Kasundi – Bengali Mustard Relish

There used to be this bottle of yellow stuff   my grandmother’s table, to be serv It was poured on greens, fries and most importantly the bengali cure all snack food called chop.

Thanks to the folks over at Unapologetic Foods, it seems to be having a moment.  I am always happy when something from the Bengali table has a moment.

My relationship with Kashundi

I did not start out as a Kashundi fan. As with a lot of the finer things in life, the taste develops and evolves as we get older. Last summer, I had made Kasundi at home for the first time. My husband was hooked.  He is not the only one. My version also found in the Bengali Five Spice Chronicles is thick but really close to the real deal.

Steps and reasons to make your own Kasundi

Kashundi starts out as a basic mustard paste, my version has a generous dose of garlic. I also add a pinch of turmeric to the mustard and chili paste. However, what makes kasundi really interesting is that it is fermented. So just like kimchi and other fermented foods, it had that funky magic. And that is why I do not truly trust the bottled versions of this dish. Essentially a fermented food gets stronger as it sits somewhere. And there is not a whole lot that can be done with over fermented kasundi. This is why I like to make this in small batches at home.

To get the right kind of zest and sharpness, you want to give your Kasundi at least a week to mature and develop flavor. Less is more with this condiment. It will stay happily in your refrigerator, ready for action as needed.

 

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Kasundi – Bengali Mustard Relish

Yield: Makes 3/4 cup

A variation of Kasundi, a classic Bengali mustard relish.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup black mustard seeds
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3 green chilies
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 pods garlic
  • 1 inch piece ginger, peeled
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon mustard oil
  • 1 lime plus 3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Soak the mustard, water and chilies for about 8 hours.
  2. Place the mustard, water, chilies, salt, garlic, ginger and sugar in the blender and blend to a smooth paste.
  3. Cut the lime and squeeze in the juice and add in the cider vinegar.
  4. Serve as needed, or place in a glass jar and leave outside for a about a week. The kasundi is ready when it smells much stronger and has a hint of natural sourness. Stir in the tablespoon of mustard oil and use as a condiment as needed.
https://spicechronicles.com/kasundi-bengali-mustard-relish/

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