Cucumber and carrots tossed in a tangy yellow mustard flavoured spice blend. Choose bright red coloured carrots that are sweet tasting for this recipe, as they blend beautifully with the tangy marinade. This pickle is often served as a variant to a salad in several Gujarati homes. Several instant and traditional pickles are laid out at the time of lunch or dinner for the diner to take his pick. No Gujarati meal is ever complete without pickles. This pickle does not last for many days, but it is not supposed to as it is meant to be consumed with the meal so that a whole new range of pickles can be prepared for the next meal.
Jaggery is referred to as "gol" and mangoes are known as "keri" in Gujarat. In the past, this pickle entailed a lengthy process as salt and turmeric powder (haldi) was applied to the raw mangoes and filled in jars for 2 to 3 days after which the mangoes were sun-dried for 5 to 6 hours. As the name suggests, this recipe is a quicker version of the traditional Gujarati pickle. I have found my own shortcut for this recipe without sacrificing its flavour. Now there is no need to sit and wait for the mangoes to dry in the sun. Just follow this easy to prepare recipe. Golkeri is an ideal accompaniment for muthias.
Sambhaar plays a versatile role in the preparation of many spicy pickles. It is a blend of split mustard seeds (rai na kuria), chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. To make the sambhaar slightly moist, I have added mustard oil. This sambhaar is very handy when making instant pickles at home for lunch or dinner. My family enjoys the instant carrot pickle I serve them for lunch. Just about 15 minutes before lunch, I apply salt and a pinch turmeric powder to the carrots and keep them aside for some time after which I combine the carrots and the prepared sambhaar. This pickle is ready within 15 minutes and I serve this with hot phulkas for lunch.