Green Chili Pickle
Fresh green chilies team up with a mix of whole spices and some earthy mustard oil to make this tangy green chili pickle aka Mirchi ka Achar, which is a staple in a lot of Indian households.
Serve these pickled chilies as a condiment with some plain flatbread or as a side with practically any Indian main.
Everytime I have some extra chilies in my refrigerator, I think about putting them to use and make them last longer. My preserved chilies in oil were perfect to spoon over my homemade pizzas and pastas that needed that kick of heat, and I also tried making some hot pepper vinegar with a mix of green and red chilies that I had.
This time, however, I got my hands on medium-spicy chilies, and thought of using them to make an Indian style quick pickle! And I did!
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
Making this Mirchi ka Achar is incredibly easy. It takes under 15 minutes to put together, including the prep time, and can last you for weeks, if not longer.
The pickle has bold flavors, just like my spicy pickled garlic, but you can totally customize it to your liking, and tweak it to make it more subtle too.
Recipe Ingredients
Green chilies: Use large sized, light-green chilies. These are not too spicy, and are perfect for this recipe. You can also use Serrano peppers or Jalapenos if that's what you have at hand.
Spices: I used a mix of whole fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. And of course, some turmeric powder for that pop of color.
Asafoetida: Just a pinch, for that pungent taste.
Garlic: For that savory deliciousness. You can also add ginger, like I did with my curry pickled cauliflower.
Mustard oil: To help preserve the green chilies. Mustard oil has a beautiful smoky and earthy aroma, which makes it the best choice for this recipe.
Lemon: Just a bit, for that refreshing tangy flavor. If you don't have fresh lemon juice, use the bottled variety or some white vinegar.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you can't find mustard oil, feel free to use any regular cooking oil of your choice.
- I used garlic, but you can totally skip it or use other mix-ins of your liking to create different versions of the recipe too. Fresh ginger, turmeric and chopped raw mango can be great to try.
- You can chop the chilies into 2-3 inch pieces or slice them into thin sections like I did with my pickled shredded carrots - it all depends on the kind of texture you prefer.
How to Make Green Chili Pickle
Step 1: Dry roast the whole spices in a pan over medium heat until they're aromatic. Take off heat and allow them to cool down.
Step 2: Transfer them to a blender jar and blend until you get a coarse powder that looks like this.
Step 3: Add it back to the pan with the mustard oil and cook for a minute or two over medium-low heat, stirring continuously.
Step 4: Add the mixture along with the salt, asafoetida, turmeric and lemon juice to the chopped green chilies and mix well.
💭Top Tip
Make sure you have enough of the oil mixture to nicely coat the chilies. This is important, since it is what will help the pickled green chilies last longer.
Still have some green chilies left? Whip up some mint coriander chutney or green chili Thecha to put them to use!
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Use a clean spoon, bowl and other utensils while making this green chili pickle. Any moisture will speed up its spoilage.
- If you have some extra veggies, you can add them into the mix too. I usually use veggies to make my Torshi (mixed vegetable pickle), but they taste fantastic with this rustic Indian pickle masala too.
- If you want the pickle to last longer, use more oil and ensure that there's enough oil to completely cover the chilies when you add them to the jar.
- For a stronger, tangy flavor, you can also add some salt preserved limes into the jar with the green chilies.
- You can let the freshly prepared green chili pickle sit at room temperature for about a day. Keep it refrigerated at all times after that, to prevent its spoilage- this is important whenever you're making a quick pickle. I did the same when I made my pickled cherries and quick pickled radish.
How to Serve Green Chili Pickle
This green chili pickle tastes fantastic right away, but its flavors develop even further as it ages. I would recommend making it at least 24-48 hours ahead of time and then enjoying it. As the chilies absorb all the spices and flavors and soften slightly, their texture will turn perfect.
You can then pair them with some parathas or your favorite Indian curries.
Recipe FAQs
Use large sized green chilies or remove the seeds and the white stringy portion in the center of the chilies to make this pickle less spicy.
You absolutely can. Green chilies are best, but you can use red chilies or a mix of both!
Use a clean glass jar with an airtight lid to store the pickled chilies, and refrigerate it for up to 4 weeks.
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If you tried this green chili pickle or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Green Chili Pickle
Ingredients
- 2 cups green chilies
- 3-5 garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- Asafoetida a pinch
- 2 tablespoon mustard oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Dry roast the whole spices in a pan over medium heat until they're aromatic. Take off heat and allow them to cool down.
- Transfer them to a blender jar and blend until you get a coarse powder that looks like this.
- Add it back to the pan with the mustard oil and cook for a minute or two over medium-low heat, stirring continuously.
- Add the mixture along with the salt, asafoetida, turmeric and lemon juice to the chopped green chilies and mix well.
Notes
- Make sure you have enough of the oil mixture to nicely coat the chilies. This is important, since it is what will help the pickled green chilies last longer.
- Use a clean spoon, bowl and other utensils while making this green chili pickle. Any moisture will speed up its spoilage.
- If you have some extra veggies, you can add them into the mix too. I usually use veggies to make my Torshi (mixed vegetable pickle), but they taste fantastic with this rustic Indian pickle masala too.
- If you want the pickle to last longer, use more oil and ensure that there's enough oil to completely cover the chilies when you add them to the jar.
- For a stronger, tangy flavor, you can also add some salt preserved limes into the jar with the green chilies.
SO yum omg 😋