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Mula ko Achar

Local name : मूलाको अचार

A Nepali relish of white radish simmered in a sesame tomato sauce, set beside rice at every meal.

VeganGluten-free#radish#tomato#sesame#relish#spicy
Mula ko Achar

Photo : Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka · CC BY-SA 4.0

Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy

Method

  1. Cut the radish into thick batons and salt them. Leave for 20 minutes, then squeeze dry.
  2. Dry-roast the sesame seeds until golden, then grind to a coarse powder.
  3. Heat the mustard oil and darken the fenugreek in it.
  4. Add the garlic and ginger, then the diced tomatoes.
  5. Reduce for 12 minutes, until the tomatoes collapse into a thick sauce.
  6. Stir in the turmeric, chilli, ground sesame and radish.
  7. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. The radish should stay crisp at the centre.

Sesame roasted then ground gives the dish its body, with no flour and no extra fat. Newar kitchens build potatoes and bamboo shoots on the same base.

Nutrition · per serving

Calories
197 kcal
Protein
3.6 g
Fat
15.6 g
Carbohydrate
13.2 g
Fibre
4.9 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Why salt the radish before cooking it?

Daikon is very watery: without this step it would release its liquid into the tomato sauce and dilute the whole relish. Twenty minutes under salt and a firm squeeze is enough. Bear it in mind when seasoning at the end.

What is the toasted ground sesame for?

It is what binds the sauce, with no flour and no extra fat: ground to a coarse powder, it thickens and adds the characteristic nutty flavour. Toast it dry until golden, since raw sesame would give a chalky texture and a flat taste.

Should the radish end up soft or crunchy?

It should stay crunchy at the centre: this is a relish, not a stewed vegetable, and that texture is the whole contrast against the rice. Ten covered minutes after it joins the sauce is enough. If it goes soft, it was cut too thin or cooked too long.

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