Moroccan Spiced Carrot Pickle

PREP TIME: 15mins

COOKING TIME: 25mins

Pickles are a clever way to ‘save the season’ and preserved raw for a later date. I love this spiced pickle (with a bit of a kick) and seems to go with everything! Beetroot and even butternut would make a good veggie substitute.

PICKLE 101

🥕Pickles are fruit or veggies preserved by being immersed in a brine
🥕A pickle brine is usually a warmed blend of vinegar, sugar, salt and an infusion of different spices
🥕They can be sweet or savoury but are almost always sharp
🥕Pickles are a clever way to ‘save the season’ by preserving raw food for later
🥕Pickles need a period where the brine fully penetrates the veggies (4-8weeks) but you can have a quick pickle (as below)
🥕Quick pickles need refrigeration once opened

How to: Sterilize Jars

For me the quickest way is to wash the jars & lids well in very hot soapy water and leave to dry in a oven at 110c for 20min

Serving Suggestion:

•add to a green or couscous salad
•eat at a start of a meal w a selection of other pickles, dips, hummus & pitas
•chargrilled anything

What you'll need:

A few sterilised jars (see note)

Ingredients:

  • 850-1kg organic carrots, peeled, grated or cut into matchsticks
  • 3 tbspn olive oil
  • 2 tspn cumin seeds
  • 2 tspn mustard seeds
  • 6 fresh curry leaves (opt but beautiful)
  • 100ml orange juice
  • 200ml apple cider vinegar

Spice Paste

  • 2 tspn cumin seeds
  • 2 pinches dried chilli flakes
  • 1 tspn good salt
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 50g fresh ginger, peeled & grated
  • 1 tspn turmeric
  • 75g soft brown sugar

Method:

  1. Start with the paste by grinding the cumin seeds, chilli flakes in a mortar and pestle till a fine powder. Add the salt, garlic, ginger and grind until a fairly smooth paste, add the turmeric and sugar.
  2. Heat the oil in a large pot, add the cumin & mustard seeds and fry until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the curry leaves, and fry until translucent. Add the spice paste and cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the orange juice & vinegar and bring to a boil, add the carrots and stir well, coating all the carrots in the juices. lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15/20mim until the carrots are soft(ish) but still retain some texture & the liquid is reduced a little.
  4. Leave to cool and transfer to sterilised jars, seal and store for 3 months. Once opened store in the fridge.

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