Carrot Asaara

Carrot asaara or carrot pickle is a popular type of spicy pickle in the Maldives. There are different ways people make this asaara; some cook the mixture of carrots with spices, while some don’t. For our version, we cooked the asaara mix before letting it ferment.

Traditionally, asaara is made and left in the sunlight for a couple of days before eating it although nowadays, a lot of people leave it in the refrigerator instead of in the sun. We tested it both ways and found that that the taste was nearly the same for both. However, the one which was left in the refrigerator did have more freshness to it and maintained a more vibrant colour. You can try it either way and still get a delicious spicy asaara.

Serving size: 1-1.5 medium jar

Ingredients:

• 1 scotch bonnet
• 4 green chillies
• 5 garlic cloves
• 6-inch piece pandan leaf
• ½ -inch piece of ginger
• 1 ½ tbsp oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 15 curry leaves
• 2 cups thinly sliced carrot strips
• 2/3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 cup white vinegar

Instructions:

1. To start off, cut 1 scotch bonnet and a 6-inch piece of pandan leaf to around 1-inch large pieces.
2. Then, slice 4 green chillies and 5 garlic cloves into quarters, and thinly slice the ½ inch piece of ginger.
3. Heat 1 ½ tbsp oil in a large pot. Then, add in 1 cup thinly sliced onions, 15 curry leaves and the cut pandan leaves. Sauté for 4 minutes on medium-low heat or until the onions become soft and aromatic.
4. Then, add the cut scotch bonnet, green chillies, ginger, garlic, 2/3 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin powder and ¼ tsp turmeric powder into the pot. Continue sautéing for 2 more minutes until everything is well combined and the spices are fragrant.
5. After that, add the 2 cups thinly sliced carrot strips and stir to mix well. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until the carrots are semi-soft.
6. Then, add 1 cup white vinegar and mix well. Turn the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Let it simmer for 6-7 minutes or until all the ingredients are well incorporated into the vinegar. At this point, the vinegar will turn an orange-red colour.
7. Once mixed well, add the asaara to a glass jar or an airtight container. Once the asaara has cooled down, cover it with the lid and let it sit in the refrigerator or sunlight for at least 2-3 days to let the flavours settle.