch, guys :)



Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients required

• 2 cups Cauliflower, separated into florets 
• 1 cup Radhish, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup Carrot, chopped into 1-inch pieces 
• 2-3 Fresh red chillies, slit vertically 
• 1 tsp of Fennel seeds
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp methi seeds
• 1/2 tsp rai/mustard seeds
• 1-2 dry red chilly
• 1-inch ginger, julienned
• 1 tbspn jaggery
• Salt, as needed
• 1/2 tsp haldi/turmeric powder
• 2 pinch hing/asafoetida
• 1 tbspn vinegar
• 1/4 cup mustard oil

Method

Boil pan with almost one litre of water and boil vegetables (along with red chilly) with 1 tsp of salt.  Switch off the gas, leave the vegetables as in this set-up for twenty minutes.  Lateron, drain and soak them, soaking them completely untill they are dry is an important step, if not your pickle will get spoiled soon.

As an second step, in an kadaai, dry roast spices like cumin, rai, jeera, mustard, dry red chilly and grind them into an coarse powder, set this aside.  In the same pan, add jaggery pieces along with vinegar, let jaggery melt.  Now add in haldi, ginger pieces, coarse powdered spices.  Finally add in our completely dried vegetables and toss them around very finely.  Switch off the gas, and let them cool.  

In another pan, heat mustard oil till they are lukewarm, add pinch of hing and switch off, after oil and veggies cool, mix both in an air-tight plastic/glass container and sun-dry for few days.  

Pickle is done when vegetables turn soggy from crunchy natured, and mine got done with three whole days.  Store in refrigerator.  

Linking this to Potluck party, cyber style, hosted by Jagruti mam.