Traditional Durban Chilli & Carrot Pickle Recipe

1. Drop chillies into a heatproof glass jar.
2. Bring salted water and vinegar to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and let cool slightly for 5 minutes, then pour carefully into jar with chillies until fully submerged.
3. Close jar. This must be left for 2 days. As the jar cools down, the jar will become vacuum sealed because of the heat and cooling process so it will be quite tight when you need to open it.

1. Place cut carrots in a colander and sprinkle generously with fine salt.
2. Using your hands turn the carrots so they are all coated with salt.
3. For the next 3 hours @ every half hour interval, turn the carrots and press out water.
4. After 5 hours, transfer carrots to a salad dryer/spinner, and spin out the water.
5. Then transfer to a flat surface a dab last excess moisture with a dish towel.

For the Spices

1. Whilst the carrots are salting and drying in colander, add just enough oil to braise in a pan about 1/2 cup.
2. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and take off the heat as soon as they start popping.
3. Let this oil lose some heat, lower temperature of stove, and return back to stove and add the rest of the spices except the tamarind, on this low heat.
4. Stir for about a minute, then add tamarind for another minute.
5. Remove from heat and let it cool to lukewarm.

1. Drain chillies and dry in salad dryer
2. In large dish or mixing bowl, mix together braised spice and chillies.
3. When the carrots are ready, add this to the chillies and turn to coat everything.
4. Place in glass jar and add oil as preferred. (I added very little oil because I transferred straight to the fridge the following day)