Green Chili Pickle or Hari Mirch ka Achar as we call it in Hindi is one of those quick instant Indian Pickle. It is spicy, tangy and pungent from the usage of mustard seeds, and you will love it.
Every Indian household always has a couple bottles of achar on their dinning table.
I don't need achar with all my meals, but when there is stuffed parathas or any kind of hearty meal, I like a little bit of tangy spicy achar to pair with it.
Garlic Achar, Green Mango achar are two of my favorite. During peak summer months, I also like the sweet mango achar.
I can't handle very spicy food so, whenever I make this green chili pickle, I use the chilies that are a bit bigger because the tiny ones can get extremely spicy.
Ingredients you need
Fresh Green Chili - Always pick the bright green ones. Medium to large size is best to make achar. If you cannot find anything mild spicy, then make sure to discard the seeds of the chili.
Mustard oil - Indian Pickle or Achar is always prepared using mustard oil as it adds amazing flavor and pungent taste to the pickle.
Vinegar or Lime Juice - Vinegar or Lime juice not only adds a lovely tangy taste, but also helps as preservatives. If you are making achar to consume in the next couple of days, then you can skip the vinegar or the lime juice.
Spices - Yellow and Black Mustard Seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds. Salt and turmeric too. There are different variations of the spices that are added in the pickle, and this is just how I make it.
The measurements are mention in the recipe card below!
Steps to prepare Chili Achar
It is one of the easiest condiment to make. If you use slightly smaller size green chili, you can eat the soon after making. I used a slightly bigger size, and it took a few hours to soften and got much better in a couple of days.
- Dry roast all the whole spices for few seconds in medium low heat. The mustard seeds will splatter, so be careful and keep your face away.
- Once done, grind the spices to a coarse consistency.
3. Clean and dry the green chilies and if you have access to direct sunlight, let the green chili sun dry for a few hours.
4. Slice the chili into tiny bites.
5. Place the sliced green chili in a bowl, add salt, turmeric, the spice powder and mix it around. Then pour hot mustard oil.
6. Add the vinegar or lemon juice and mix it around.
Storing Green Chili Achar
Just like any pickle, green chili achar should also be stored in a clean dry glass jar. You don't need to keep it in the refrigerator.
Place the jar by the window where you get direct sunlight as the sunlight continues to soften the chili.
FAQs
Green Chili pickle contains a lot of iron and is recommended to eat a small portion every day with your meal.
Look for bright green chili that doesn't have wrinkly skins. Medium to big size are not that spicy as the small ones. If you have to use the small ones, then slice in half and discard the seeds.
You can place it in the oven by just turning the light on. The warmth will dry the green chili. You can also just leave it at room temperature for an entire day and night to dry it and remove any extra moisture.
Green Chili Achar
Ingredients
- 1 lb Green chili
- ½ cup Yellow mustard seeds
- 2 Tablespoons Fenugreek seeds
- 1 Tablespoon Fennel Seeds
- 1 Tablespoon Black Mustard Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 2 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 and ½ Cup Mustard Oil
- ½ Cup White Vinegar or Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Dry roast all the whole spices for few seconds and then grind it to a coarse consistency.
- Clean and dry the green chili. Leave it in direct sunlight if you have access to that, or leave it at room temperature for the day. You can also leave it inside a switch off oven but with lights on for a couple of hours. It is very important that the chilies are dry or else the achar will go bad in a week or so.
- Once dried, slice the green chili in small bites and place in a clean dry glass jar or container.
- Add the spice powder, salt, turmeric and pour hot mustard oil on it. Give a mix and leave aside for a couple of hours for the chilies to soften. The chili achar tastes better in couple days when the flavors blend in nicely and the chili softens too.
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