141) CHRISTMAS PICKLE

CHRISTMAS PICKLE

A SUPER DELICIOUS, CRUNCHY, EXUBERANT, HOT & SWEET VEGETABLE AND DRY FRUIT PICKLE

Ingredients:

     1)    Carrots – 400 gm.

     2)    Beetroot – 400 gm.

     3)    Hot green chilies – 2 Nos.

     4)    Garlic – 25 gm.

     5)    Dates – 100 gm.

     6)    Raisins or sultanas – 100 gm.

     7)    Tender ginger – 10 gm.

     8)    Asafoetida powder – 1 pinch

     9)    Hot red chili powder – 2½ teaspoons

     10)     Mustard seeds – 1 tablespoon

     11)     Sugar – 250 gm.

     12)     Salt – 2½  teaspoon

     13)     Vinegar – 100 ml.

     14)     Pure drinking water – 500 ml.

Make now to serve at Christmas.

This pickle needs to rest for at least 7 days for its full taste to manifest.

To Make:

     Peel and wash the carrot, the beetroot and the ginger. Peel the garlic cloves. Slit open the dates and remove the stones. Use a sharp knife to cut the carrots, the beetroot and the ginger into long thin juliennes of around 3 mm. thickness. Remove the stems of the chilies and cut the chilies into long thin strips. Cut the dates lengthwise into 5 mm. thick pieces. Cut each garlic clove into two.

     Put all the cut ingredients into a clean dry airtight jar. Add the raisins. Put the mustard seeds into a clean dry food processor and grind to fine powder. Select a clean dry vessel to mix up the rest of the ingredients. Put in the sugar, the salt, the chili powder, the mustard powder, the asafoetida powder, the pure drinking water and the vinegar. Stir well until all the sugar is dissolved. Pour the solution over the ingredients in the glass jar. Press the pieces lightly in with a dry clean ladle so that they are immersed in the pickle solution.

     Put on the lid and let rest for at least 5 day before serving. Serve with fried rice, ghee rice, biriyani, chappatis or porottas. Use a little as salad dressing for burgers and meat sandwiches.  It is also a good appetizer to nibble on with drinks. The fatigue of a heavy meal can be relieved by sipping a teaspoon of the pickle juice.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:

     If you want the pickle to keep for a few weeks or months (not that any will remain once your family and friends start tasting), remember not to put back any used or wet spoons into the pickle. Once the pickle jar is open after the compulsory resting period, you can refrigerate the pickle for up to six months.