RED CHILLI PICKLE/LAL MIRCH KA ACHAAR

February 12, 2026

Winter in India brings with it an abundance of fresh and colorful ingredients that not only enhance the beauty of our thali but also awaken the appetite. Fat red chilies or jalapeños are one such seasonal delight. These vibrant red beauties are not so fiery but have a peppery and earthy flavor. During the season, these are transformed into a highly relishable pickle that is especially popular in the northern and north-western states of India.

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This red chilly pickle or Lal Mirch Ka Achaar is prepared in different ways. Mostly, the spice mix is stuffed into the cavities of chilies, but sometimes the chilies are sliced and mixed with the spice mix and oil to make this pickle. There is no difference in taste as the spices and oil content is same in each version. The only difference is that sliced chilly pickle is prepared early in comparison to stuffed chilly pickle.

The process of pickling is straightforward. The whole magic is of the spice-mix, that is dry roasted at first, and grinded coarsely to add to the chilies for pickling. This spice mix is not only relishable but also has medicinal properties that make it digestion-friendly

Preparation Time – 15 minutes
Cooking Time – 10 minutes
Maturing Time – 1 week
Type – Pickle/Condiment
Cuisine – North India
Author – Bharti Dhawan

● INGREDIENTS REQUIRED

• Fat red chilies /Pickle red chilies – 500 g
• Saunf/Fennel/ सौंफ – 50 g
• Kalonji/Onion seeds/ कलौंजी – 20 g
• Yellow mustard seeds/Rai /राई – 20 g
• Cumin seeds/jeera /जीरा- 20 g
• Salt/Namak/नमक – 20 g
• Fenugreek seeds/Methi Dana/मेथी – 10 g
• Whole Black Pepper /काली मिर्च- 10 g
• Carom seeds/Ajwain / अजवायन- 10 g
• Red chili powder/लाल मिर्च पाउडर- 10 g
• Turmeric/Haldi powder /हल्दी – 10 g
• Asefotida/hing powder /हींग – 5 g
• Mustard Oil/Sarso Tel/सरसों तेल- 100 g+100 g

● PREPARATIONS TO BE DONE

Wash the chilies thoroughly. Allow them to dry under a fan or in the sun. Once the chilies are completely dry, slice them into rounds.

● STEP-BY-STEP

1 – Dry roast fennel seeds, onion seeds, cumin seeds, black peppers, Ajwain, and Methi Dana at medium flame until they release the aroma (Be careful while roasting and not to burn them)

2 – Switch off the flame and add mustard seeds/Rai. Roast them in the heat of other spices

3 – When whole spices are dry roasted, allow them to cool and grind them to make a coarse powder

4 – During grinding the spices, add hing, haldi, and lal mirch powder to the jar and…

5- Grind once again so that all the spices get incorporated with each other to make a perfect spice mix

6 – Heat mustard oil upto the smoking point, switch off the flame, and allow the oil to cool down a little

7- Take a mixing bowl and add sliced red chilies, coarsely ground spice mix, and salt

8- Now add hot mustard oil. Combine all the ingredients nicely

9 – When the pickle mix is cooled down completely, drop it into a clean jar and fix the lid

10 – After 3 days, heat 100 g mustard oil to the smoking point and turn off the flame. After 2-3 minutes, pour the hot oil over the red chilly pickle and shake the jar nicely. The oil will cover the pickle completely