All About Achaar, the Indian Pickle: Recipe and Tips

Achaar is a catch-all term for pickle, a popular condiment in Indian cuisine. Pickles in the north of the country are typically made with mustard oil, while the South Indian style is made with sesame oil. Achaar adds a tangy, sweet, and salty heat, whether on its own as a side dish or paired with rice, stews, or layers of paratha. It’s the Indian answer to kimchi (you can find our recipe for kimchi here).

Like most things in the Indian culinary canon, preferences and executions differ slightly between regions. Pickles on the spicier end of the scale are usually found in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where unripe mango or tamarind meets garlic, ginger, and green or red chillies. Aam ka achaar (am ka achar), or spicy green mango, is a constant, but other popular ingredients across the subcontinent include:

• Gooseberry
• Lemon
• Lime
• Carrot

In the North, you might encounter a blend that first became popular in Pakistan, called pachranga (meaning 'five colors') or satranga ('seven colors'). The following assorted vegetables are pickled in mustard oil with whole spices, usually fenugreek seeds and nigella:

• Raw mango
• Chickpeas
• Lotus stem

• You don’t need sun, but use it if you’ve got it. Pickles are traditionally prepared in summertime, making the most of the broiling heat of the pre-monsoon season in India: spiced fruits or vegetables are left to mature in the sun for three to four days, in a muslin-covered jar to protect from dust, then covered in oil to preserve for an additional few days. The oil and spices prevent the growth of bacteria, and the end result is a pungent, full-bodied fermented flavor.
• Or ferment in the dark. In lieu of a relentless Indian sun, achaar can be kept like conventional pickles: stored in a cool, dry place for a little longer.
• Look for unripe green mangoes with thin skin. These are commonly found at Southeast Asian or Indian grocery stores. If you have to settle for the thick-skinned variety, be sure to remove it before pickling. The slender, green varieties are the ones you want: rock hard and extremely tart.
• Get quality mustard oil. This key ingredient is available in Indian grocery stores or online.