Winter season brings the joy of many fruit vegetables like beetroots, radishes, carrots, peas and many more. We can easily save these winter vegetables so that you can enjoy them for a long time. Other than freezing the vegetables, we can also save them as mixed vegetable pickles. Here is a quick way to do it.
Step1- Cut the vegetables in small pieces. Be creative to make them attractive. You can use any vegetables that you like- carrots, radishes, beetroots, beans. Add salt to the mixed veggies and let them drain in a colander. Salt takes out excess moisture and helps to preserve the pickle longer.
Step 2- For every 2 cups of vegetables, take 1-2 lemons depending on the size. Chop them into small pieces so that they pickle faster. Add chopped chilies, Ginger to the lemons. Add salt and keep the lemony mix separate from the vegetables. Additionally add 1 tbsp lemon juice for every 2 cups of vegetables to increase sourness.
Step 3 – After about 30 mins- 2 hours, when the mixed vegetable lose excess moisture, they are ready to be cooked a little. In a heated pan take 2tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil and gently roast the garlic cloves for 1-2 minutes on a low flame. Add the mixed vegetables to the oil and roast the vegetable mix for about 10 mins with open lid. It makes the vegetables tender and helps to remove the moisture further. Let the partially cooked tender vegetable cool down completely.
Step 4- Make dry spice powder. For every cup of vegetables- 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1/2tsp fennel seeds, 3-4 black pepper seeds, and a 1/8 tsp of fenugreek seeds. Roast the spices until the aroma starts coming out from them. Then grind these spices into powder.
Step 5- Add roasted spice powder and red chili powder to the vegetable mix. You can add 1/8the tsp of turmeric powder per cup of vegetables as well. If you can’t handle spicy pickle but still want that gorgeous red color then you can use Kashmiri Chili powder. Add 1/tsp of split mustard seeds for every cup of vegetables. Mix the spices well. Coat them well to the vegetables.
Step5- Then add the lemony mix of chopped lemons, green chilies, and ginger to this mix. Pour the lemon juice &/ 1 tbsp of vinegar to this mix. You can add a tsp of sugar at this time, to balance the taste. But, I don’t like any sweetness to the pickle so I avoid it.
Step 5- In a small pan take about a 1/2- 1 cup of oil and heat it and then let it cool down. Add the oil to the mix of vegetables and lemons. Mix all the ingredients well. The colorful vegetable coasted with a tangy spice mix of lemon and spices look very beautiful.
The pickle is ready to be saved. You can save it in clean mason jars or glass containers. Refrigerate it to make it last longer. It can be saved in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks and outside for at least 8-10 days.
You can add the pickle to wraps, or just eat it with tortillas/ rotis. So are you going to try it?