Cauliflower Pickle

Pickle is a staple of Indian food and I believe it is a must on every plate that is being served. There are several different varieties of pickles in India itself and this here is a south Indian, specifically local to Andhra, pickle.

So What is a Pickle or Achar?

A pickle is typically a vegetable or meat preserved in any kind of brine or vinegar solution. A Indian pickle is called an Achar and it usually has oil like mustard or sesame oil, chilli powder and some kind of sourness. Raw Mango and lime are the two fruits which make amazing pickles. As they are sour by nature, they are usually just brined with salt. The pickles are usually fermented or sun-dried for a couple weeks, the sun-drying naturally preserves the pickle to last a whole year. And there is so much difference in pickles made in North and South India. Every region has their own special way of making pickles and every one of them is delicious!

What Vegetables/Fruits/Meats can be used to make Achar?

Any kind of vegetable or fruit which has a crunch to it can be used to make a pickle. Raw Mango and lime are the most famous and best fruits to make pickles. Wait.. is Raw Mango a fruit or vegetable? 🤔Because we kinda use it in all kinda savory dishes. Lets leave it be and change the vegetable.

Carrot, radishes, Zucchini, squashes… all these can be used to make pickles. How could we forget Tomatoes, the ultimate pickle making fruit.. or is it a vegetable? Looks like I have to go to my 5th grade botany class again😁. Lets move on to meats.

Every meat can be pickled… chicken, shrimp, fish, crab.. you name it, we can pickle it! 😆

What do we eat Indian Pickles with? What are they categorized as?

Indian pickles are categorized as side dishes or accompaniments. In some regions, it is eaten as a side to roti or paratha but in southern parts of India, we eat with rice. Hot rice with pickle and a dollop of ghee is heavenly. See the picture below if you don’t believe me. Doesn’t that look appetizing?😋

What kind of oil do we use to make this pickle?

Ideally mustard oil or Sesame oil are used to make an Indian pickle. But mustard oil has a really strong flavor and it needs to be smoked out before cooking. Sesame oil is the most ideal choice for this recipe. I used Avocado and canola oil on two separate occasions and they both gave me good results. So, I would suggest to use a no flavor oil like Avocado to start with. Avocado oil is the best ever for deep frying anything. We need to fry this cauliflower pieces for a few seconds in oil. And I recommend using this Lodge Iron Wok for frying the cauliflower.

Lets see what we need to make this pickle:

Prep time:	30 min
Cook time:	20 min
Total Time:	1 day
Cuisine:	South Indian
Servings:	15-20 people

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower : When cut it should yield about 5-6 cups of cauliflower florets.
• 1 cup chilli powder
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp methi/Fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 4 tbsp salt divided
• 1 cup Avocado/Sesame oil
• 6-7 garlic cloves(optional)

Method:

• Dry Roast the methi/Fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds and grind into a coarse powder.

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• Cut the cauliflower into small bite sized florets. Wash and dry them overnight. Heat the oil in a wok/kadai and once it is hot, fry the cauliflower florets for 30 sec. Fry them in batches and do not overcrowd the pan. Each batch should be fried only for 30-40 seconds. Kinda like flash-cooking.

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• Let the oil and cauliflower cool down and come to room temperature. Squeeze the lemon juice and keep it aside.
• Mix the leftover oil, lemon juice, chilli powder, methi-mustard powder, 2 tbsp salt and cauliflower florets in a big airtight container.
• Optional Step: Slightly crush the garlic cloves and add them whole at this point. I did not add any this time as I did not have Fresh garlic on hand.

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• Mix the pickle and keep it aside at room temperature for a day. After a day, taste the pickle and if needed, mix 2 tbsp salt or adjust the salt accordingly.
• And that is it! the pickle is ready to be served with hot rice or with parathas.

Important Steps to remember before making a pickle:

• Always, I mean always, remember to keep your ingredients dry. I wash/rinse the cauliflower florets in cold water and dry it overnight. If you live in an area with lots of sun, let them sun dry for couple hours.

• Remember to wash and dry your lemons as well.
• Peel and keep your garlic cloves if you are using it.
• If you don’t have a big cauliflower, take any measuring cup which can yield 5-6 portions of that measuring cup. Adjust your spices accordingly. If you have 6 half cups of cauliflower florets, take only half a cup of chilli powder, half a cup of lemon juice, etc. Please let me know if you have any questions on this, I will do my best to answer them.
• Do not fry the cauliflower for more than 30sec to 1 min. The cauliflower should still be crunchy and should not be soggy after frying.
• This pickle can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 weeks. But I like the crunch of the cauliflower, so I store in refrigerator. I would suggest the same to extend the shelf life of this pickle.

Enjoy the pickle and do let me know if you try it in the comments. Also, please let me know if you have any questions on any of the following social media accounts.

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