Indian Mixed Vegetable Pickle
Image: Supplied/Lorraine Maharaj
3 cups chopped vegetables: carrots, green beans, cabbage or cauliflower
5 green chillies (optional)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 cups vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tbs coriander seeds, roasted and coarsely ground
1 tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp nigella seeds
1 x 5cm cinnamon stick, broken into little pieces
10 black peppercorns
8 cloves
3 tbs chilli flakes
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar
¼ cup canola oil or olive oil
Chop the vegetables and chillies into little pieces or julienne strips.
Soak the vegetables, chillies and garlic in the vinegar and salt. They must be soaked for 2 days in a sterilised bottle.
After 2 days, drain the vinegar and pat the vegetables dry with clean paper towels. Roast the coriander seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds on a low heat until fragrant. Do not let the spices burn. Use a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder, and grind the spices coarsely, not fine.
Heat the oil, spices, chilli flakes, turmeric, black peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon stick on low heat just until the oil is warm. Do not let it boil or heat up too much, especially if using olive oil.
Mix the oil spice mixture into the vegetables. Add the sugar, more or less, according to your taste. Transfer the pickle to a sterilised bottle and store in the refrigerator.