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Gajar marcha nu athanu
ગાજર મરચાંનું અથાણું: crunchy carrot and green chilli sticks tossed in split mustard, lemon and oil, ready the same day
Every Gujarati thali, from Ahmedabad homes to Surat lunch houses, has a little bowl of something fresh and sharp to cut through the dal, kadhi and sweet shaak, and in the cold months it is very often this instant carrot and chilli athanu. Winter brings the sweet, deep red desi carrots and fat, mild bhavnagri chillies, and the pickle is mixed in ten minutes: sticks of both coated in split mustard seed, turmeric, hing, salt and lemon, then dressed with warm oil. It is crunchy, juicy and bright, with the nose-tingling pungency of rai kuria and a clean lemon tang. Eat it with rotli, thepla, khichdi or a full thali. The common mistake is pouring smoking-hot oil straight on, which cooks the mustard and makes it bitter; let the oil cool until just warm. It is ready when the mustard has softened and the carrots look glossy, about an hour after mixing, though it is good straight away. With fresh chilli and no long cure, keep it in the fridge and eat within a week. Chef's tip: if bhavnagri chillies are hard to find, use a mix of mild long green peppers and a couple of hot green chillies.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the athanu
- 9 oz carrotsred desi carrots in winter, or any sweet carrots
- 3 ½ oz green chilliesmild bhavnagri, or long green peppers plus 2 hot chillies
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp groundnut oil
- ½ tsp sugar (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wash and dry the 9 oz carrots and 3 ½ oz green chillies completely. Peel the carrots and cut into 5 cm sticks; slit the chillies and cut into 3–4 cm pieces, removing seeds from very hot ones.
10 minStep 2: Put 2 tbsp split mustard seeds (rai kuria) in a dry steel bowl and sprinkle over ½ tsp ground turmeric, ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar if using.
1 minStep 3: Heat 3 tbsp groundnut oil in a small pan over a medium heat until hot, then turn off the heat and let it cool for 1–2 minutes until warm, not smoking.
3 minStep 4: Pour the warm oil over the mustard mix; it should sizzle gently and smell sharp and nutty. Stir.
1 minStep 5: Add the carrots and chillies with 2 tbsp lemon juice and mix well until everything is coated and yellow.
2 minStep 6: Serve straight away or, better, after an hour once the mustard softens. Keep in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Throw it away if it smells off, fizzes or turns slimy.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 35 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gajar marcha nu athanu take?
- About 18 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 3 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of split mustard seeds (rai kuria)?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
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