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aerial shot of lal mirch ka achar in a stainless steel bowl
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5 from 4 votes

Bharwa Lal Mirch Ka Achar Recipe

Bharwa Lal Mirch Ka Achar is a spicy, masala-stuffed red chilli pickle from North India. I am sharing a mom style mirch ka achar recipe.
Prep Time50 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
4 hours
Total Time4 hours 55 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 250 gram
Calories: 10kcal
Author: Hina Gujral

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 250 gram fresh red chilies
  • 4 tablespoon black mustard seeds (rai)
  • 4 tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf)
  • 2 tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 2 tablespoon dry mango powder (amchur)
  • 2 tablespoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon nigella seeds ( kalonji)
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds (sarson) nigella seeds
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
  • ½ tablespoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
  • 2 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
  • 2 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 Cup mustard oil (sarson oil)

Instructions

  • Combine all the seeds and grind them to a powder using a mixer grinder.
  • Transfer it to a bowl, add salt, mango powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and asafoetida. Mix nicely. Taste, and if required, add more salt.
  • Add vinegar and mix the masala. It is now ready for stuffing the red chillies.
  • Start with cleaning and preparing red chillies for the pickle. Wash the red chillies and wipe them with a kitchen towel. Air dry the chillies to ensure they have no water after washing.
  • Wear kitchen gloves if your skin is sensitive to chilies. With a sharp knife, cut off the crown of the chilli and slit it lengthwise halfway through, leaving it intact from the lower end.
  • Scoop out white seeds and pith. Use a spoon for the purpose or wear gloves. Discard the seeds and white pith.
  • Stuff each red chilli with the pickle masala. Use your fingers to stuff the masala inside the chillies.
  • Once all red chillies are stuffed, transfer them to a sterilized jar. Make sure they are tightly packed in the jar.
  • Heat mustard oil in a pan. Once the oil starts smoking, turn off the heat. Allow it to cool down to room temperature.
  • Pour cooled-down mustard oil over the red chilli pickle.
  • Seal the jar with a muslin or other breathable cloth. Place it under the warm sun for 3 to 4 days. Daily, shift the pickle jar as per the sun’s rays during different hours of the day and bring it inside after sunset. Shake lal mirch ka achar two to three times during these 4 days.
  • After 3 days, you can check the red chilli pickle for doneness. If the skin of the red chillies has become thin, then the pickle is ready. Else, keep it under the sun for a few more days.
  • Store lal mirch ka achar for one year at room temperature.

Notes

  • Always keep water away from pickles even a single droplet of water is enough to spoil the entire pickle.
  • Safeguard it from all kinds of moisture, whether it is a wet spoon, water splashes, or a humid climate. Once the pickle comes in contact with water content, it will develop fungus.
  • To check if the Red Chili Pickle is done, taste the red chillies. If there is crunchiness in the red chillies, then some more days will be needed for the pickle to mature. The skin of the red chillies should soften due to the heat from the sunlight.
  • Once the pickle is matured, you can start serving it with your meals. You can also store it in the refrigerator or keep the jar in a cool dry place.

Nutrition

Calories: 10kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.4g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg