Carrot raita (Gajarache Bharit)

This is an easy side dish for poli-bhaji.

Here's how I make it:

1 cup roughly chopped carrots (I use the baby cut carrots that come in a bag, they are already peeled)
1 cup yogurt
Salt & sugar to taste
Tempering - 1 tsp ghee, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 dry red chile (broken), 1 green chile, pinch asafoetida
2 tbsp roughly chopped dry roasted unsalted peanuts
Chopped cilantro

Pressure cook the carrots for 2 to 3 whistles. When they come to room temperature, mash with a fork leaving some chunky pieces. Make the tempering by heating the ghee and adding the other tempering ingredients. Fry for a few mins, take off heat and pour over the mashed carrots. Add the peanuts, yogurt, salt, sugar and cilantro. Mix well.

Carrots side dishes

We are leaving for India in a few days and will be gone for 6 weeks. I rarely cook while there, but do pick up lotsa new recipes. If possible, I do intend to post while there.

In the meanwhile, I'm trying to clear my fridge. Had a bunch of carrots, so Friday evening I made this Carrot Koshimbir (salad) and the next day, finished up the remaining carrots with an Instant Carrot Pickle.

Here's how I made this Carrot Koshimbir:



1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp coarsely pound peanuts
Salt, sugar and lemon juice to taste
Cilantro for garnish
For the tempering:
1 tsp ghee or oil
1 serrano pepper - chopped (deseeded for less heat)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Mix the shredded carrots, peanuts, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Make the tempering and add to the carrot mixture. Combine well. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

The sweet carrots and peanuts make a delicious and quick salad that can be eaten as a side dish or a light meal or as a filling in a tortilla wrap/ pita etc.

Here's how I made the Instant Carrot Pickle:

1 cup carrots - cut into matchsticks

1 clove garlic - chopped

1 heaped tsp pickle masala (I used Bedekar's Mango Pickle Masala) - adjust per taste

1 heaped tsp salt

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp asafotida

Mix the carrots, garlic, pickle masala, salt and lemon juice in a glass bowl. Microwave for 1 mins.

Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the asafotida. Immediately add to the carrots. Cool the pickle to room temperature. It can be refrigerated for a day or two.

I am not a big pickle fan, but this quick Carrot Pickle does not last long in my fridge. I fell in love with carrot pickle when I had it for the first time at Preets, an Indian restaurant in our area. Though this version is not like theirs, its equally delicious.

We shared this with our friends for a weekend brunch, along with aloo parathas and vegetable raita.

These two dishes - Carrot Koshimbir and Instant Carrot Pickle go to the JFI - Carrots event at The Cooker.