Makes 5 jars of pickle
Indian pickles are very different from the pickles of the west, but they’re just as (if not more) delicious. While western pickles are soaked in vinegar in a cool, dry place, Indian pickles are slowly fermented in oil, salt and spices and often allowed exposure to sunlight over several days so they can get briny and funky. If you’ve been wanting to dip your toes in South Asian cooking without diving too deep into complex recipes, pickles (or achar as they are called in Hindi) are a great lil’ gateway.
We recommend starting with Nik Sharma's Classic Lemon Achar, but you could also try any of the 5 simple pickle recipes we have in this guide: green chillies, garlic, carrot and radish, shrimp, and sweet raw mango.
(Exact measurements and ingredients for each pickle in the method)
Wash and slice ½ lb of green chillies lengthwise--leave the seeds in for heat or remove for a milder pickle--and place them in a large bowl. In a dry pan over medium heat, toast 2 tsp Jodhana Cumin, 3-4 tsp Bindu Black Mustard seeds, 2 tsp Nandini Coriander seeds, ½ tsp Sugandhi Fenugreek seeds, ½ tsp carom seeds, and 2 tsp Hariyali Fennel for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Transfer to a blender and pulse into a uniform powder. Add the spice blend to the chillies along with ½ tsp Pragati Turmeric, 2 tsp Surya Salt, and the juice of 2 lemons. Mix well to coat. In a small pan, heat 3 tbsp sesame or mustard oil over medium heat until shimmering, then stir in 1 tsp of asafoetida and immediately remove from heat. Pour the hot oil over the chillies, mix well, and add 2 tbsp vinegar. Transfer to a clean glass or ceramic jar, seal, and place in a sunny spot like a windowsill for 2-3 days. Once tangy and softened to your liking, move to a cool pantry. Serve with dal and rice or stuffed parathas.
In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, toast 4 tsp Bindu Black Mustard seeds, 2 tsp Nandini Coriander seeds, 1 tsp Jodhana Cumin, 2 tsp Hariyali Fennel, and about 1 tsp lightly crushed carom seeds. After a few minutes, add 10-15 whole peppercorns and toast until aromatic. Transfer everything to a blender and pulse into a coarse powder, then move to a bowl and mix in ¼ tsp Pragati Turmeric and 2 tsp Guntur Sannam Chilli powder. Chop 2 carrots and 1 radish into chunky slices--halve, quarter, then slice each piece for an even bite. Thinly slice a thumb of fresh ginger and 6-7 green chillies (adjust to your spice preference). In a pan over medium-high heat, warm ⅔ cup mustard oil until shimmering, then bloom a pinch of asafoetida powder. Add the chopped carrots, radish, ginger, and chillies, and stir to coat. Mix in 2 tsp Achari Masala and 1 tbsp vinegar, then add the coarse spice powder and 1 tsp black sesame seeds. Stir well to coat all the vegetables. Turn off the heat and transfer the pickle into a clean glass jar. Seal and store in a cool, dry place. Spoon over lentils, rice, or savory oats for a crunchy, spiced kick.
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast 1 tsp Sugandhi Fenugreek and 2 tsp Bindu Black Mustard seeds until fragrant, then transfer to a blender and pulse into a semi-fine powder. In a saucepan, heat ¼ cup mustard oil over medium, then add 1 to 1.5 cups of peeled garlic cloves. Stir to coat the garlic in oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cloves turn light golden. Add 2 tsp nigella seeds, 1.5 tsp Hariyali Fennel, the fenugreek-mustard powder, a pinch of asafoetida, ½ tsp Pragati Turmeric, 1-2 tsp Guntur Sannam Chilli powder (depending on heat preference), and 2 tsp Surya Salt. Stir until everything is well combined. Remove from heat, add 1 tbsp vinegar, and mix again. Transfer to a clean glass jar, seal, and place in a sunny spot like a windowpane for 2-3 days. Afterward, store in a cool, dry place. The garlic will soften and mellow over time, perfect for scooping up with parathas or adding a bold punch to any meal.
