Recipe- Winter Special Gajar Ka Khatta Meetha Achar

Carrots are one of the most healthy vegetables that are loaded with beta-carotenes, anti oxidants and calcium.Apart from eating carrots as salads, I pack baby carrots with hummus for kids snack time. I use carrots a lot in my cooking. Add up in pulao and rice dishes(Tawa Pulao, Chinese Fried Rice), grate it in Idlis for and as stuffing, in paranthas for a colorful and healthy treat, soups, smoothies(Golden Smoothie for Winter with raw Turmeric), noodles for kids(Chowmein), muffins, in pasta dishes (Masala Macaroni) and everyone’s favourite Pav Bhaji and many more.

Ingredients

7-8 Carrots 500 gm
8-10 Garlic Cloves
2-3 tbsp Mustard Oil
1 tbsp Fennel Seeds
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1 tbsp Cracked Mustard Seed(Rai Kuria)
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder or as required
1/4 Cup Jaggery increase if you need sweeter pickle
1/4 Cup Vinegar Use any, I used Apple Cider
Salt

Method

* Wash and peel the carrots. Cut into required size. Refer to the pics.

* Boil water in a pan. Ad a tsp of salt to it. Add carrots in boiling water for 4-5 minutes. then drain the water completely. Keep it to dry. the carrots should be completely dry before making pickle.

* Peel, wash and dry garlic cloves. Cut the big cloves in half.

* Dry roast cumin, fennel and fenugreek seeds and crush coarsely with mortar and pestle.

* Once the carrots are dry, heat mustard oil in a pan, when the oil heats to smoking point, switch off the gas slightly cool the oil, after 1-2 minutes, add all the spices along with salt and mix well.

* Add carrots and garlic and mix well.

* In a separate pan, add vinegar, switch on the pan, add jaggery, mix and heat the mix till jaggery dissolves. Take off from the gas/stove once jaggery dissolves. Let it cool .

* Once it completely cools down,add to the carrots. Mix well. Transfer the carrots to an airtight glass container and keep it in bright sunlight(preferably) fro 2 days.

* After 2 days use as required with your favourite meal.