Chilli pickle or Hari Mirch ka Achaar is a very popular and traditional table condiment of the South Asian Cuisine. In past, the pickling process was used to preserve food for out-of-season use and for long journeys by sea.
I prepared this chilli pickle with the pure traditional method – a very popular method of ancient times. I think we are lucky enough to have this traditional mothers’ green chilli pickle recipe in modern times.
Traditionally, we prepare this pickle or achaar using fresh green chilies, mustard oil, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, kalonji, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric powder, and salt.
Having pickled with these ingredients, this pickle has a mouth-watering spicy and tangy flavor. People like to have it as a side with rice, curries, and simple or stuffed parathas. You can complement your breakfast and lunch with the green chilli pickle.
Pickling Season
Here, in the Indian subcontinent, the summer season is the pickling season, as the traditional pickling process requires good sunlight.
This Punjabi green chilli pickle is a common delicacy of this region. The pickle tickles the taste buds tremendously. Especially, in summer it is nice to have achar pickle as a table condiment because it imparts a special flavor as well as heat to the meals.
Pickling Green Chillies
The pickling process preserves and extends the shelf life of green chilies. The pickling process typically changes the texture and flavor and also improves the nutritional value of the chilies.
Antimicrobial herbs and spices, such as garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, kalonji seeds, and turmeric are added and the resulting flavors are so enjoyable.
We can use less hot or medium-hot chilies in the pickle. If you are using hot chilies, the heat of the chilies will tone down considerably in a week when the chili pickle matures.
Some Known Facts About the Mustard Oil
Having a distinctive pungent taste, pressed mustard oil extracted from brown mustard seeds is commonly used for cooking in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In some countries, the sale of mustard oil is restricted due to high levels of erucic acid in it. Studies show that mustard oil contains 42% of erucic acid.
It is believed that high doses of erucic acid may have toxic effects on the heart. Due to the potential toxicity of mustard oil, its sale is prohibited in the United States for edible purposes. There, the grocery stores are bound to sell it only with the label “For External Use Only.”
People in the subcontinent have been using it in cooking foods since ancient times. They have no issue with it. Perhaps its excessive use may develop the symptoms that are the outcome of high deposits of erucic acid in the body. We may go for Yandilla – an alternative to the mustard oil.
Yandilla oil is being produced in Australia by extracting the oil from the seeds of the mustard plant that is specifically being cultivated to get the essential flavor of mustard oil but with low erucic acid content.
Chilli Pickle Recipe (Hari Mirch ka Achar)
The Chilli Pickle recipe is a traditional recipe. I made fresh green chilli pickle with the pure traditional method – a very popular method in India and Pakistan. Chilli pickle prepared with this method yield so delicious pickle.
In this recipe, you’ll learn how to prepare pure and free of chemicals green chilli pickle at home. You can preserve this homemade green chilli pickle for a long period of time.
I made this pickle by stuffing the chilies with spices. Preparing the pickle this way is also known as Bharwa Mirch ka Achar.
Variations in Chilli Pickle
Adding the mustard oil to the pickle is the last step in the pickling process. Some people heat the mustard oil till its smoking point and cool it down before adding it to the chillies. Mustard oil has a sharp flavor and heating reduces its tanginess.
In some areas, people grind the pickle masala coarsely before adding it to the chillies. To grind the pickle spices comfortably, people first dry roast the spices in a pan over medium heat until the spices are slightly fragrant.
Some people chop the green chilies instead of using the whole green chillies, and then combine them with the ground spices.
Lemon juice is also added to pickling the green chilies. You can also use garlic cloves or chopped ginger to the pickle.
How to Make Green Chilli Pickle
Making green chili pickle with the pure traditional method has a few simple and easy steps.
Slicing the Green Chilies
Take fresh green chilies along with their stem and crown. Rinse them well and dry them till there are no traces of moisture. Let them dry on their own or you can wipe them with a paper towel or a cotton cloth.