Wash and clean 1 lb of shrimp and toss with 1 tsp Pragati Turmeric and 1 tsp Surya Salt in a large bowl. In a hot wok, toast a handful of dried red chillies, ½ a Wild Cinnamon Quill, and 1 tsp each of Bindu Black Mustard, Jodhana Cumin, and Kandyan Cloves, plus 2 tsp Aranya Black Pepper, until aromatic. Transfer to a blender, pulse into a fine powder, then add 2 tbsp fresh ginger-garlic paste and 3 tbsp vinegar. Blend again, adding 2-3 tbsp water, until you get a thick, coarse paste. Mix this paste thoroughly into the shrimp and set aside. Finely chop 2 onions and sauté in oil in a hot wok until golden brown. Add the marinated shrimp and stir in 8-10 fresh curry leaves. Cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. Add 1tsp Madhur Jaggery and ½ tsp vinegar, and continue stirring for 10-15 minutes, or until a spoonful holds its shape on a plate. Transfer to a clean glass jar, seal tightly, and store in the fridge. Spoon over lentils and rice, or into a bowl of congee, for a bold, tangy bite.
Wash, dry, and grate 2 raw mangoes into thick, short strands, then transfer to a large bowl. Add ½ tsp Pragati Turmeric and 1 tsp Surya Salt, mix well, then stir in 1 cup of granulated sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes until the mango releases its juices. Transfer to a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a marmalade-like consistency--it should feel sticky to the touch and a drop of syrup on a plate shouldn't be runny. Reduce heat to low and add 1 Wild Cinnamon Quill, 4 Kandyan Cloves, 1 tsp Jodhana Cumin, 1.5 tsp Guntur Sannam Chilli powder. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat. Let it cool slightly, then transfer to a clean glass or ceramic jar and store in the refrigerator. This sweet-spicy pickle is perfect with the-last--or on a slice of toast with cream cheese.
Makes 5 jars of pickle people
Indian pickles are very different from the pickles of the west, but they’re just as (if not more) delicious. While western pickles are soaked in vinegar in a cool, dry place, Indian pickles are slowly fermented in oil, salt and spices and often allowed exposure to sunlight over several days so they can get briny and funky. If you’ve been wanting to dip your toes in South Asian cooking without diving too deep into complex recipes, pickles (or achar as they are called in Hindi) are a great lil’ gateway.
We recommend starting with Nik Sharma's Classic Lemon Achar, but you could also try any of the 5 simple pickle recipes we have in this guide: green chillies, garlic, carrot and radish, shrimp, and sweet raw mango.
(Exact measurements and ingredients for each pickle in the method)
Wash and slice ½ lb of green chillies lengthwise--leave the seeds in for heat or remove for a milder pickle--and place them in a large bowl. In a dry pan over medium heat, toast 2 tsp Jodhana Cumin, 3-4 tsp Bindu Black Mustard seeds, 2 tsp Nandini Coriander seeds, ½ tsp Sugandhi Fenugreek seeds, ½ tsp carom seeds, and 2 tsp Hariyali Fennel for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Transfer to a blender and pulse into a uniform powder. Add the spice blend to the chillies along with ½ tsp Pragati Turmeric, 2 tsp Surya Salt, and the juice of 2 lemons. Mix well to coat. In a small pan, heat 3 tbsp sesame or mustard oil over medium heat until shimmering, then stir in 1 tsp of asafoetida and immediately remove from heat. Pour the hot oil over the chillies, mix well, and add 2 tbsp vinegar. Transfer to a clean glass or ceramic jar, seal, and place in a sunny spot like a windowsill for 2-3 days. Once tangy and softened to your liking, move to a cool pantry. Serve with dal and rice or stuffed parathas.
