Gobhi Gajar Shalgam ka achaar

Preparation time- 20 min / Sundry the boiled vegetables- 4-5 hrs

Cooking time- 30 min

Ingredients-

• Cauliflower / Gobhi flowerets- 500 g / 2 ½ cups
• Carrot / Gajar – 500 gm / 2 ¼ cups
• Turnip/ Shaljum- 500gm / 2 ½ cups
• Jaggery- 400gm / 3 ¼ cup
• Mustard oil- 400ltr / 2 cups
• Vinegar- ½ cup
• Nigella/ kalonji seeds- ½ tsp
• Fenugreek / methi seeds-  5 tsp
• Black peppercorns / Sabut kali mirch-  6 tsp
• Cumin / jeera seeds – 6 tsp
• Caraway / shahjeera – 2 ½ tsp
• Black cardamom/ Bari elaichi- 4
• Cloves/ laung – 10
• Cinnamon stick/ dalchini- 2 inch
• Turmeric powder- 1 tbsp
• Salt- 150 gms/ 10 tbsp
• Peeled garlic- 1 cup
• Ginger- 1 cup
• Fennel seeds/ saunf- 1 tbsp
• Red chili powder- 1 tbsp
• Asafetida/ hing- ¼ tsp

Method-

Peel and cut carrot and turnip into chunks, cut turnip vertically, wash and keep side. Take a large pan, add cauliflower florets, boil till they change color, and then add carrot and turnip. Make sure all the vegetables are soaked in water. Simmer on low heat till carrot and turnip is a bit tender. Drain out the water. Lay the vegetable on clean cloth/ towel and allow it to dry in sunlight for 4-5 hours.  Blend ginger and garlic to a paste, keep aside. Heat mustard oil in kadhai/ wok, add kalonji, jeera, asafetida, cinnamon, Black cardamom, fenugreek seeds, cloves, caraway seeds, and stir for a minute, then add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add fennel seeds, turmeric powder and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add salt, red chili powder, sauté for a minute and add the vegetables. Mix thoroughly , meanwhile break the jaggery into small pieces and then add them to the vegetables in kadhai. Stir slowly and let the jaggery melt completely. Mix and then add vinegar, keep the flame on for 1-2 minutes and then remove from heat. Transfer the achaar to sterilized glass jars (plastic or metal will not be good to keep achaar as vinegar might corrode metal).  Let it cool and then close the lid. This achaar need not be placed in sunlight for any cooking/ preservation.  Properly kept it can last for 6 months.