Ool ka achar(Yam or Jimikand pickle)

 
This is my mother-in-law's recipe!
Thanks Bhibha di and Archana for  sharing this tasty pickle recipe which ma made.
The pickle has  come out very well!
This is a winter pickle and made in the month of november!

Ingredients:
Ool or jimikand or yam -1 kg,
Imli with seeds(tamarind)-one small piece or  size of one lemon,
Green chilli-50 gms-( the picture shows 100 gms but I used 50 gms only )
Garlic-2 pods or 50 gms,
Ginger-2 inch or 50 gms,
Mustard seeds-50 gms,
Lemon- 10,
Ajwain or carrom seeds-1 tsp,
Mangraila or kalonji or onion seeds-1 tsp,

Haldi or turmeric pwd-1 and 1/2 tsp,
Salt-4 and 1/2 tsp,
Mustard oil-1 and 1/4 cup.

Note: Ool or Jimikand or yam is boiled in tamarind water to remove the irritant. 
I have not used measuring spoons for the spices and salt,but regular tea spoons.

Method:
Wash and then chop the yam into big pieces.

Slice off the skin and cut into 2 inch pieces.

Wash again and put them in a cooker.
Add 3 cups of water and a piece of tamarind.

Raise the heat to high and let the cooker give out 3 whistles.
Once the cooker has cooled down,check the pieces by inserting a knife.

If hard,then leave it to boil till done.
You can use a pan to boil the yam if not using cooker.
Once boiled,then strain the water through a sieve.

Spread a clean muslin cloth on a tray or big plate.
Pick up the boiled yam pieces and spread it on the cloth.
Remove any tamarind if sticking on the pieces with a clean cloth.

Place the boiled yam to dry in the sunlight for few hours.

As the yam is drying, we prepare the spices.
In between turn the sides so that the yam pieces are evenly dried.

Spices:
Heat 1 and 1/4 cup of mustard oil in a kadhai.

Once the oil reaches a smoking point,close gas.
Leave it to cool.
Wash the green  chillies and lemon and wipe dry with a cloth.
Once wiped dry,remove the stick of the green chilli and make a slit lengthwise.
If the chilli is long chop into half.
Keep in a bowl.

Cut each lemon into half and strain out the juice through a lemon press and collect in a bowl.

Take two garlic pods and peel and divide into two parts.
One half is sliced or crushed and the other half will be made into a paste.
Like wise we peel the ginger and divide into two parts.

One half of ginger is cut into thin slices and the other half is grated or made into a paste.

Grind the mustard pwd in a grinder.

Once the mustard is powdered,add the garlic paste and  ginger paste.

Add half of lemon juice and grind into a paste.

Take out in a bowl.

Assemble:

Take a large bowl and place the dried yam in it.

 Break all the yam pieces using your fingers to make it into small chunks.

Add slit green chillies,sliced garlic pieces,sliced ginger pieces,mustard ginger garlic lemon paste.
Add ajwain seeds,kalonji or onion  seeds,turmeric pwd and salt.
Add the leftover lemon juice.

Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

Once the spices are mixed,taste the yam and adjust salt or lemon juice accordingly.

Pour  half cup of the cooled mustard oil.

Mix again.
Place the bowl in a sunlight area for few hours.

In the evening, transfer the yam mixture into a clean jar.

Pour the left oil in the jar(3/4 cup).

Cover the mouth of the jar  with a clean cloth.

The jar is kept in the sunlight for four days.
Keep tossing and turning the pickle everyday.
The colour of the green chilli will change from bright green to light as the pickle gets ready.

Taste the pickle and you should not get any irritant.

The readyness of the Pickle will depend on the day temperature and sunlight.
This is a winter pickle and will survive only for the winter months.
To last it longer,keep the bottled pickle in the fridge.