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Pickles are used to instantly scintillate the taste of any mundane dish. Having a spicy achaar as a side dish is enough to turn a boring dish into something super special. Pickles are generally made by fermenting different types of fruits and vegetables and are consumed with dishes like pulao, parathas, chole bhature, and whatnot. Pickles generally are a total amalgamation of all possible flavours.
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One can taste sourness, spiciness, a little bit of sweetness as well as subtle bitterness in pickles all at once. One of the famous kinds of pickles that is made in India is mirch ka achaar. This pickle is made by using green chilies and is a perfect desi achaar for people who can tolerate its heat. Here are five different types of mirch ka achaar that people can try making at home.
* Hari Mirch Khata Meetha Achaar
Most people think that it is possible to only make excessively spicy pickles from green chilli. However, one can easily modify the taste of the green chilli pickle as per their preference. This Khatta Meetha Achaar is perfect for people who cannot take excessive spice. To make this delicious pickle, fresh green chilies are combined with some jaggery, sesame oil, vinegar, and some spices like cumin powder, garam masala, red chilies, sukha dhaniya and turmeric. The sesame oil helps in binding all these things together and keeping them intact. The green chilies are pickled for 3-4 days in the spice and oil mixture to make the achaar.
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* Leela Marcha Nu Athaaanu
This is a traditional Gujarati recipe that has been made in Gujarati households for years and years now. It is a simple green chilli achaar in which some fresh green chilies are sorted in oil and by using a simple seasoning of salt, turmeric powder, and mustard seeds. People like to have this pickle with thepla as the first thing in the morning. As the thepla on its own is not very flavourful or spicy, the green chilli achaar makes it a perfectly balanced and spicy meal. In some Gujarati households, an evolved version of this achaar called bharela marcha nu athanu is made in which green chilies are slit into half and then filled with the spice mixture and then stir fried in some vegetable oil along with mustard seeds.
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* Stuffed Green Chilli Achaar
Stuffed green chilli pickle is probably one of the most prevalent hari mirch ka achaar in India. It is simply made by using bigger green chilies. This variety of pickle is very famous in Rajasthan's Athana area. The Marwadi community has been making this pickle by using the special athana mirchi - famous for its fleshy and strong taste. The pickle is made by stuffing green chilies with a mixture of spices, like turmeric, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, asafoetida , fenugreek seeds, and onion seeds. All these different types of spices give a very special flavour and texture to green chilli achaar. The recipe also has different versions in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh where, instead of using onion seeds, a lot of garam masala is added to the spice mixture.
* Green Chilli Imli Pickle
This version of green chilli pickle is made specifically in Tamil Nadu where the use of tamarind is pretty prevalent. The pickle is traditionally served with idli and dosa along with other South Indian dishes as well. The sweet and sour taste of this pickle is what makes it so different. To make this scrumptious pickle, some fresh green chillies are seasoned with tangy imli or tamarind. Equal quantities of vinegar and sugar are also used in the pickle to give it a delicious taste. Using ginger and garlic helps in adding an extra layer of depth to the green chilli pickle. All of these ingredients are mixed with some hot mustard oil. The mixture is kept in a jar for 3 to 4 days so that it gets properly fermented. This pickle can be customised as per one's preference.
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* Hari Mirch Banarasi Achaar
As the name suggests, the pickle traces its origin in Banaras, Uttar Pradesh. One has the liberty to make this pickle with both red and green chilies. It is a famous achaar that is consumed by people with kachoris and puri aloo. One has to use the authentic Banarasi green chilies to make the achaar. To make this delicious achaar, one has to use some whole chilies that are stuffed with a mixture of spices. This mixture includes mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, turmeric, amchoor powder, fennel seeds, and asafoetida. These chilies are then marinated in mustard seed oil for at least a week. The jar in which the mixture of spices and oil has to be kept must be secured tightly. It should be left out in the sun where there is direct exposure to heat.
