Punjabi winter pickle · Sweet and sour
Cauliflower Pickle Recipe (Gobi ka Achar)
Blanch quickly. Dry well. Gur and vinegar.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenGobi ka achar is crunchy cauliflower in a sweet, sour and spicy mustard oil. It goes soggy or mouldy when the florets hold water. The fix is blanching briefly, drying the florets for a few hours, and balancing jaggery and vinegar.
The 3 laws of cauliflower pickle
Why this recipe works
Raw florets
Brief blanching softens without making it soggy.
Damp florets
Cauliflower holds a lot of water.
One-note
Punjabi gobi achar is sweet, sour and hot.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Pickle
Spice and oil
The NineFoods pickle gauge
Is the gobi achar ready?
Taste a floret after 2 days.
Method · 4 stages
Step by step
Blanch
- Blanch small florets for exactly 1 minute and drain.
Dry
- Spread on a cloth and dry thoroughly.
Gur-vinegar
- Melt jaggery in vinegar, cool.
Spice and rest
- Toss florets with spice oil and the gur-vinegar; jar and shake daily.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Over-blanched or damp.
Fix next time
Blanch 1 minute only and dry well.
Why
Old cauliflower.
Fix next time
Use fresh, tight heads.
Why
Jaggery too thick.
Fix next time
Warm the jar gently and stir.
Why
Raw vinegar edge.
Fix next time
Wait 2 more days for it to mellow.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Cauliflower | Base | Mixed gobi, gajar and shalgam |
| Jaggery | Sweetness | Brown sugar |
| Malt vinegar | Sourness | White vinegar |
| Mustard oil | Punjabi flavour | Any oil |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Winter Punjabi meals, parathas and dal.
Store
Fridge about a month.
Tip
Add carrots and turnips to the same jar for the classic mixed winter achar.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 20 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 4 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the gobi achar ready) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Cauliflower Pickle FAQ
Should I blanch cauliflower for pickle?
Yes, 1 minute, then dry it thoroughly.
How long does it last?
About 1 month in the fridge.
Can I add carrots and turnips?
Yes, for a mixed Punjabi winter pickle.
Why is my pickle soggy?
The florets were not dried enough.