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Kachi haldi ka achar
कच्ची हल्दी का अचार: crunchy slivers of fresh turmeric and ginger with green chilli and split mustard, steeped in lemon juice
From December to February, fresh turmeric root turns up in heaps in the mandis of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur, bright orange inside and earthy-sweet. Rajasthani families eat it as a warming winter food, cooked in ghee as kachi haldi ki sabzi or, more simply, as this fresh pickle with ginger and green chilli. The slivers stay crisp and juicy; they taste peppery and slightly bitter, with sharp lemon and the nose-tingling bite of split mustard seed. It sits beside bajra roti, dal and a winter sabzi, and a few pieces with lunch is the whole point. The common mistake is cutting thick chunks: turmeric is fibrous, so slice it into matchsticks or thin coins so the lemon can soak in. It is ready to eat after 2 days, when the slivers have turned a shade softer and the juice has gone golden. Because it contains fresh ginger and chilli, keep it fully covered in the lemon juice and store it in the fridge, where it keeps for about 4 weeks. Wear gloves and use a steel or glass bowl, as turmeric stains wood, plastic and fingers for days. Chef's tip: pick plump, firm roots with smooth skin; wrinkled ones are dry and woody.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the achar
- 7 oz fresh turmeric rootfirm and plump; mango ginger (amba haldi) works too
- 1 ¾ oz fresh ginger
- 5 green chilliesslit lengthwise
- 2 tbsp split mustard seeds (rai kuria)or coarsely crushed yellow mustard seeds
- 2 tsp saltabout 12 g
- ½ cup lemon juicefreshly squeezed, from about 4 lemons
- 1 tbsp mustard oil (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Prepare the jar: wash jar and lid in hot soapy water, rinse well, then stand the jar upside down in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes (or boil jar and lid for 10 minutes and let them dry upside down). Let it cool completely; jar, lid, bowls and spoons must be bone dry, because a single drop of water is the usual reason a pickle goes mouldy.
Step 2: Wash the 7 oz fresh turmeric root and 1 ¾ oz fresh ginger, scrub off the skin with a teaspoon, and dry them completely on a towel. Wear gloves.
10 minStep 3: Cut the turmeric and ginger into thin matchsticks about 3 cm long, or into thin coins.
10 minStep 4: In a dry steel or glass bowl, mix the slivers with 5 green chillies, 2 tbsp split mustard seeds (rai kuria) and 2 tsp salt.
2 minStep 5: Pour over ½ cup lemon juice and stir until everything is coated. If using 1 tbsp mustard oil, heat it until it smokes, cool it completely and stir it in for extra pungency.
3 minStep 6: Pack into the dry jar and press down so the lemon juice covers the slivers. Close and leave in the fridge for 2 days, shaking once a day, before eating.
Step 7: Keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks, using a clean dry spoon. Throw it away if you see fuzzy mould, it smells rotten or yeasty, or the slivers turn slimy.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 10 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kachi haldi ka achar take?
- About 25 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 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 fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of split mustard seeds (rai kuria)?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
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