In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, toast 4 tsp Bindu Black Mustard seeds, 2 tsp Nandini Coriander seeds, 1 tsp Jodhana Cumin, 2 tsp Hariyali Fennel, and about 1 tsp lightly crushed carom seeds. After a few minutes, add 10-15 whole peppercorns and toast until aromatic. Transfer everything to a blender and pulse into a coarse powder, then move to a bowl and mix in ¼ tsp Pragati Turmeric and 2 tsp Guntur Sannam Chilli powder. Chop 2 carrots and 1 radish into chunky slices--halve, quarter, then slice each piece for an even bite. Thinly slice a thumb of fresh ginger and 6-7 green chillies (adjust to your spice preference). In a pan over medium-high heat, warm ⅔ cup mustard oil until shimmering, then bloom a pinch of asafoetida powder. Add the chopped carrots, radish, ginger, and chillies, and stir to coat. Mix in 2 tsp Achari Masala and 1 tbsp vinegar, then add the coarse spice powder and 1 tsp black sesame seeds. Stir well to coat all the vegetables. Turn off the heat and transfer the pickle into a clean glass jar. Seal and store in a cool, dry place. Spoon over lentils, rice, or savory oats for a crunchy, spiced kick.
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast 1 tsp Sugandhi Fenugreek and 2 tsp Bindu Black Mustard seeds until fragrant, then transfer to a blender and pulse into a semi-fine powder. In a saucepan, heat ¼ cup mustard oil over medium, then add 1 to 1.5 cups of peeled garlic cloves. Stir to coat the garlic in oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cloves turn light golden. Add 2 tsp nigella seeds, 1.5 tsp Hariyali Fennel, the fenugreek-mustard powder, a pinch of asafoetida, ½ tsp Pragati Turmeric, 1-2 tsp Guntur Sannam Chilli powder (depending on heat preference), and 2 tsp Surya Salt. Stir until everything is well combined. Remove from heat, add 1 tbsp vinegar, and mix again. Transfer to a clean glass jar, seal, and place in a sunny spot like a windowpane for 2-3 days. Afterward, store in a cool, dry place. The garlic will soften and mellow over time, perfect for scooping up with parathas or adding a bold punch to any meal.
Wash and clean 1 lb of shrimp and toss with 1 tsp Pragati Turmeric and 1 tsp Surya Salt in a large bowl. In a hot wok, toast a handful of dried red chillies, ½ a Wild Cinnamon Quill, and 1 tsp each of Bindu Black Mustard, Jodhana Cumin, and Kandyan Cloves, plus 2 tsp Aranya Black Pepper, until aromatic. Transfer to a blender, pulse into a fine powder, then add 2 tbsp fresh ginger-garlic paste and 3 tbsp vinegar. Blend again, adding 2-3 tbsp water, until you get a thick, coarse paste. Mix this paste thoroughly into the shrimp and set aside. Finely chop 2 onions and sauté in oil in a hot wok until golden brown. Add the marinated shrimp and stir in 8-10 fresh curry leaves. Cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. Add 1tsp Madhur Jaggery and ½ tsp vinegar, and continue stirring for 10-15 minutes, or until a spoonful holds its shape on a plate. Transfer to a clean glass jar, seal tightly, and store in the fridge. Spoon over lentils and rice, or into a bowl of congee, for a bold, tangy bite.
Wash, dry, and grate 2 raw mangoes into thick, short strands, then transfer to a large bowl. Add ½ tsp Pragati Turmeric and 1 tsp Surya Salt, mix well, then stir in 1 cup of granulated sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes until the mango releases its juices. Transfer to a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a marmalade-like consistency--it should feel sticky to the touch and a drop of syrup on a plate shouldn't be runny. Reduce heat to low and add 1 Wild Cinnamon Quill, 4 Kandyan Cloves, 1 tsp Jodhana Cumin, 1.5 tsp Guntur Sannam Chilli powder. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat. Let it cool slightly, then transfer to a clean glass or ceramic jar and store in the refrigerator. This sweet-spicy pickle is perfect with the-last--or on a slice of toast with cream cheese.
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