Chilli Pickle Recipe (Hari Mirch ka Achar)

Green Chilli Pickle Recipe (Hari Mirch ka Achar)

We're making spicy Green Chili Pickle in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. As a spicy food lover, I think you are going to love this one.

Have you ever heard of chilli pickle? Chilli pickle is a popular condiment in Indian cuisine. It is a selection of green chilies that are pickled with lemon juice and oil and a flavorful combination of seasonings, with a big emphasis on ground mustard seeds.

It is a North Indian recipe, known as "hari mirch ka achar" or "mirchi ka achar" locally. I'm using the double "L" in chilli pepper here as it is the most common spelling in India. Indian pickles are hugely popular as condiments for spicing up many Indian meals, served up as a side dish and spooned over dishes.

This recipe is also a great way to preserve your peppers, as the pickling is a great preservative. This is an Indian style pickled chili pepper recipe, with so many wonderful flavors.

If you love Indian food, this could become one of your new favorite recipes.

Let's talk about how to make green chilli pickle (or hari mirch ka achar recipe), shall we?

Chilli Pickle Ingredients

• Chili Peppers. Use 1.5 cups sliced or chopped green chilies. I am using a combination of jalapeno peppers and serrano peppers - See the Recipe Tips & Notes section on pepper choices. 
• Seeds. Use 3 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Seasonings. Use 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon onion powder (or use 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida in place of garlic and onion powders), and 1/2 teaspoon each fennel seeds, fenugreek, and salt.
• Oil. Use 1/4 cup vegetable oil or other neutral oil, such as mustard oil.
• Lemon Juice. Use 1/4 cup lemon juice - fresh is best, but store bought will work.
• Vinegar. 2 tablespoons vinegar (optional)

How to Make Chilli Pickle - the Recipe Method

The Peppers. Slice the chili peppers into rings and add them to a large bowl. You can use chopped green chilies if you'd like, but they look so wonderful in the finished recipe when sliced.

Toast the Seeds. Lightly toast the mustard seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until they become fragrant. Toasting the seeds greatly enhances their flavor.

Grind the Seeds and Combine. Grind the seeds into coarse powder in a spice grinder, or use a mortar and pestle. Add the ground seed mixture to a small bowl. Add turmeric, garlic powder and onion powder (or asafoetida, if using) and mix to combine.

Warm the Pickling Solution. Add the seasoning mixture to a small pot along with the vegetable oil, lemon juice, vinegar (if using) and salt. Gently warm on medium heat just a minute or two (do not boil), then pour the liquid over the sliced peppers.

Let the Flavors Develop. Cover and refrigerate at least a day to allow the flavors to mingle and develop. It can be eaten right away, if desired, but is best after 3-4 days or even a week. The pickle stays nice and crisp.

NOTE: More traditional Indian Chilli Pickle often sets the jar outside in the sun to pickle. You can certainly do this, but may find it easier to do this inside.

Boom! Done! You now have wonderful chilli pickle! Doesn't it look and smell fantastic? Makes you want to dig right into it. Such a great recipe. A perfect spicy condiment for spicy food lovers. The world needs more Indian cuisine.

Serving Ideas

I love to serve mine over all sorts of flavorful Indian dishes, though they can go with so many other dishes.

Think curries, of course, but also soups and stews, sandwiches, grilled meats and so much more. It's a great spicy wonder condiment.

Some of my favorite dishes for serving are Halal Chicken (Halal Cart Style), Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Vindaloo, Butter Chicken, and Chicken Biryani.