Khalpi (खल्पी)is one of the favorite fermented pickles of Nepal made from matured cucumber. It is a traditional food consumed during Dashain/Tiharfestival along with mashu chiura (meat and beaten rice). It also goes well with Dal,Bhat,Tarakari which is the staple food. The long fermentation allows the probiotic to grow and multiply, and the nutrients in the cucumber to be easy to digest. Khalpi (kankro ko khadeko ko achar) are typically made during the summer months in Nepal as there are abundant cucumbers available.
Here is my variation to the recipe of Khalpi (खल्पी):
- 2 medium matured brown cucumber
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 cup ground mustard seeds
- Cayene pepper powder (to taste)
- Salt (to taste)
Wash the cucumber, discard the inner soft lining along with seeds. Cut them into the pieces/size you would like. I prefer a bite sized cube.
Put the cut kakro (cucumber) in a mixing bowl and add rest of the ingredients into it. Mix it well. Now transfer the mix into pickling jar with air tight lid, pressing between the layers. Top off the achar with 1-2 tbsp oil before closing the lid to avoid the discoloration and fungus. Place the jar under direct sun light for about 3- 5 days (6-8 days in winter) for fermentation. Now the pickle (khalpi) is ready to be served. Once the desired sourness is reached, keep it inside the refrigerator to avoid excessive fermentation.