Green Chili Pickle Recipe (Hari Mirch Ka Achar)
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This green chili pickle (hari mirch ka achar) is my mother’s recipe: spicy, tangy, and better than anything from the store.
Table of Contents
Quick Look: Green Chili Pickle
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 5-7 days
Total Time: 5-7 days 20 minutes
Servings: 3 cups
Dietary Info: Vegan, gluten-free
Flavor/Texture: Fiery, tangy, and bold pickle with crunchy chilies and deeply aromatic achar spices
My Nani’s house had an almirah dedicated to pickles. In that almirah, there were large ceramic jars (barni) full of at least 10-12 different kinds of pickles. The popular ones included mango, lime, and chili, as well as exotic options such as jackfruit, garlic, and starfruit.
For the longest time, I never cared to learn how to make pickles because my mom always made them for me. However, when I started blogging, I also wanted to document her amazing recipes. So, a few years back, I asked her to make the pickles when I was there.
Each house has a different recipe for making chili pickles. In this post, I am sharing my mom’s recipe, which she has been making for years.
Here are some more Indian pickle recipes that you can make at home: Kerala style instant mango pickle, gajar gobhi shalgam achar, and starfruit pickle.
What Is Green Chili Pickle?
Green chili pickle, called hari mirch ka achar in Hindi, is a North Indian pickle made by curing fresh green chilies in mustard oil and a blend of crushed pickling spices.
Unlike Western pickles, which use a vinegar brine, Indian achar uses oil and salt as the main preservatives. The oil seals out air, the salt draws moisture from the chilies, and the spices add flavor. This is why a properly made jar lasts almost a year without refrigeration in cool weather.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients to make this Indian green chili pickle at an Indian grocery store.
- Green Chilies – You can use any variety of fresh green chilies to make this pickle. I like medium-hot Indian chilies. You can also use red chili peppers, jalapeño peppers, serrano peppers, and similar varieties. Keep in mind that chilies lose some heat after pickling.
- Mustard Oil – Traditional North Indian-style pickles are made with mustard oil, which lends them a distinctive flavor. However, if mustard oil is unavailable, you can use olive, sunflower, vegetable, sesame, or peanut oil as alternatives.
- Spices – You will need black mustard seeds, salt, and turmeric powder to make this mirchi ka achar recipe.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice adds a nice tang to the recipe and helps preserve it. You can replace lime juice with lemon juice.
To make a variation of this hari mirch ka achar recipe, blend 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana) and 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf) with the mustard seeds.
How To Make Hari Mirch Ka Achar
Step 1: Wash 500 g of green chilies and wipe each one with a cotton cloth. You can also spread the washed chilies on a kitchen towel and air-dry for 3-4 hours. Cut the chilies into ½-inch long pieces and discard the stalks. Wear gloves if your hands burn while handling chilies.
Removing every trace of moisture is critical. Any water left in the jar will spoil the pickle. This is the single most important step.
Grind ½ cup black mustard seeds in a grinder to make a coarse powder.
Coarse texture gives this pickle its characteristic bite.
Step 2: Add the following ingredients to a bowl.
- ground mustard seeds
- ¼ cup salt
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- ½ cup mustard oil
Step 3: Mix well.
Step 4: Add chopped green chilies and ½ cup lime juice to the bowl and mix well.
Step 5: Transfer the pickle to a clean glass jar. Press them down gently.
Do not use plastic containers. The acidity in lime juice reacts with plastic over time.
Step 6: Cover the jar with a cotton cloth and secure it with a rubber band or twine. Keep the jar on the kitchen counter. Leave the pickle in the jar for 2-3 days to allow the excess moisture to evaporate.
Step 7: Heat 1 and ½ cups of mustard oil in a pan over high heat until it begins to fume. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the oil slightly.
Heating the oil kills the raw, sharp smell of mustard oil and makes the pickle taste smoother. Skip this step if you love the pungent kick of raw mustard oil.
Step 8: Pour the oil into the jar over the pickle, covering it completely. Secure the jar lid. Keep the jar in strong sunlight for 3-4 days. Bring the jar inside at night and put it back in the sun during the day.
Shake it once every day for the first 3-4 days. This redistributes the oil, ensuring every chili is pickled evenly.
The pickle is now ready to use. You can store it in a cool and dry place for up to a year.
The flavor continues to deepen over the following weeks. Most people find it best at the 3–4 week mark.
Variations
Add ½ cup of chopped or grated raw mango or lime cubes, along with chilies, to this green chili pickle recipe for a variation.
You can also add ½ cup of peeled garlic cloves, ¼ cup of finely chopped ginger, or ¼ cup of finely chopped fresh turmeric along with chilies.
Green Chili Pickle FAQs
Pickling requires good sunlight because it cooks the pickle, preventing spoilage. However, if you don’t have enough sunlight where you live, don’t worry! You can still make a delicious pickle.
