Bharwan Lal Mirch ka Achar or stuffed Red Chili Pickle is made in winter using fresh red chilies. Usually, this chili is available in February.
I have a confession to make, I am not a pickle person. Look, there I said it!
Sometimes when I see people going crazy over pickles, I am forced to look within and figure out why I don’t like them. It’s not as if I hate them but I never felt any craving to eat pickle. I also don’t mean to imply that I don’t enjoy them, I do but only occasionally and the pickle needs to be worth.
I am rarely impressed with store-bought ones, few that I have liked over the years are made by my mom (like mango pickle, hing ka achar and nimbu ka achar). I am inclined to like a chili pickle more than any. Don’t know why!
One of my favorite pickles which I always, always do try out if it’s available is the Stuffed Red Chili Pickle or bharwa lal mirch ka achar.
Recently, in our society, I got to know that this is the season of fresh red chili and the best time to pickle it. Maheshwari Aunty from the society, a self-proclaimed expert in various types of recipes and cuisines, was more than happy to teach me.
Here is the recipe and if the chilies are still available, then do pickle them and share why you think I like them so much.
How to Make Lal Mirch Ka Bharwa Achar at Home?
Bharwan Lal Mirch ka Achar
Ingredients
- 1 kg big red chilies
- 350 gram coriander seeds dhania seeds
- 350 gram fennel seeds saunf
- 50 gram fenugreek seeds methi dana
- 50 gram dry mango powder amchoor
- 50 gram split mustard seeds rai ki dal
- 100 gram salt
- 1 tsp asafetida hing
- 1 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tbsp mustard oil for tempering
- mustard oil soaking & dipping the pickle
Instructions
- Wash and completely dry red chilies using a kitchen clot. Slit them lengthwise, so that we can stuff the spices inside, without cutting through.
- Dry roast fenugreek seeds and allow to cool. Transfer to a spice jar of your grinder. Add coriander and fennel seeds. Grind them together into a fine powder.
- Mix this ground powder along with all other spices and 2 tablespoons of mustard oil in a bowl. The stuffing is ready. Stuff generous amount of spice mixture in each slit chili and set aside.
- Once all chilies are stuffed, place them into a glass or ceramic jar. Add any remaining spice mixture. You can press them down also a little if you like. Pour mustard oil till about ¾ of the jar. Allow the pickle to ferment for 3-4 days. Enjoy when ready.
Notes
- Once the pickles softens, you may feel that oil is lesser and you can pour more oil.
- We prefer mustard oil but if you don’t then go ahead and use any oil of your choice.
