Karele ka Pani-wala Achaar

KARELE KA PAANI-WALA ACHAR….
Khichdi, Dahi, Papad ke saath!

Of late, my fondness for this bitter green vegetable has me coming up with new ways to enjoy it!

However many of my karela fav, involve using considerable oil in their preparation!
So I decided to experiment….using my Pani wala Achar recipe….to absolute fabulous results! Yippppeee! 🙂

Method:
Wash karela and pat dry…do not scrape.
Cut karela into round slices.
Steam karela till it just starts to get tender but not soft. I used the steaming tray in my rice cooker. Alternatively add Karela to boiling water and cook.

Drain karela and immerse in ice water to cool.

Once cool, drain and spread out.

Toss karela in the pickling spice and add salt to taste.

Add a few drops of mustard oil(optional), just enough to help masala stick to the karela pieces. I used 1 tsp.
Leave in sun for a day or two. Alternatively keep indoors in a cool dry place….I kept it on my dining table.
After 2 days, squeeze some lemon juice according to taste…check seasoning and adjust salt if needed.

Store in the refrigerator in an air tight bottle for 3-4 days for flavors to mature….after which it is ready to consume!
This pickle if refrigerated deep inside the refrigerator, lasts easily for 2-3 weeks without spoiling…Enjoy, delicious… On-demand Karela with Dal-Roti-Chawal, whenever you like!

For the pickling spice: Mix together 1/2 tsp turmeric with 1 tsp red chilli pwdr and 3 tsp rai ki dal.