Keep the jar in a dry place, preferably on a windowsill. Mix the pickle twice daily for 15-20 days with a clean spoon. The pickle will take longer to make than when kept in sunlight.
Mix the chopped green chilies, lime juice, and 1 cup of ready-made pickle masala powder in a bowl; skip the remaining ingredients. Then transfer the mixture to a clean glass jar. Then follow the instructions on the recipe card. You can also use my homemade achari masala.
You can, but the flavor will be raw and sharp. Three days of rest let the salt pull moisture from the chilies, and the spices bloom in the oil.
Yes. Use cold-pressed sesame oil or grapeseed oil. The flavor will be milder but still delicious. Avoid olive oil, its taste clashes with Indian spices.
Serving Suggestions
This pickle is super versatile. I like to serve it with plain paratha or stuffed parathas such as mooli paratha, gobhi paratha, or aloo paratha. It’s also my favorite accompaniment with a simple toor dal and steamed rice lunch.
You can also serve it with curd rice or masala khichdi.
Other Pickle Recipes We Recommend
Pickle Recipes
Sirke Wale Pyaaz (Restaurant-Style Indian Pickled Onions)
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Green Chilli Pickle Recipe (Hari Mirch Ka Achar)
Ingredients
- 500 grams green chilies
- ½ cup black mustard seeds
- ¼ cup salt
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- ½ cup lime juice
- 2 cups mustard oil
Instructions
- Wash chilies and wipe each using a cotton cloth. You can also spread the washed chilies on a kitchen towel and air-dry for 3-4 hours. Cut the chilies into ½-inch long pieces and discard the stalks. Wear gloves if your hands burn while handling chilies.
- Grind mustard seeds in a grinder to make a coarse powder.
- Mix ground mustard seeds, salt, turmeric powder, and ½ cup mustard oil in a bowl.
- Add chilies and lime juice to the bowl and mix well.
- Transfer the pickle to a clean glass jar. Press them down gently.
- Cover the jar with a cotton cloth and secure it with a rubber band or twine. Keep the jar on the kitchen counter. Leave the pickle in the jar for 2-3 days to allow the excess moisture to evaporate.
- Heat 1 and ½ cups of mustard oil in a pan over high heat until it fumes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Pour the oil into the jar over the pickle, covering it completely.
- Secure the jar lid. Keep the jar in strong sunlight for 3-4 days. Bring the jar inside at night and put it back in the sun during the day.
- The pickle is now ready to use. You can store it in a cool and dry place for up to a year.
Thanks for this recipe , i made it with green and red chillies as I had both . With the red chilli pickle I blended to a paste and with the green left it chunky thinking the red would be a hotter pickle but to my surprise the green is hotter . I and my friends are loving it thank you .
Good to know!
Hi Neha,
Thanks for the recipe. What can be done if a little more salt is added by mistake. How do I rectify it?
In a pickle, it is very difficult.
Hi there.. for the 3 days drying under th sunlight, do we leave th bottle opened? thx!
The bottle should be slightly open for the gases to escape. You can cover the bottle with a muslin cloth if you wish to.
Also can I use lime juice instead of lemon juice?
Yes sure, you can.
Hi Neha, was wondering if the bowl
should be kept in sunlight as well ?
Also, can this pickle be refrigerated
ones bottled ? Would love to try this. Thanks .
The bowl must be clean and dry. You can keep it in sun to dry, that’s it. This pickle stays good outside for almost a year, so no need to refrigerate.
Hi Neha , should the bowl with the pickle
be kept in sunlight too ? Also, ones in the jar, could I refrigerate it ? Really looking fwd to trying this recipe . Thanks !
Replied to your comment above 🙂
We use sesame oil in south india for pickles. Can i use sesame oil in this recipe too?
You can use, but the taste will be quite different.
Thank You for the recipe. I made the pickle but didn’t keep it in the bowl for a few days. Will definitely do it this time, so that it will last longer. Thanks for the sunlight tip as well. Also, can I decrease the amount of oil in the pickle?
Thnx for trying the recipe. Pickles are tricky because they are supposed to be kept for long time. Soaking them with oil aids in this process and there is less chance of them getting spoiled. So I recommend that you use the same amount of oil 🙂
Hi
Would love to try this out. Need to clarify
* Can I use vegetable oil as mustard oil is not freely available
* If I am to make a larger quantity, firstly I leave the bowl of pickle for 3-4 days and thereafter once I bottle them I pour in the heated oil into the individual bottles right?
Yes, you can use vegetable oil and second point is also correct.
What oil can be used other than mustard oil?
You ca use vegetable oil or even olive oil but Mustard Oil is traditionally used in Indian pickles and it gives a peculiar flavour to the pickles.
Please what kind of chili can you use that is not so spicy?
Thank You!
Any green chilli is fine for this recipe.