Yellow pickled cauliflower, aka gobhi ka achar, is a common seasonal pickle enjoyed as a condiment throughout India. The gobhi pickle is deliciously tangy and crunchy spice-flavoured cauliflower florets that pair well with almost everything!!
The best-ever seasonal pickle you can enjoy with any meal!!
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About the cauliflower pickle
Yellow pickled cauliflower, known as Gobhi pickle, is prepared by combining cauliflower florets (gobhi) in spices and oil using turmeric to give it a yellow colour. This turmeric pickled cauliflower is spicy and tangy and served as an accompaniment to boost the flavour of main dishes.
To make gobhi ka achar, the cauliflower florets are first blanched in boiling water for a few minutes to soften them. After drying, they are coated with spices and an oil mixture. Then pickle is allowed to sit for a few days to allow the cauliflower to absorb the spices. It's absolutely delicious!!
Serve gobi achar with lentils, vegetables, chicken curry, stuffed parathas, and rice to enjoy the flavourful spices in it!!
Ingredients
You need the following items to make the recipe for Indian cauliflower pickle:
- Gobhi/Cauliflower - Use the florets only. Cut them into small or medium sizes. Soak these florets in lukewarm salted water for 10 minutes to remove any insects if present.
- Oil - I have used mustard oil to prepare this gobhi ka achar as it gives the pickle a good flavour. Heat mustard oil until smokey to remove its rawness.
- Vinegar - Rice wine vinegar. Use any. It acts as a preservative. It also gives a tangy flavour to the pickle.
- Asafoetida - Good for digestion.
- Salt - Table salt. As per taste
- Spices - Bring flavour and aroma to the pickle. These include cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, carom seeds, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric, chilli powder, and peppercorns.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make gobi achar?
For the full recipe, check out the video below.
Step-1 Cauliflower prep
- Cut cauliflower florets into small or medium sizes to make this yellow pickled cauliflower.
- Soak these florets in warm salted water for about 10 minutes.
- Strain and set the florets aside.
- Heat water in a pot. When bubbles appear, add salt, turmeric, and vinegar. Stir well.
- Next, stir in gobhi/cauliflower into this water and simmer for 5-8 minutes. (image below)
- Drain water and place the gobhi florets apart from each other on a tray.
- Keep it in the sun for 2-3 hours to dry or under the fan if it's not feasible to sundry them. (image below)
Step-2 Oil prep
- Pour mustard oil into a pan and let it smoke.
- Add salt, chilli powder, and turmeric powder to it. Turn the heat off.
- Set aside to cool down.
Step-3 Spices Prep
- Dry roast all spices except rai and hing for 2-3 minutes on low heat or until brown and fragrant.
- Now, stir in mustard seeds (rai) and asafoetida (hing) and roast for less than a minute on low heat.
- Keep it aside to cool down. (image below)
- Once cool down, grind it into a coarse powder.
Step- 4 Assembly
- Finally, here comes a meeting time!
- Combine oil, spices, and the gobhi (cauliflower) in a dry and clean bowl.
- Stir in 2-3 teaspoons of vinegar.
- Adust as per your taste and mix well.
- Now, carefully transfer this yellow pickled cauliflower, aka gobhi ka achar, to a clean and sterilized glass jar using a dry spoon.
- Keep this pickle in the sun for 2-3 days before use.
Storage
- Store in a clean, sterile glass jar.
- Always keep the pickle in a cool, dry, and dark place.
- Close the lid tightly after every use for its long life.
Tips for long-lasting pickle life
These points apply to almost all pickles for their stable life.
- Use all clean and dry equipment like a mixing bowl, spoon, spatula, etc., whatever you use to make the pickle.
- Use a dry sterilized glass jar to store the pickle.
- Add oil in an excessive amount to ensure that all the florets are dipped into it.
- Don't skip adding vinegar, as it increases the pickle's shelf life.
- Use a dry and clean spoon to use the gobi pickle.
- Close the lid tightly after each use.
- Check the pickle regularly for any sign of moulds or foul smell.
- Always shake the jar every few days to distribute the oil and spices equally.
If the gobhi pickle is stored appropriately, it can last several months or even a year.
Suggestions
- Heat mustard oil to a smokey point to mask its raw flavour.
- If you like the rawness of mustard oil, use it directly from the bottle.
- Toasting spices is not essential, but it makes them crisp and prevents any presence of moisture.
- Cool down the spices before grinding to avoid moisture later on.
- Grind the spices to a coarse powder.
- Use a clean, dry, and sterilized jar to store this gobhi pickle Indian style.
- Blanch florets for 5-8 minutes only to retain their crunch in taste.
- The best is to consume the pickle after 2-3 days of preparing it to allow the spices and cauliflower to mingle up (🤣)
Related
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Recipe
Gobhi Ka Achar | Yellow Pickled Cauliflower
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Ingredients
- 500 g Gobhi/Cauliflower
- 1 Cup Mustard oil
- 4 teaspoons Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Hing/Asafoetida
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 3 tablespoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
- 15-20 Peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Carom seeds
- 2 tablespoon Mustard seeds
- 3 tablespoon Coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric
- 1 tablespoon Chilli powder
- 3 tablespoons Fennel seeds
Instructions
Cauliflower prep
- Cut the cauliflower florets into small or medium size. Soak them in luke warm salted water for 10-15 minutes.
- Heat water in a pot. When bubbles start appearing, add salt, turmeric, and vinegar (2 teaspoons).
- Stir in drained cauliflower florets and blanch it for 5-8 minutes.
- Drain them and spread on a tray to dry them for 2-3 hours. (either sundried or fan dried)
Oil prep
- Heat mustard oil in a pan until it turns smokey.
- Add salt, chilli powder, and turmeric. Turn off the heat.
- Mix well and let it cool.
Spices prep
- Roast all the spices except the mustard seeds (rai) and asfoetida (hing) for 2 minutes on low heat.
- Stir in mustard seeds and hing. Roast for less than a minute.
- Cool down the spice-mix.
- Grind them into a course powder.
Assembly
- Once the florets are dried completely. Combine florets, spices and oil altogether in a clean and dry mixing bowl.
- Add two teaspoons of vinegar and mix well.
- Transfer this oil-spice-cauliflower pickle into a clean, dry and sterlized glass container.
- Keep this pickle in the sun for 2-3 days before use.
- Spice flavoured Indian caulflower pickle is ready to serve!!
Video
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 40 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 59 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 5.9g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat 0.7g | 3% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 180mg | 8% |
| Total Carbohydrate 1.6g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.8g | 3% |
| Total Sugars 0.4g | |
| Protein 0.6g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 16mg | 1% |
| Iron 1mg | 3% |
| Potassium 63mg | 1% |
Nutrition
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Jacqui says
Wow! This cauliflower recipe turned out so so flavorful and it was really easy to follow!