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Gajar gobhi shalgam achar
Carrot, cauliflower and turnip pickle
गाजर गोभी शलगम का अचार: Punjabi winter pickle of carrot, cauliflower and turnip in mustard oil with jaggery-vinegar syrup
When Punjabi kitchens are full of winter vegetables, this is how they keep them: carrots, cauliflower and turnips are blanched, dried in the weak winter sun, and mixed with smoked mustard oil, ginger, garlic, coarse mustard, garam masala and a dark syrup of jaggery and vinegar. In three or four days the vegetables are tangy, sweet and warm, still crunchy, and the jars come out with makki di roti and sarson da saag, aloo parathas and every dal through to spring. Use white or sugarcane vinegar; malt vinegar is made from barley, so avoid it if you need the pickle gluten-free. Common mistake: packing the vegetables while they are still wet from blanching, which dilutes the vinegar and spoils the batch; they must feel dry to the touch. Keep the jar in a cool place or the fridge once matured, use a clean dry spoon and discard if mould appears. Chef's tip: cut the turnip slightly thinner than the carrot, so everything softens at the same pace.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
For the vegetables
- 10 ½ oz carrotspeeled, 5 cm batons
- 10 ½ oz cauliflowersmall florets
- 10 ½ oz turnipspeeled, 5 mm slices
- 8 ¼ cups waterfor blanching
For the syrup
- 5 ½ oz jaggerygrated
For the masala
- ¾ cup mustard oil
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 3 tbsp yellow mustard seedscoarsely ground
- 1 ½ tbsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 oz salt
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Bring 8 ¼ cups water to a rolling boil, add 10 ½ oz carrots, 10 ½ oz cauliflower and 10 ½ oz turnips and blanch for 1 minute only. Drain at once.
4 minStep 2: Spread the vegetables on a clean cloth in the sun or a warm, airy room for 4–5 hours, turning once, until there is no surface water at all.
5 minStep 3: Gently heat 5 ½ oz jaggery and ¾ cup white or sugarcane vinegar in a small pan over a low heat, stirring, until the jaggery dissolves, then simmer for 5 minutes until syrupy. Cool completely.
7 minStep 4: Sterilise the jar and lid: wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then dry in a 250°F oven for 15 minutes (or in strong sun for a few hours). Cool completely; jar, lid, bowls, spoons and your hands must be bone dry.
Step 5: Heat ¾ cup mustard oil until it smokes, turn the heat to low and fry 1 tbsp ginger paste and 1 tbsp garlic paste for 1–2 minutes until golden and fragrant. Turn off the heat.
3 minStep 6: Stir in 3 tbsp yellow mustard seeds, 1 ½ tbsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp garam masala and 1 oz salt, then add the dried vegetables and mix well. Pour in the cooled syrup and mix again.
3 minStep 7: Pack into the jar; the oil and syrup should rise to cover the vegetables as you press them down. Cover with muslin and keep in the sun or a warm spot for 3–4 days, stirring daily with a dry spoon, until tangy.
Step 8: Close the lid and refrigerate once matured; eat within 2 months, keeping the vegetables under the liquid and always using a clean dry spoon. Discard if mould or an off smell appears.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gajar gobhi shalgam achar take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of cauliflower?
- Broccoli, same weight.
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