Long Bean Pickle

Learn to make traditional Nepalese Long Bean Achar with this step-by-step guide! This flavorful pickle combines blanched long beans and carrots with a spicy, tangy masala paste made from roasted mustard seeds, cumin, coriander, and Sichuan pepper. Infused with ginger, garlic, turmeric, and chili powder, this achar is left to ferment in mustard oil for 10 days, resulting in a deliciously sour and spicy condiment. Perfect as a side dish or snack, this homemade pickle is a must-try for anyone who loves bold, authentic flavors!

Ingredients

1 kg long beans

2 carrots (approximately 300g)

3 tbsp of yellow mustard seeds

1 tsp Timur (Sichuan pepper), 

1 tbsp Cumin seeds 

1.5 tbsp of Coriander seeds

170 ml Mustard oil 

15 to 20 cloves of Garlic 

1 inch Ginger

1 tsp of Turmeric powder

Salt to taste (2 tsp)

A cup of Chili powder

How to make: 

1. 1 kg long green beans, clean it up under running water and blanch it for a minute in boiling water then put it into the iced water to stop over cooking. Wait for 10 minutes. Drain the water and let it sit for the excess water to remove.

2. Now, time to make Masala for the pickles. Into a hot pan, add in 3 tbsp of yellow mustard seeds

3. 1 tsp Timur (Sichuan pepper), 1 tbsp Cumin seeds and 1.5 tbsp of Coriander seeds then 

roast it until it starts to splutter on medium to low heat. Use chopsticks or something to move them around so that it roasts evenly. Let it cool down.

1. Next, into the same pan add about 130ml Mustard oil, about 15 to 20 cloves of Garlic and 1 inch Ginger, chopped into pieces. The oil roasts the cloves of garlic until it becomes soft and plump. Before removing from the stove, add in 1 tsp of Turmeric powder. Stir it very well and remove the pan from the heat and let it cool down. 

2. Now, blend the roasted spicess, after it is perfectly blended, Add the Garlic, ginger oil and blend it with the spice powder until it looks like a paste, keep it aside. 

3. Now, wash the carrot, peel and cut it into strips. Place it in a large basin where we are going to mix the Achar.   

4. The beans remove the excess water again if there is and chop it up into a inch long size then put into the basin with the Carrot then Salt to taste, a cup of Chili powder (I’m using mild Korean chili powder if its spicy version then use less or to your taste). Use any chili powder that you like. Then the masala paste that we’ve made earlier. Combine it very well (Use disposable gloves if you don’t like to use the bare hand).  

5. After combining it very well, put it into a sterilized air tide container / bottle and press it down to remove the excess air in the jar. Add about 30 to 40 ml Mustard oil to cover the upper part of the Achar in the Jar. Put the lid on and let it be in the sunny place for 8 to 10 days. 

6. After 10 days the Achar looks really good and delicious. By this time the Achar is going to be fermented, sour, spicy and delicious. 

Note:- Always use a cleaned and dried spoon. Recommend to take a small amount each time and enjoy with your snack or main meal. 

Now on, it's best to keep it in the fridge. It slows down the fermentation so you can enjoy it more.