Introduction

Carrot pickle is a preserved food product made by fermenting or brining fresh carrots in a solution of vinegar, salt, oil, spices, and sometimes ginger or mustard seeds, resulting in a tangy, crunchy condiment . Commonly known as “gajar nu athanu” in India, it enhances meals with its spicy flavor and is ready to eat within hours or days . This project focuses on standardizing its preparation, evaluating quality, and studying storage for commercial viability .

History

Pickling originated around 2400 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia as a food preservation method during scarcity and long journeys, later adopted by Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and in medieval Europe to combat scurvy on voyages . Carrots, domesticated in Central Asia around 900 CE as purple or yellow roots, entered Europe via North Africa by 1300 CE and became part of global pickling traditions . In India, carrot pickles emerged as traditional accompaniments, with pickling integral to cuisine since ancient times, especially in regions like Rajasthan and among Maratha communities post-18th century battles.

Need for the Project

Carrots are nutrient-rich but seasonal, making pickling essential for year-round availability and reducing post-harvest waste . The project addresses standardization of formulations (e.g., varying carrot-ginger ratios), proximate analysis, and storage stability to ensure safety, quality, and shelf life . It supports agro-based industries by creating value-added products like pickles, boosting farmer incomes and meeting demand for convenient, flavorful preserves .

15 NOV 2025

1 st trial On Carrot Pickle

With 3 different ways

  1. INDIAN Method- Cut the pickling material into pieces and marinate with salt & turmeric powder.
  2. Kimchi method- cut the pickling material into pieces and add into a brine solution
  3. Drying method- cut the pickling material into pieces and dry it oven or electric dryer for few hours.

1) Indian method

Ingredients:-

  1. Chopped carrots- 500 gm
  2. salt for marination- 75 gm
  3. Turmeric powder -2 gm

procedure:-

Sprinkle the salt and turmeric powder on carrots mix it well and kept it over night for osmosis.

Water inside the carrots pieces will run outside the carrot pieces due to application of salt (osmosis)

2)Kimchi method

Ingredients:-

  1. Carrots- 500 gm
  2. Salt- 60 gm
  3. Water- 1000 ml

Procedure:-

Brine solution preparation: Add the salt in water mix it properly rest for a while to salt get dissolved properly.

Carrot deeping : Add the chopped carrots in freshly made brine solution, pour the mixture in a jar place a cap and keep it for 3-4 days.(In kimchi preparation material kept in brine solution is cabbage and for 1 night.

3) Drying method

Ingredients :-

  1. Carrots- 500 gm

Procedure:-

cut the carrots into moderately fine pieces and put them for drying in electric tray dryer at 48°C for 4 hrs.

48°C temperature is set to retain the colour of carrots.

wt Before drying -575 gm

wt after drying – 282 gm

Moisture loss in 4 hrs=575-282/575 x 100=50.95%

16 NOV 2025

Spice addition to the carrots prepared for pickling.

Ingredients:-

  1. Mohari dal- 18 gm
  2. Mohari- 8 gm
  3. Hing-2 gm
  4. Mirchi powder- 2.5 t-spoon
  5. Turmeric powder- 1 gm
  6. Mohari tel – 200 ml
  7. Dhane- 5 gm
  8. Jeera – 3 gm
  9. Badishep- 5 gm
  10. Methi dane- 5 gm
  11. Black salt- 2 gm
  12. black pepper – 5 dane
  13. kalounji- 4 gm
  14. Garlic powder – 7 gm

procedure:-

step 1- Dry roast the mohari dal & kalounji seeds in a pan.

step 2 – Dry roast the jeera, Dhana, Badishep, black pepper, Mohari. Cool the mixture and grind coarsely or finely.

Step 3 – Heat the mustard oil in a pan and then cool it.

step 4 – At luke warm temperature add powdered ingredients and ground mixture in oil, mix it well.

Step 5 – Add the prepared carrots in masala mixture,mix it well and allow for proper cooling for 10-15 min.

step 6 – Take the clean and dry jars ( prefer plastic or glass jars not the metal ones) add the carrot mixture in it and pack properly cap of jars and keep them in cool and dry place.

Daily open the jar and stir the mixture to turn the surface material at bottom.

The pickle get ready within the 6-7 days for serving.