Now wear the gloves and slice the chilies across their length with the help of a knife. Cut them on one side only in order to retain the stuffed masala inside the chilies. No need to remove the stem and crown.
If you like lemons, you can include a few lemons in the chilli pickle. Cut the lemons into half and pickle them along with the chilies.
After slicing the chilies, we stuff them with the pickling masala.
Preparing and Stuffing the Pickling Masala
Take a large enough mixing bowl and combine the pickling spices. Ingredients used to prepare pickle masala are salt, whole coriander seeds, fennel seeds, kalonji, fenugreek seeds (methi dana or methray), turmeric powder, and mustard seeds (rai dana). Mix all the ingredients with a spoon. Add a little mustard oil (sarson ka tail) just to moisturize the spices.
We use mustard oil at this stage to stick together all the ingredients of masala and the other benefit is that the chilies can be easily filled with the masala, containing oil in it. If you do not use oil then these ingredients may keep apart and filling the chilies will be difficult.
Mix all the ingredients once again after pouring the oil. After preparing the masala we’ll fill the chilies with it. Pick one chilli and fill the spices in it. Fill all the chilies one by one.
After stuffing the chilies, we will proceed to the next step.
Exposure to the Sunlight
Exposure to sunlight is one of the most important steps in the pickling process.
Take a large enough pot or jar made of glass (mason jar) or good-quality plastic. It must have a lid on it. Pour all the chilies into it. First, cover the pot or jar with a dry cloth to make it airtight, and then close its lid tightly.
I used a pot made up of good quality plastic as in the rural areas people often use plastic pots for this purpose. But, preferably we should use a mason jar, especially in the areas of intense heat and sunlight.
Keep the jar in the sunlight. If the sun is intense and hot then 7 to 8 hours are sufficient. In mild heat, you can place it outside for 2-3 days. In the evening, place the jar inside the kitchen.
You can also pickle the chillies in the winter season or in the areas where there is low sunlight. There, keep the jar outside for some extra days.
The logic behind keeping the chillies in sun is that the chillies excrete their water. Excreting the water completely ensures longer shelf life of the pickled chillies. It also helps eliminate the bitterness of the chilies and they become soft and tender.
The Final Step of Green Chilli Pickle
After 7 to 8 hours, we’ll pour these chilies into a strainer or colander to drain off the excreted water. This water also contains salt dissolved into it. So, the extra salt may also drain off with the water. Keep the chilies in the strainer for at least 10 minutes.
When the water drained off completely, put the chilies into an airtight and dry mason jar or ceramic pickle jar, or porcelain jar. Add mustard oil to the chilies. Fill the jar with the oil till the chilies dip completely into the mustard oil.
After adding the mustard oil, keep the pickle jar at room temperature. The pickle will mature in one week. During this period, shake the jar once or twice every day or mix it with a wooden spoon or any other spoon made of a non-reactive material.
After one week the pickle is ready to eat. You’ll also notice the change in the color of the chillies. After the first use, you can place the pickle jar in the refrigerator for later use.
How to Use Pickled Chillies
The green chilli pickle is served as a table condiment that pairs well with the meals like dal-rice, veg or chicken pulao, and even with sabzi-roti and dal-roti.
This pickle also goes well with plain parathas or stuffed parathas – gobi paratha, mooli paratha, potato paratha, onion paratha, or keema paratha.
Important Tips
How long do pickled chillies last? If you follow the important instructions conscientiously, you can preserve the pickle for a long period of time; from 1 ½ year to 2 years.
To preserve the pickled chillies for a long period, make sure to follow these important tips;
- In the whole pickling process, make sure not to touch the ingredients of the pickle with bare hands. You should wear gloves to handle the chillies and use a wooden spoon for mixing.
- Wearing gloves also help protect your palms from burning. Wear gloves while cutting and stuffing the chilies.
- for a longer shelf life of the pickle, make sure that the chilies excreted their water completely.
- Use an airtight and dry porcelain jar or ceramic pickle jar (martaban) or a mason jar to store the chili pickle.
