Lagan nu Achar
Veg
Vegan
The Parsi wedding pickle — raw papaya, carrots, raw mango, and mixed vegetables preserved in a sweet-sour mustard-vinegar base with jaggery and a warm spice blend of turmeric, mustard seeds, red chilli, and cumin. 'Lagan' means wedding in Parsi Gujarati; this pickle is made in large batches specifically for wedding banquets and distributed to guests. The balance of vinegar sharpness, jaggery sweetness, and the raw bite of the vegetables is the emblematic Parsi sweet-sour flavour in condiment form.
Cuisines
Parsi
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 250 grams | carrots, cut into thin sticks |
| 250 grams | cauliflower, cut into small florets |
| 100 grams | green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces |
| 1 cup | white vinegar |
| 3 tablespoons | salt |
| 1 tablespoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 tablespoon | red chili powder |
| 1 tablespoon | mustard seeds |
| 1 tablespoon | fenugreek seeds |
| 1 cup | sugar |
| 1 cup | oil |
| 4 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 inch | ginger, grated |
Instructions
- 1 In a large bowl, mix the carrots, cauliflower, and green beans with salt and turmeric powder. Let them sit for 2 hours to draw out excess moisture.
- 2 After 2 hours, rinse the vegetables thoroughly to remove excess salt and turmeric. Drain well.
- 3 In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, and let them splutter.
- 4 Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the pan, sauté until fragrant.
- 5 Stir in the red chili powder and mix well.
- 6 Add the drained vegetables to the pan and stir fry for about 5 minutes.
- 7 Pour in the vinegar and sugar, mixing until the sugar dissolves completely.
- 8 Cook the mixture on low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.
- 9 Remove from heat and let the achar cool completely before transferring to a sterilized jar.
Tips
Store the achar in a cool, dry place. It tastes better after a few days as the flavors develop.