Chhattisgarhi Kaddu Achar
Veg
Vegan
Raw pumpkin pickle — red pumpkin cut into cubes and sun-dried in mustard oil with fenugreek, dried red chilli, and turmeric until the pumpkin softens and absorbs the sharp mustard oil. A less common but distinctively Chhattisgarhi accent alongside the rice plate, made in summer when red pumpkin is abundant.
Cuisines
Chhattisgarhi
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 250 grams | pumpkin (kaddu), peeled and diced |
| 2 tablespoons | mustard oil |
| 1 teaspoon | mustard seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | fenugreek seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | fennel seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 1 teaspoon | asafoetida (hing) |
| 2 tablespoons | vinegar |
| salt | to taste |
Instructions
- 1 Heat mustard oil in a pan until it starts to smoke, then let it cool slightly.
- 2 Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and fennel seeds to the oil and let them splutter.
- 3 Add asafoetida and diced pumpkin to the pan, stirring well to coat the pumpkin in the spices.
- 4 Sprinkle turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt over the pumpkin, mixing thoroughly.
- 5 Cook the pumpkin on medium heat until it becomes tender, stirring occasionally.
- 6 Once the pumpkin is cooked, add vinegar and mix well.
- 7 Allow the achar to cool completely before transferring it to a clean, dry jar.
- 8 Let the achar sit for at least a day to develop flavors before serving.
Tips
Store the achar in a cool, dry place and use a clean spoon to avoid contamination.