Mula ko Achar Recipe

Ingredients

• 1–1.5 kgwhite radish
• 10–12green chillies
• 10–12garlic cloves
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspground coriander
• ½ tbspground turmeric
• 1 tspKashmiri red chilli powder
• 1½ tspred chilli powder
• 1 tbspmustard seeds, ground
• to tastesalt
• ½ tspfenugreek seeds
• 120 ml (½ cup)mustard oil or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the radish

   Peel the radish and cut it into thin sticks or small bite-sized pieces. Slice the garlic and green chillies.

2. 2

   Dry the vegetables

   Spread the radish, garlic and chillies on a platter and leave them in the sun for 12–24 hours, until the radish is dry.

3. 3

   Roast the mustard

   Dry-roast the mustard seeds in a pan over medium heat until they begin to pop and smell nutty. Let them cool completely, then grind them to a fine powder.

4. 4

   Season the radish

   Put the dried radish, chillies and garlic in a mixing bowl with all the spices and salt. Mix thoroughly so the seasoning coats the radish evenly.

5. 5

   Temper the fenugreek

   Heat the oil in a pan. Add the fenugreek seeds and fry until dark brown, taking care not to burn them.

6. 6

   Combine and taste

   Pour the hot oil over the spiced radish and toss everything together thoroughly. Taste and add more salt if needed.

7. 7

   Rest and ferment

   Leave the achar for at least 15 minutes, then transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it in the sun for 7–10 days; it will begin to turn sour after a few days. Leave it longer if you prefer a more sour flavour, then store it in the refrigerator.

What is mula ko achar?

Mula ko achar is a Nepali radish pickle; khadeko mula achar is made by drying radish and letting it become sour as it rests. This version pairs the radish with garlic, green chillies and a warming blend of ground spices.

Drying the vegetables first and adding hot, fenugreek-scented oil gives the pickle a distinctive savoury finish. It is served as a tangy, spicy accompaniment to a meal.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1403 calories, 13g protein, 90g carbs, 116g fat.

The listed nutrition per serving is 1,403 kcal, with most of the fat coming from the oil and the carbohydrates largely from the radish and seasonings. The radish contributes some of the protein, alongside the smaller amounts in the other ingredients. Serve a modest spoonful alongside a meal with rice and vegetables to balance the plate.

Drying the radish

Cut the radish into similarly sized sticks or pieces so they dry at a similar rate. The recipe calls for 12–24 hours in the sun; the radish should be dry before you mix in the spices.

Garlic and green chillies are sliced and dried alongside it. Keep the pieces spread out on the platter rather than piled together.

Roasting the mustard

Dry-roast the mustard seeds over medium heat, watching for the first pops and a nutty aroma. Let them cool completely before grinding so you can make a fine powder without working with hot seeds.

The recipe uses both ground mustard seeds and two kinds of chilli powder. The Kashmiri chilli and the additional red chilli powder give you different ways to build colour and heat.

Getting the tempering right

Heat the oil, then add the fenugreek seeds and fry them until dark brown. Watch closely: the method calls for dark seeds, not burnt ones.

Pour the hot oil over the seasoned radish straight away, then toss well. This distributes the oil and fenugreek through the mixture.

Letting it turn sour

Give the mixed achar at least 15 minutes before transferring it to an airtight container. The recipe then calls for 7–10 days in the sun, with sourness developing after a few days.

Taste it as it sits if you want to choose how sour it becomes. Once it is to your liking, move the container to the refrigerator as directed.

Serving the pickle

Serve mula ko achar in small spoonfuls alongside a meal, where its sharpness and chilli heat can contrast with milder foods. It can also add a punchy, crunchy element to a plate of rice and other Nepali dishes.

Because it is strongly seasoned, start with a little and add more to taste.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the radish into even pieces so it dries consistently.
• Spread the vegetables out on the platter for their 12–24 hours in the sun.
• Let the roasted mustard seeds cool completely before grinding.
• Adjust the red chilli powder to suit your preferred level of heat.
• Stay beside the pan while frying the fenugreek so it does not burn.
• Taste the salt before packing the mixture into its container.

Variations

• More heat: Increase the red chilli powder to suit your taste.
• Milder pickle: Reduce the red chilli powder while keeping the other seasonings.
• Oil choice: Use vegetable oil instead of mustard oil.
• Sourer flavour: Leave the achar in the sun longer than 7 days, as described in the method.
• Chunkier cut: Cut the radish into small bite-sized pieces instead of thin sticks.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowded platter: Piled-up pieces are harder to dry; spread the radish, garlic and chillies out.
• Warm mustard seeds: Grinding them before they cool goes against the method; let them cool completely first.
• Burnt fenugreek: Keep heating only until the seeds are dark brown, then pour the oil over the radish.
• Uneven seasoning: Toss thoroughly so the spices coat the radish rather than settling in one spot.
• Too little resting time: Give the mixture at least 15 minutes before transferring it to its container.

How to store

After at least 15 minutes of resting, transfer the achar to an airtight container and leave it in the sun for 7–10 days, following the recipe. Once it has reached your preferred sourness, store it in the refrigerator; the recipe does not specify a storage duration.

Frequently asked questions