Pickles or achaars have a special significance in Indian cuisine. An Indian meal is generally not complete without a pickle or an achaar, be it parathas or rice, curries or pulaos and so on. The achaars are now easily available commercially from various known cuisines. There is no buffet spread I have ever seen without achaar. We always recommend having achaar as a side with a lot of our recipes. However, there is no substitution to an achaar made at home. Most of us would remember our grand mothers and mothers making various types of achaars and putting them out in the sun to induce the right taste and long life. The recipes of these achaars have been passed on from generations and its easy to make out differences in achaars made in various Indian homes. Here, I give out one such recipe of stuffed red chili pickle, which you can follow to make your own home-made mirch ka achaar.
Ingredients needed for Stuffed Red Chili Pickle
Red chili – 3 kg
Salt – 220 gm
Saunf – 80 gm (coarsely ground)
Methi – 125 gm (coarsely ground)
Red chilli powder – 100 gm
Turmeric powder – 100 gm
Mustard seeds – 100 gm (coarsely ground)
Kalaungi – 40gm
Amchoor powder – 400 gm
Oil – 1 lt
How to make Stuffed Red Chili Pickle
Mix all the dry masalas well.
Make long slits in the red chilies.
Fill the masalas inside the red chilies.
Put the stuffed chilies in a sterilized bottle preferably made of glass.
Boil the oil and let it cool.
Pour the oil over the stuffed chilies in the bottle.
Keep the bottle out in the bright sun for around a week and taste the achaar.
When done, move the achaar inside and enjoy it with your regular meals.
