Madhur Jaffrey’s Pickled Green Chilies Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jun 18, 2022 • 2 min read
Madhur Jaffrey’s family recipe for pickled green chilies combines three very fiery ingredients: hot green chilies, cayenne powder, and black mustard seeds. Each adds its own type of heat—the green chilies have a sharp bite and leave your tongue tingling; the cayenne powder lends radiant heat and provides color; the mustard seeds bring an unmistakable pungency. She adds just a tiny bit to anything she’s eating.
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What Are Pickled Green Chilies?
In India, achar, or pickles, are a beloved condiment and an invaluable source of flavor, and pickled green chilies (hari mirch ka achar) are one of Madhur Jaffrey’s favorites. Achar can be made with fruits, like tomatoes and mangoes, or, for a more concentrated dose of heat, garlic and chilies. While variations like mango pickle and lemon pickle have an underlying sweetness, green chili pickle recipes combine the fresh, herbaceous kick of hot green Indian chilies with the sinus-clearing power of mustard oil and spices such as turmeric powder, asafetida (hing), mustard seeds (rai), garam masala, and fenugreek seeds (methi). Fresh ginger and lemon can add a tangy top note.
Indian pickles can be eaten with all your favorite Indian dishes: A small dab livens up everyday rotis, vegetables, dal, and rice. Along with chutneys and yogurt relishes like raita, North Indian–style pickled green chilies are a favored pairing with many Indian meals, like stuffed parathas, and chole bhature. You can buy pickled green chilies at most Indian grocery stores, or make it at home, using a process of drying, and then slowly pickling the chilies in mustard oil and spices.
Madhur Jaffrey’s Pickled Green Chilies Recipe
makes
1½ cupsprep time
10 mintotal time
12 mincook time
2 minIngredients
- 1
Using a damp kitchen towel, clean off each chili. Arrange the chilies in a single layer on a tray or large platter, then set the platter in a sunny spot to dry out the chilies. Put on a pair of rubber gloves, and slice away the stems, then finely slice the chilies and place them in a mixing bowl. Remove your gloves, and thoroughly wash your knife and work surface.
- 2
Using a clean coffee grinder or a spice grinder, grind the mustard seeds into a fine powder. Add the powder to the bowl of sliced green chilies, followed by the salt, cayenne pepper, and ginger. Stir to combine.
- 3
Warm the mustard oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Once the oil begins to smoke, remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside so the oil cools completely. Once the oil cools to room temperature, add it to the bowl of chilies and mix well.
- 4
Transfer the mixture to a lidded glass jar large enough to hold 2 cups of liquid. Seal the jar and place it wherever it will be exposed to the most sunlight over the course of the day. Let it sit for 24 hours. Shake the jar every so often.
- 5
The next day, add the lemon juice. Seal the lid again, and shake the jar vigorously. For the next few days (3–4 in the summer, up to 7 in the winter), keep the sealed jar in a sunny spot as it matures. Once the chilies lose their color and the mixture tastes slightly sour, it’s ready. Store in the refrigerator in between uses.
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