Green Chili Pickle (Mirchi Achar)
This recipe is from our friend Gautam, who dabbles in gardening, cooking, baking, grilling, photography, and on the side, is a neurosurgeon! He grows a bunch of varieties of green chilies including some of the hottest varieties, and like any Indian worth his salt, pickles them. I love this pickle and followed his recipe to make my own from my garden produce, as I was running out of his stock! Eyeballed most of the ingredients.
Servings Prep Time
3cups 30mins
Cook Time Passive Time
10mins 3Days
Servings Prep Time
3cups 30mins
Cook Time Passive Time
10mins 3Days
Ingredients
  • 2cups Green chiliesmedium hot or mild varieties work best
  • 1/2cup Salt
  • 1cup white vinegar
  • 1/4cup oilmustard oil is recommended; I used avocado oil
To Dry Roast And Powder
  • 3/4cup Black mustard seeds
  • 1/2cup fennel seeds/saunf/sombu
  • 1/4cup Coriander seeds
  • 2tbsp methi/fenugreek seeds
Instructions
  1. Wash the chilies, remove stems, and dry them very well. There should be no moisture.
  2. Soak the chilies in salt and vinegar for a few hours or overnight
  3. Dry roast all the spices- this is just to remove any trace of moisture; no need to roast till color changes; cool completely and powder coarsely
  4. Heat oil; when hot, add the powdered spices and fry for a few minutes
  5. Add the chilies to the oil, and simmer on low heat for a few minutes
  6. Take off heat, cool completely and transfer to a clean, dry, preferably glass container or a canning jar that’s been sterilized per instructions; cover
  7. Set the jar in a sunny window for 3 days to let the pickle mature. I set mine in our covered/enclosed lanai
  8. It’s ready after about 3 days
  9. Enjoy with roti, or dal chawal
Recipe Notes

I am not sure exactly what part of North/East India this pickle originated from, but it’s amazing and extremely addicting. It goes really well with rotis/parathas. Or just with dal and rice.

The original, authentic recipe calls for mustard oil, but I didn’t have any on hand, and just used avocado oil.

I went a little overboard on the salt, and would be careful next time. Easier to fix low salt!

Also works best with milder chilies. I thought the chilies from my garden were mild, but after pickling a whole bunch, we discovered they were quite hot! But the masala of saunf, methi and coriander, and mustard seeds add a wonderful flavor and make it an addicting pickle!

This recipe is from our family friend Gautam’s kitchen! Thanks Gautam!