17 NOV 2025

Opened the jar near afternoon and mixed the Pickle by dry spoon and shaking the jar.

18 NOV to 20 NOV 2025

Opened the jar near afternoon and mixed the Pickle by dry spoon and shaking the jar.

21 NOV 2025

Pickeling trial on Carrots By Kimchi Method

Procedure:-

Brine solution preparation: Add the salt in water mix it properly rest for a while to salt get dissolved properly.

Carrot deeping : Add the chopped carrots in freshly made brine solution, pour the mixture in a jar place a cap and keep it for 3-4 days.(In kimchi preparation material kept in brine solution is cabbage and for 1 night but in kimchi preparation cabbage is used which have thin leaves and carrot is harder than cabbage thus I kept it in brine solution for 4 days. With daily stirring.

Ingredients:-

  1. Mohari dal- 8 gm
  2. Lemon juice- 3 tspoon
  3. Hing- 1 gm
  4. Mirchi powder- 1 tspoon
  5. Halad – Half tspoon
  6. Sunflower oil- 125 ml
  7. Lasun pakli- 2 gm
  8. Dhane- 4 gm
  9. Jeera- 1 gm
  10. Badishep- 2 gm
  11. Methi dane – 4 gm
  12. Black pepper – 3 dane
  13. Kalounji – 2 gm
  14. Bedekar Lonach Masala- 10 gm

Procedure-

Step 1- Drain out the brine solution from carrots.

Step 2- First Dry roast the mohari dal & kalounji seeds in a pan and then separately Dry roast the jeera, Dhana, Badishep, black pepper, Mohari. Cool the mixture and grind coarsely or finely.

Step 3 – Heat the mustard oil in a pan and then cool it.

step 4 – At luke warm temperature add powdered ingredients and ground mixture in oil, mix it well.Step

5 – Add the prepared carrots in masala mixture,mix it well and allow for proper cooling for 10-15 min.

step 6 – Take the clean and dry jars ( prefer plastic or glass jars not the metal ones) add the carrot mixture in it and pack properly cap of jars and keep them in cool and dry place.Daily open the jar and stir the mixture to turn the surface material at bottom.

Pickle is ready for consumption.

Total wt of pickle= 505 gm

22 NOV 2025

Pickeling trial on Carrots by Indian Traditional method

Ingredients:-

  1. Carrots- 335 gm
  2. Salt – 20 gm
  3. Turmeric powder- 0.5 gm

For Masala mixture

  1. Mohari dal – 5 gm
  2. Lemon juice – 2 tspoon
  3. Hing – 2 pinch
  4. Mirchi powder – 1 tspoon
  5. Sunflower oil – 100 ml
  6. Dhane – 3 gm
  7. Jeera – 1 gm
  8. Badishep – 1 gm
  9. Black salt – 2 pinch
  10. Black pepper – 2 dane
  11. Kalounji- 1 gm
  12. Turmeric powder – 4 pinch
  13. Bedekar Lonach masala- 5 gm

Procedure-

Cut the pickling material into pieces and marinate with salt & turmeric powder.Sprinkle the salt and turmeric powder on carrots mix it well and kept it 5-6 hrs for osmosis.

Wt of Carrots=548 gm

Wt after cleaning & Cutting=335 gm

wt of waste=149 gm

Wt after Drying = 107 gm

Moisture loss in 6 hrs= 335-107= 228

i.e.68.05%

For Masala mixture

step 1- Dry roast the mohari dal & kalounji seeds in a pan.

step 2 – Dry roast the jeera, Dhana, Badishep, black pepper, Mohari. Cool the mixture and grind coarsely or finely.

Step 3 – Heat the mustard oil in a pan and then cool it.

step 4 – At luke warm temperature add powdered ingredients and ground mixture in oil, mix it well.

Step 5 – Add the prepared carrots in masala mixture,mix it well and allow for proper cooling for 10-15 min.

step 6 – Take the clean and dry jars ( prefer plastic or glass jars not the metal ones) add the carrot mixture in it and pack properly cap of jars and keep them in cool and dry place.

Daily open the jar and stir the mixture to turn the surface material at bottom.The pickle get ready within the 6-7 days for serving.

23 NOV to 28 NOV 2025

Opened the jar near afternoon and mixed the Pickle by dry spoon and shaking the jar.