Gajar nu Athanu (Indian Pickled Carrots)

Name: Gajar nu Athanu (Indian Pickled Carrots)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 6-8 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch matchsticks (4 cups); 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 1 1/2 tbsp rai na kuria (split mustard seeds); 1 tsp salt, divided; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1/4 cup fresh lime juice; 1/4 tsp red chili powder

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Whenever my mom would make a vegetable curry I hated I’d load my plate up with gajar nu athanu (Indian pickled carrots) to mask the flavor or whatever I didn’t like. Gajar nu athanu is made with rai na kuria, skinned split mustard seeds, which you can find at your local Indian grocery store or on Amazon. They give the pickled carrots a heat similar to mustard. You can also make this with 50/50 of carrots and green Anaheim chiles if you like it really spicy! Gajar nu athanu is a staple item in every Gujarati households pantry!

When I was pregnant I would snack on these all the time! I love that sour, salty, spicy flavor! You can also use cauliflower, daikon or any other hard vegetable in this recipe! You can enjoy the pickled carrots a day after jarring them but the longer they sit in the fridge and ferment the tangy-er and better they get!

These pickled carrots will last about 2 weeks however if you want it to last longer, dry the carrots for a couple of days instead of a day. This will remove any excess water which would cause the athanu to go spoil.

I like to eat the pickled carrots on their own as a snack but they’re great in sandwiches, hot dogs, and even sushi! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Who knows, maybe they might join your staple pantry too!