Indian Basic Recipes - Mixed Vegetable Pickles (Sabzi Achar) Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium carrot

• 2 medium unripe green mangoes (8 oz/250 g)

• 1 section lotus root (4 oz/125 g)

• 3-5 green chilies

• 1 cup (250 ml) mustard oil or vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds

• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)

• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

• 2 teaspoons ground red pepper

• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric

• 2 teaspoons Garam Masala (refer recipe)

• 1 onion, sliced, then pureed in a blender

• 1 tablespoon grated ginger

• 5 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 large lemon, deseeded and cut into wedges

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt

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Method:

1. Peel and cut the carrot and mango into small strips. Peel and slice the lotus root. Leave the chilies whole.

2. Heat the mustard oil in a wok or skillet to smoking point, then add the fennel, nigella and mustard seeds and stir-fry for 1 minute until the spices crackle. Add the red pepper, turmeric, Garam Masala, onion, ginger and garlic, and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetables and lemon wedges.

3. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice and salt. Stir to mix well. Place the mixture in sterilized jars, covering it completely with a layer of mustard oil in order to preserve the pickles. If necessary, add more oil which has first been heated to smoking point, then cooled. Keeps 3 to 4 months.