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Lapsi ko achar
Hog plum pickle
लप्सीको अचार (lapsi ko achar): sour-sweet pickle of Nepali hog plums cooked with jaggery, chilli and timur
Lapsi, the Nepali hog plum, is a small, olive-green fruit with a huge stone, very little flesh and a sourness that makes your jaw ache, and in Kathmandu and the middle hills its arrival in the markets in late autumn means pickle-making season. Boiled, scraped from the stones and cooked down with jaggery, chilli, fenugreek and timur, it becomes a thick, glossy, dark brown achar that is tart, sweet and gently hot, eaten with dal bhat, spread on roti or served with sel roti during Tihar. It is also dried into candy called titaura. Look for fresh or frozen lapsi in Nepali grocers; tart, unripe green plums are the nearest substitute. The trouble usually starts when the jaggery goes in before the pulp has reduced, which leaves a runny pickle that can ferment. Chef's tip: cook the pulp until a spoon drawn through it leaves a clear trail before adding the sweetener.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 3 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 /2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 7 oz jaggery or dark brown sugargrated
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Simmer 1 ⅛ lb fresh or frozen lapsi (hog plums) in 3 ¼ cups water over a medium heat for 15–20 minutes until the skins split and the flesh is very soft.
20 minStep 2: Drain, keeping a cup of the water. When cool enough, squeeze and scrape the pulp off the stones with your fingers, discarding the stones and skins.
10 minStep 3: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a heavy pan over a medium-high heat until it just smokes, lower the heat and add 1 /2 tsp fenugreek seeds and 3 dried red chillies for 20 seconds.
1 minStep 4: Add the pulp, 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric and 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder and cook, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail; add a little cooking water if it catches.
10 minStep 5: Stir in 7 oz jaggery or dark brown sugar and 1 ½ tsp salt and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring constantly, until dark, glossy and jammy.
8 minStep 6: Turn off the heat and stir in 1 /2 tsp timur (Nepali Sichuan pepper), ground and 1 tsp ground cumin.
1 minStep 7: Cool completely, spoon into a clean dry jar and keep in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lapsi ko achar take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 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 fenugreek seeds?
- Leave them out, or add a little extra mustard seed (you lose the slightly bitter, maple-like note).
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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