Gajar Mooli ka Achar
Gajar Mooli ka Achar
Mooli (radish) is found in Rajasthan in the winter months. Often sliced mooli with a squeeze of lime and sprinkle of salt and lal mirchi is served as a side salad with a meal. Mooli also make for a great instant pickling ingredient because of it’s crunchy texture that can hold up against spices. My favorite way of eating this pickle is with roti and a raw onion on the side. I find that this pickle becomes way tastier 3 or 4 days after it’s made! A traditional Rajasthani pickle, this can be found in peak of winter in everyone’s home. This is my mom’s recipe and her secret ingredient really brings this pickle together!
Gajar Mooli ka Achar, literally translates to carrot and radish pickle, is form of an instant pickle. It is tangy from the mustard seed powder and crunchy as the carrots and radish are only splash cooked. The mustard seed oil (secrent ingredient) with mustard seeds with mustard seed powder pack a triple punch of zing to every bite! The oil adds a nice nutty flavor for the spices to cook in. The pickle is often eaten with a thick pharatas, or roti in state of Rajasthan, India. It lasts forever in the fridge. You can make this ahead of time for a dinner party or take eat it daily with your meals. You can even pack it with you to take on road-trips or for lunch at work!
All the spices used in this recipe are masaldani staples. This gajar mooli achard is super easy to make. Great to enjoy for lunch/dinner and the best addition to a meal on a cold day! The recipe is completely vegetarian and vegan friendly!
Carrots and radish, chopped carrots and radish
Carrots and radish and spices
Serving Size: 4-5 cups | Prep Time: 10 mins. | Cook Time: 5 mins.
Ingredients:
6 medium carrots
1 medium radish
1/4 cup mustard seed oil
1/8 cup pisi vi rye (mustard seed powder)
Pinch of jeera
1/2 tsp. rye (mustard seeds)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. lal mirchi (red chili powder)
1/2 tsp. haldi (turmeric)
Pinch of hing (asafeotida)
1/8 cup vinegar
Preparation:
Wash and peel carrots and radish. Thinly slice the carrot and radish to 1 1/2 inch long pieces
In a pan, heat mustard seed oil on medium. Add rye and jeera to crackle when oil is hot
Add lal mirchi and haldi to the pan with one hand and the carrots and radish to the pan with the other hand.
Tip: It’s important this step is done in corrdination with little time in between otherwise the spices will burn
Add mustard seed powder, salt, and hing. Stir everything together to coat the carrots and radish. Let the achar cook for no more than 3-4 minutes
Tip: If you don’t have mustard seed powder, take mustard seeds and coarsely grind in your spice grinder or mortar and pestle
Let the achar cool in the fridge for 2-4 hours and mix in vinegar
Serve:
Achar cold with paratha, roti
