Mula ko achar

Radish pickle

When the big white winter radishes come in after Dashain, Nepali households from Pokhara to Biratnagar cut them into sticks, spread them on trays on the roof to wilt in the sun, then pack them into glass jars with ground mustard, turmeric, chilli and smoking-hot mustard oil. The jars sit on a sunny windowsill for a few days while the radish turns sour, sharp and crunchy, and a spoonful of it then sits beside every plate of dal bhat until spring. It is pungent enough to make your eyes water, in the best way. Most spoiled batches come from damp radish or a wet jar, which lets mould take hold. Chef's tip: dry the radish sticks until they bend without snapping and feel leathery on the surface, about a day in strong sun or 2 hours in a very low oven, and use a jar dried in the oven.