Pickles – Ginger Chili Achar (Nepali Food Recipe)

(Ginger Chili Achar – Lasun Khursani Ko Achar)
INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 cups ginger root, peeled and pulverized
• 1/2 cup mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon timur (Szechwan pepper)
• 2 tablespoons hot chili paste
• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 5 tablespoons mustard oil, or good olive oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of asafetida
• Salt to taste

Garnish:

• 1 tablespoon mustard oil, or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek
• 10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 10 dry red chilies
• 1 tablespoon mint leaves, minced

DIRECTIONS:

• Dry-roast mustard, cumin, and coriander seeds until toasted.
• In a blender, mix all the toasted seeds, timur, chili, tamarind and garlic pastes, oil, black pepper, asafetida, and salt into a thick pickle paste.
• Add the pulverized ginger into the pickling mixture; blend into a smooth thick pickled ginger paste.
• For garnish, in a non-stick pan heat one tablespoon of oil, splitter fenugreek and dry red chilies until it turns dark.
• Add slices of garlic and fry till light brown.
• Pour the chili-oil mixture and minced mint over the garlic pickle.
• Mix well and put in airtight jar.

Source: http://nepalicooking.tripod.com./achar.htm
Author: Tulsi Regmi