- The chilies must remain completely immersed in the mustard oil.
- Whenever you want to take out the pickle, always use a dry wooden spoon. Never use a wet spoon.
- Make sure, not to take out the pickle from the jar with your hand.
Green Chilli Pickle
Ingredients
- ½ kg fresh green chilies
- 4 tbsp salt
- 3 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp dry coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds or methi dana
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp kalonji seeds (nigella seeds)
- 2 tbsp mustard seeds (rai dana)
- ¾ liter mustard oil
Instructions
Slicing the Green Chillies
- Take fresh green chilies. I picked fresh chilies grown at home.
- Rinse them well and let them dry till there are no traces of moisture. Let them dry on their own or wipe them with a cotton cloth or paper towel.
- Wear the gloves and slice the chillis across their length. Cut them on one side only in order to retain the stuffed masala inside the chilies. After slicing the chilies, we stuff them with the pickling masala.
Preparing and Stuffing the Pickling Masala
- Take a large enough mixing bowl and combine the pickling spices. Mix all the ingredients with the spoon and then add mustard oil (sarson ka tail) to stick all the ingredients together.Add the oil just to moisturize the spices. Mix all the ingredients well after pouring the oil.
- After preparing the masala, we'll fill the chilies with it.
- Fill all the chilies one by one. After stuffing the chilies, we will proceed to the next step.
Exposure to Sunlight
- Take a large enough jar or pot made of glass (mason jar) or good-quality plastic. It must have a lid on it. Pour all the chilies into it. It is better to use a mason jar.
- First, cover the pot or jar with a dry cotton cloth and then close its lid tightly, to make it airtight.Place the chilies in the sunlight for 7 to 8 hours. You can extend the exposure duration depending on the season and the intensity of the sunlight.This process will cause the chilies to excrete their water and they will become soft and tender. Also, it will increase their shelf life.
The Final Step of Green Chilli Pickle
- After 7 to 8 hours, shift these chilies to a strainer or colander to drain off the excreted water. Keep the chilies in the strainer for at least 10 minutes.
- When the water drained off completely, put the chilies into an airtight and dry container made of glass, porcelain, or ceramic.Add mustard oil to the chilies. Fill the pickle jar with the oil till the chilies dip completely into the mustard oil.Keep the pickle aside for one week till it fully matures. Shake the jar once or twice every day or mix the pickle with a dry wooden spoon.
- After one week, you will observe the change in the color of chilies. This is the indication that our pickle is ready. Now you can enjoy the great taste of this table condiment.Try this chilli pickle recipe at home and share your experience in the comments section below.
Can we buy this pickle in mumbai from someone who makes at home?
Hi Vinod. thanks for sending me your comment. With my recipe, you can prepare chilli pickle very easily at home. The process is so simple and the ingredients used in this recipe can be easily found at any grocery store near you. Unfortunately, I am unable to guide you on where to buy the pickle prepared with the method and ingredients I used. So I suggest that it’s better to prepare this pickle at home. Our moms and grand-moms, especially those who are living in the village side are experts in preparing traditional foods like this pickle. You may get this green chili pickle prepared by someone who can make it with this recipe.
Do we need to grind the pickling masalas into powder before stuffing the chillies?
Please clarify
Hi Savitha, thank you so much for sending me your query. No, we do not need to powder all the seeds used in the pickling masala. If we go the pure traditional way, we find that the whole seeds were used. As grinding these seeds isn’t hassle-free. Mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and kalonji seeds are all oily seeds. Even the fennel seeds are difficult to grind. You cannot grind them comfortably until or unless you first dry roast them.
So, it depends on you whether you want to grind these whole seeds or want to use them as a whole. Either way, you will have a delicious chili pickle. If you want to grind them, first dry the seeds by roasting them on a tawa or in a pan over medium heat till the seeds are slightly fragrant. Upon cooling, grind them coarsely with a mortar and pestle. Please remember here is the point using coarsely ground seeds, not a powder.