Kakro ko Achar (Cucumber Pickle)


pic: easyfusionrecipe recipe source:nepalicooking


INGREDIENTS:
4 cups cucumber, pealed, seeded, and sliced 1/4-in thick into 2-in lengths
1 tablespoon coarse salt for the de watering of cucumber
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon timur (Szechwan pepper)
1 tablespoon hot chili paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
2 tablespoons tamarind paste
3 tablespoons mustard oil, or good olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of
Asafoetida (hing)
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped, for garnish 


Preparation 
In a large bowl, mix cucumber slices and salt.  Let it rest for at least two hours to extract water from cucumber.  Cucumber will have released a good amount of liquid; drain.  Dry-roast sesame, cumin, and coriander seeds until toasted.  In a blender, mix all the toasted seeds, timur, chili, tamarind and garlic pastes, oil, black pepper, asafetida, and salt into a thick pickle paste.  Pour the pickling mixture into dewatered cucumber slices; mix thoroughly.  For garnish, sprinkle chopped cilantro.  Refrigerate in a sterilized jar.