Carrot caviar with mustard oil

Vegetable caviar is not only a delicious but also an exceptionally healthy appetizer that helps diversify your daily diet and enriches the body with vitamins, minerals, as well as essential micro- and macroelements required for proper functioning.

Interestingly, carrot caviar (or carrot paste) is believed to have originated in Tunisia. In traditional Tunisian cuisine, various spices are added, turning it into a very spicy, aromatic, and piquant dish. Fans of culinary experiments can prepare carrot caviar using mustard oil, which has a rich, spicy aroma and a distinctive sharp flavor. In addition, mustard oil has a high smoke point and does not degrade during frying or stewing.

CraftOil offers raw, organic, 100% natural mustard oil made from carefully selected mustard seeds grown in an environmentally clean region without the use of agricultural pesticides. The oil is cold-pressed using our own certified presses equipped with special barrels made of ash wood or caprolon.

We produce mustard oil and other oils on the day the order is placed, vacuum-seal them, hermetically close the bottles, and ship worldwide. We guarantee premium freshness and quality.

CraftOil also offers mustard seeds of various varieties (white, black, and yellow), as well as mustard seed cake flour produced on food-grade stainless steel mills. Visit our website to explore the full range of products and find the one that suits you best.

Ingredients

For spicy carrot caviar you will need:

• 700 g carrots;
• 700 g onions;
• 2 tbsp ketchup (can be replaced with spiced tomato paste);
• 1 tsp vinegar;
• 1 tsp sugar;
• 1 tsp salt;
• 3 tbsp mustard oil;
• 1 pinch ground black pepper;
• 50 ml water (more if needed);

Step-by-step cooking instructions

Wash the carrots thoroughly and boil until tender. Allow them to cool completely, then peel and grate.

Peel the onions, rinse under running water, and finely chop (as for sautéing). Fry the onions in mustard oil for 10–15 minutes until translucent or lightly golden. Add the grated carrots, ketchup, salt, sugar, black pepper, and vinegar. If the mixture is too thick, add about 50 ml of water.

Stir well, cover with a lid, and simmer over low heat for approximately 20 minutes.

Serve the carrot caviar chilled. If desired, after cooling, add finely chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, and/or cilantro.

Notes:

Boiled and stewed carrots are healthier than raw ones because the carotenoids they contain are more easily absorbed by the digestive system and then converted into vitamin A. This carrot caviar contains only 63 kcal per 100 g, making it suitable even for those on a diet or watching their weight.

If you prefer a milder and more delicate flavor, prepare the paste using camelina oil instead of mustard oil. Like mustard oil, camelina oil is always available for order in the CraftOil online store.