If you're planning to savour homemade achaar this winter, it's almost time for you to get started! Some of the most popular tangy pickles where unripe mango or tamarind is used as the main flavouring agent and mixed with aromatics like garlic, ginger, and green or red chillies.
Gooseberry, lemon, carrot, green tomato, cucumbers, cabbage etc are also pickled at home. While the sun-drying method is the traditional way of making achaar and is the most widely used, the oil and vinegar method and the salt and lime technique are also used especially when the pickle needs to be fermented for a few days.
Some of the modern methods include using vinegar brine or using a refrigerator for pickles that don't need fermentation. Even if you're a pro at pickling veggies, make sure you avoid these common mistakes that a lot of people make while making achaar at home:
Picking The Wrong Vinegar
Vinegar acts as a key flavouring agent in achaars and also increases the levels of acetic acid. While there are products out there that are called pickling vinegar, make sure the vinegar you pick for making achaar at home has at least 5% acidity. Balsamic usually has 6% acidity and is good for pickling onions and radishes. However, a basic distilled white vinegar can be a better choice since it has no additives that can affect the taste of the brine and also makes for a good base for spice and herb infusions.
Not Letting It Cool Gradually
Cooling down is a crucial step in making achaar. But remember it has to cool down slowly and rushing this process can affect the taste. Once boiling time has passed, let the jars sit in water for at least 15 minutes before moving them away to a cool, dry place for a day. If the pickles are kept in a warm environment for too long or are moved around inconsistently, they can develop a flat sour which not only dampens the fermentation but saps the brine of flavor. And cooling too fast will mess with the pickle's airtightness.
Getting The Brine Ratio Wrong
Using a salt brine that's too weak or an inadequate vinegar solution may cause soft pickles. Brine is the combination of vinegar, water, and spices and plays an important role in pickling. It scales up the flavour and acts as a preservative for the vegetables. While too much vinegar can make the pickle too salty, an amount that's too small can affect the preservation process. Cucumbers, olives, cabbage and mushroom pickles especially need a well-adjusted brine.
Using More Than One Vegetable In The Same Jar
Some veggies are more compatible for mixed pickling than others; cucumber and jalapeno or chillies, lime and ginger can easily be pickled together. But combining veggies is not always advisable because different vegetables pickle and ferment at different rates depending on their texture and taste, and some veggies are prone to get really mushy if over-fermented. A good hack is picking vegetables that often go in curries together, like cauliflowers, carrots, red pepper etc