Carrot and Green Chilies Salad/Pickle with Mustard (Raita gajar marcha)

This dish is made in all Indian homes and served as a condiment with the main meal. It adds to the flavours of the dishes you have in your plate (thali).  Indian thali will have fresh chappatis, puri or any similar bread with 2-3 curries, rice, dalls, chutneys, raita and a sweet dish. Each dish tastes different and adding such pickles, chutneys or papadums helps to balance all the flavours.

I have made carrot, chilly and mango pickle using similar ingredients but this one is a lot easier to make and use with Indian meals and especially in sandwiches.  Families have their own version of making this dish.  Some like to grind the mustard seeds and use the powder, some may not add the oil.   My suggestion is to experiment and find a taste that you like.  I’ve started to add a few fennel seeds and sometimes even whole peppercorns in out pickle and we usually finish ours within a few days.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 medium carrots
• 8-12 fresh green chillies
• 2 tbls od lemon juice
• 2 tbls of split mustard seeds
• 1 tsp of ready made English Mustard
• 1 -2 tsps of salt
• 1 tsps of turmeric
• 2 tsps of fennel seeds
• 2 tbls of cooking oil

Method:

1. Peel and wash the carrots and grate them using a mandoline slicer rather a grater if possible.

2.  De stalk the green chilies and slice them into two lengthwise and soak them in cold water for 5 minutes. Soaking them helps to remove the hot chilly seeds. Remove the water from the chilies and any loose seeds by using a sieve. 

3. Transfer all the prepared carrots and chilies to a mixing bowl.  Add the salt, turmeric, lemon juice, the fennel seeds,  split mustard seeds and  the English mustard paste  and mix well.

4. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and allow to cool very slightly

5. Add this oil to the mixture and stir well. Adding the warm oil helps to release the flavours from all the spices and also coats the spices to all the vegetables.

6. Transfer this pickle to a clean bottle and eat after 24 hours when carrots and chilies  will be marinated with all the spices.

7.  This freshly made pickle can remain edible for a week if kept in the fridge.  Eat it as a pickle with your meal or use it as a salad filling.

Do you have any favourite condiments your family loves?  Home made or store bought?

You may wish to try some these condiment recipes from my blog:

• • Carrot and Green Chilies Salad/Pickle with Mustard (Raita gajar marcha)
  • Cucumber carrot and green chilies raita
  • Spicy Yogurt Dip/Raita with carrots and fresh mint
  • Apple and Carrot Raita
  • Lemon Cucumber Raita
  • Pomegranate raita
  • Banana raita
  • Carrots, raw mango and green chilies pickle with mustard (raita gajar, marcha & keri)
  • Fresh chili pickle
  • Pickled ginger

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