India, a country renowned for its vast languages, cultures, and cuisines, has a rich and varied pickle legacy. Indian pickles, referred to locally as “Achaar.”
They are more than just condiments, they are a fusion of tastes, spices, and cultural customs that have been handed down through the ages. In India, pickling has a long history dating back thousands of years. Indian pickles are a celebration of the nation’s inventive culinary techniques and agricultural diversity, much more than merely a side dish. Fruits, vegetables, and even meats are among the many components used to make these pickles; they are all preserved in oils, vinegars, or lemon juice combined with a variety of spices.
Here’s a list of Pickles made in India
1. Mango pickle or Aam ka Achaar is a traditional dish that combines unripe mangoes, mustard oil, and a fragrant spice blend to create a sour and spicy punch.
2. Amla (gooseberry) Pickle is made with turmeric, mustard seeds, and chilli powder, this vitamin C-rich pickle has a tangy, slightly bitter flavour.
3. Carrot pickle, or gajar ka achaar, is made from shredded carrots pickled with red chilli powder, mustard seeds, and fenugreek powder. It has a crisp, spicy, and sweet taste.
4. Gherkin Pickle is served with parathas, little, tart gherkins are pickled in mustard oil and spices for a delicious taste boost. Made with whole lemons preserved in a brine or mustard oil solution with spices, lemon pickles are zesty and cooling.
7. Tomato Pickle has a tart and mildly sweet flavour profile, pickled in mustard oil with spices, can be obtained from ripe or unripe tomatoes.
8. Kerala Mango Pickle, or Kannamanga Achar, is a speciality made from ripe mangoes, jaggery and spices. It is renowned for having a somewhat smoky flavour that is sweet and tart.
9. Garlic Pickle is a powerful and aromatic taste is produced by pickling fresh garlic cloves in mustard oil with spices.
10. Ginger Pickle is a spicy and slightly sweet side dish, pickled ginger pieces are marinated in mustard oil with spices. Inji Puli, also known as Tamarind Ginger Pickle, is a special pickle that combines the zest of ginger and spices with the tang of tamarind. It provides a nuanced and tasty experience.
11. Kancha Aamer Achar, pickle from West Bengal mixes raw mangoes, mustard oil, and spices to create a sour and spicy flavour, much to the South Indian Aavakai.
12. West Bengal’s Shorshe Bata Achar is a unusual pickle is made with cauliflower or carrots with mustard paste, or “shorshe bata,” as the foundation. It has a strong, rather bitter flavour.
13. Pandi is made with jaggery, spices, and sun-dried fresh mangoes, Pandi is a thick, sticky pickle with a sweet and acidic taste. It’s frequently eaten with dal or rice. It is from Odisha.
11. Tokha (Assam) is an essential component of Assamese cooking, tokha is a hot, fermented condiment created from bamboo shoots. It has a somewhat smokey scent and a tart, sour flavour.
12. Gherkin Pickle is made with Fenugreek, red chilli powder, and turmeric are combined with mustard oil to pickle tiny, tart gherkins. Pickles with a hint of spice and tartness go nicely with flatbreads like paratha.
13. A mainstay of Maharashtrian and Gujarati cooking, kairi (raw mango pickle) is made with unripe mangoes, mustard oil, and seasonings such red chilli powder and fenugreek. It has a deliciously harmonious blend of spicy, tangy, and sweet tastes.
14. Gujarati Keri Ghol, also known as Green Mango Marmalade, is a tart and sweet condiment made with raw mangoes, jaggery, and spices. It is eaten with chapatis or puris and has a consistency similar to jam, unlike a typical pickle.
