Dhaba Style Pyaz Ka Achar (instant onion pickle) is one of my favourite condiments for everyday Indian meals. The best part? You don’t need to wait weeks for it to ferment in the sun.
Jump to:
If you’ve ever sat down at an Indian dhaba (roadside eatery), you know that the meal isn’t truly complete until a small steel bowl of vibrant, tangy, and crunchy lachhe wala pyaaz or the masala onion hits the table.
This onion pickle cuts through the richness of a buttery Dal Makhani, tandoori chicken, or a spicy Biryani, providing that essential “zing” that keeps you coming back for more.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Instant Gratification: While it tastes better after a few hours, it’s technically ready as soon as it’s mixed.
- Plant Based Vegan Pickle without gluten, sugar, or dairy.
- Shelf Life: It stays crunchy in the fridge for up to a week.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Red Onion, thinly sliced, crunchy and spicy is the key ingredient of this pickle recipe.
- Green Chillies for a subtle heat.
- Freshness comes from finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Seasoning: Kashmiri Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Chaat Masala, Pickle Masala (optional), and Salt.
- Mustard Oil for a sharp, rustic, authentic Indian taste. Also, most of the North style pickles are made with mustard oil only.
- Tadka (Tempering): Nigella (onion seeds), Fennel Seeds, Black Mustard Seeds (rai), Cumin Seeds (jeera), Asafoetida
Love Indian Chutney & Pickles?
How To Make Pyaz Ka Achar
1. Prep the Onions
- Peel, wash, wipe, and thinly slice the red onion.
- Separate the layers manually and transfer them to a wide bowl.
2. Season with Spices
- Add spices, salt, and sliced green chillies to the onion. Mix nicely and set aside.
3. Prepare Tadka
- Heat mustard oil in a small pan till it starts smoking.
- Add all the tadka (temperig) ingredients. Let them sizzle for 20 – 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.
- Pour this tadka over the masala coated onions.
Add the finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix it all together nicely using fingers. Let the onion pickle sit for a few hours or serve immediately.
How To Serve Pyaz Ka Achar
This onion pickle is a flavour bomb. Pair it with:
- North Indian Classics like Rajma Chawal, Dal Rice, Chana, or Kadhi.
- Grilled Meats: It acts as the perfect side dish for Tandoori Chicken or Paneer Tikka.
- Modern Fusion: Toss them into tacos, salads, or even on top of a homemade burger for a tangy crunch.
Hina’s Tried and True Tips
- The Vessel: Use a heatproof, durable bowl while pouring the sizzling hot oil tadka over the onions, preferably made of ceramic, or steel.
- Shallots: You can make this pickle with shallots (sambar onion) also.
- Add a Tangy Note: If you want slight tangy taste, add juice of half a lemon towards the end. It helps in increasing the shelf life life of the pickle.
If you are intrigued by instant Indian pickles, try this tangy ginger pickle (adrak lachha), easy mango pickle, or the green chilli pickle.
follow me on Youtube or Instagram for latest recipes.
Indian Onion Pickle Recipe
- Tadka Pan
Ingredients
- 3 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 green chillies, sliced
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Chaat Masala
- ¼ teaspoon achar masala (pickle masala powder) (get recipe)
- 4 tablespoon mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds (rai)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- ¼ teaspoon nigella seeds ( kalonji)
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Peel, wash, wipe, and thinly slice the red onion. Separate the layers manually and transfer them to a wide bowl.
- Add spices, salt, and sliced green chillies to the onion. Mix nicely and set aside.
- Heat mustard oil in a small pan till it starts smoking. Add all the tadka (temperig) ingredients. Let them sizzle for 20 – 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.
- Pour this tadka over the masala coated onions.
- Add the finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix it all together nicely using fingers. Let the onion pickle sit for a few hours or serve immediately.
Leave Your Rating & Comment