Turmeric is such a centerpiece of Indian cuisine. It is used in almost all of our curries. Additionally, it is known for its antiseptic properties as well. It has been mixed in milk and given to people with bone/muscle injuries, people with colds, and coughs. People even apply it on wounds and boils and get rid of them. It’s only now that Golden Milk or Turmeric Lattes have picked up in the west, but we Indians have been using milk and turmeric for centuries.

I love raw turmeric even more. It is so much more potent, versatile, and has a great pungent flavor. I use it as shavings in salads, in chutneys, as a pickle, in soups, and even as veg. People in Rajasthan and Gujarat in India consume a lot of raw Turmeric in their diet since it’s grown in abundance in those regions. I remember eating turmeric veg prepared in a yogurt gravy and it was so unique and flavorful.

I, however, love this recipe of Instant Kacchi Haldi ka Achar (Raw Turmeric Pickle) that I am sharing today. It consumes only about a tablespoon of oil unlike the oil-laden pickles and preserves its flavors and can be consumed up to 3 weeks after it’s prepared. I usually take a few pieces with every meal and thus include it in my daily diet.

I have used lemon juice in this recipe since I couldn’t find any Gooseberries/Amla. Adding Amla increases its nutritional value plus gives that tanginess to the dish that it needs.

PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 15 minutes
SERVINGS: 40 or more
DIFFICULTY SCALE: Medium

INGREDIENTS:

1. Turmeric tubers – 250 gms
2. Garlic pods – about 30
3. Green Chillis – 6-7
4. Lemon juice – 1 lemon
5. Mustard oil – 1-2 tablespoons
6. Cumin seeds – 1 tablespoon
7. Curry Leaves – 3-4 twigs, optional
8. Salt – to taste (I added about 2.5 tablespoons)

RECIPE:

1. Peel the turmeric tubers and wash them thoroughly. This is a slightly tedious step and also colors your finger tips. You could use gloves while peeling them to save your hands.
2. Wash them thoroughly under running water and keep them in a sieve for about 10 minutes to drain all the excess water.
3. Cut the washed turmeric tubers into small pieces.

Diced_haldi
Diced Haldi

4. Peel 5-6 garlic pieces to get about 30-35 pods of garlic. Crush them slightly with a mortar and pestle or pulse them for 30 seconds in a grinder. We just need to release their juices and don’t need to crush them entirely.
5. Place a pan on high heat and add mustard oil to it and allow it to heat slightly.
6. Add cumin seeds and once they splutter add the curry leaves. You can omit the leaves if you don’t have them. I feel adding them adds a nice flavor to the recipe.
7. Add garlic pieces and slit green chilies and cook them for a minute.
8. Add the diced turmeric pieces and keep them on low flame.
9. Add salt according to taste. I added about 2.5 tablespoons and keep them for about 10-12 minutes. Stir constantly.
10. After the pieces are cooked add lemon juice of about one lemon. You could add more if you like it to be tangier.
11. Remove from heat and preserve in a glass container since it has lemon and turmeric tends to have a color too.

Hope you love this Instant Kacchi Haldi ka Achar as much as I do.

Haldi ki Sabzi
Haldi ki Sabzi