This is a very easy achar recipe. I got this recipe from a lady who was my primary physician who is from Hyderabad, India. This is tasty and straight forward no nonsense recipe. You can use any type of vegetable or fruit you want in this to make a pickle out of it either alone by itself or mixed in any combination. I just pick which ever vegetable or fruit I want to use. I used like in this recipe is Persian lime. They need to be washed on the outside with salt or it would make your pickle quite bitter. Using lemons is perfect too because their rind is not so bitter. I even used cauliflower, eggplant, carrots, cabbage, karela which is bitter gourd or bitter melon, garlic, onions, beets, banana pepper, any type of green chilies, turnip, bell pepper, cabbage and mango. I even made a mixed achar by using a combo of mango, green chili, carrot, ginger and garlic combo.
In a wok I add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, 1 pinch of hing, 2 pinches each of cumin, black cumin, caraway seeds, dill seeds, ajwan, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, kaloonji, those are the black seeds you can get these at any Indian and Pakistani grocery store. I add one whole red chili and 1 small piece of broken amchur (dried mango skin) that I crush with my mortar and pestle before I add it. I only add this broken piece of amcur to my mortar and pestle to grind it. This masala must remain whole except for the 1 small broken piece of amchur and red chili. I break off a tiny piece of star anise. I add these all in with the oil and I add 1 pinch each of turmeric powder, paprika and red chili powder. I stir until the rawness goes away. I add 3 handfuls of kosher salt and stir to combine. I add my vegetables or fruits of choice or I would make a mix of what I had mentioned above.
I combine them with the oil and masala mixture then here is my trick, here you can store it a little while longer, I add 1/2 cup of white vinegar. When you add the kosher salt the required amount at least the yield is 2 quart size mason jars that you see is the yield for this recipe so 3 handfuls of kosher salt is enough and at this stage you can store it. By me adding the vinegar it gives it more of a sourness and it can be stored for longer periods. I also add 2 pinches of turbinado sugar, 1 big pinch of tamarind and a couple of drops of mustard oil for more intense flavor.
I then put this achar in the mason jars and set it on my kitchen counter for 3 days and shaking it twice a day to blend everything together. At the end of the 3rd day it can go in the fridge and ready to eat. My husband chomps at the bit to eat my achar. He was not an achar lover before and what led me to making this is because it is way better then store bought kind. It had so much oil on top I nearly puked, true story.
I am the reigning achar or pickle queen in my family. everyone wants to eat my achar even some very close friends.
It is best when eaten with biriyani, pulau and dal dishes.
Please let me know how this turns out for you and how you like this recipe.
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