Pickle of Cucumber by Mom

 Cooking is a skill that lasts a lifetime, and it empowers people to make more nutritious food choices at home or away.Recipes and traditional foods have been passed down from generation to generation.  Cooking can be a fun family activity! Of course I could get the job done quicker if I just did it myself, but in the process they’re learning and we’re spending valuable time together. Have fun with it and know that the time spent home cooking is a wise investment in your family.

The pickling cucumbers came in a variety of sizes and they were pretty muddy. So, I sorted them into small, medium, and large and scrubbed them well. I also cut off a bit from the blossom ends because I read that helps them not get too mushy.

Shred the cucumbers into long matchsticks using a mandoline, or julienne peeler. In a colander, combine the shredded cucumbers and salt in a mixing bowl. Let them rest until the juices are released, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Strain and press and squeeze out as much water as possible.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and toast the sesame seeds, stirring constantly to prevent the seeds burning, until they give pleasant aroma and turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Tip the seeds into a bowl, and let them cool. Transfer the seeds to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.

Place the cucumbers in a bowl, and add the ground sesame, yogurt, coriander, lemon juice, green chillies, pepper and timur and mix well. 

Heat the mustard oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is faintly smoking, add the fenugreek seeds and jimbu, and fry until they turn brown and fragrant, about 5 seconds. Remove the pan from heat and immediately add the turmeric. Pour into the cucumber mixture, mix well, cover, and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.