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Pickles are a popular snack in India. They come in various distinct types, each enhancing the taste buds and palate with a tangy and spicy taste. The most popular ingredients are undoubtedly mangoes, lemons, and chillies.
But Indian pickles are more than just the familiar combinations of spices and tastes. Since people needed non-electric methods to store and preserve food in the days before refrigeration, pickles have been a popular meal throughout recorded history.
It is found that pickling—covering fruits and vegetables in a brine made of salt, spices, water, and vinegar—worked quite well when it came to fresh produce. People could preserve collected food for months by using pickled veggies, which nourished them during the off-season.
9 Pickles To Try During Midnight Cravings
1. Lingri ka Achaar
The fiddlehead fern, referred to as lingri in Himachal Pradesh, is enjoyed in the state's culinary circles as a mildly sweet pickle. The pickles are made from the young, fragile, tightly curled fresh shoots of fern, which, like all fern species in the area, just grow up in the wild without being cultivated.
2. Bhoot Jolokia Achar
Assamese Bhoot Jolokia, also known as the Ghost or King Chilli, is so spicy that after consuming one, people are said to wish they were dead! But one can enjoy its pickle without worrying about dying. Despite its strong flavour, the fiery red chilli pickle is well-known worldwide and frequently laced with bamboo shoots.
3. Chana Methi Achar
Though it is not as well-known throughout the nation, Gujarat is home to this distinctive pickle. It is produced with dry fenugreek seeds and chickpeas, spiced with various spices, and preserved in mustard oil. There are even variations on the theme, the most common of which is mango.
4. Pickled Banana Flowers
The pickle originates from Assam and is made from banana flowers, abundant in iron, calcium, and other nutrients. The pickle made from banana flowers is undoubtedly one of Assam's most distinctive inventions, even though the superfood is consumed in several regions.
5. Thecha Kolhapuri
This pickle originates from Maharashtra and is more of a chutney-pickle mixture than a stand-alone pickle. Its name comes from hot Kolhapuri red chillies, peanuts, salt, garlic, and asafoetida. The spicy taste of Kolhapuricha is well-known, and it has been known to cause people to sweat and swell their tongues!
6. Pickled Pork With Bamboo Shoots
Though pig is well known as a staple in the northeast, one has already encountered bamboo pickles. But have you heard of the combination of pork and bamboo shoot pickles? This Arunachal Pradesh pickle, which combines succulent beef with tenderly shredded bamboo shoots, is a unique culinary experience you must simply taste!
7. Gajar-Gobhi-Achaar Shalgam
This pickle, made with carrot, cauliflower, and turnip, is a wintertime favourite in the country's northern regions. It is arguably one of the best and, regrettably, most underappreciated pickles out there. The sweetness and tang of the carrot and turnip, pickled with vinegar and cauliflower, make it the ideal side dish for parathas and curd.
8. Gandal Achar
Gandal ka Achaar, a traditional Punjabi dish, is produced by pickling the long stalks of mustard greens, or "gandal," right before the seeds are harvested for mustard oil in December of each year. In addition to its wonderful flavour, the pickle's mustard serves as a warming agent, keeping people toasty during the chilly winter months.
9. Veluthulli Achar (Garlic Pickle)
Garlic pickles are renowned for their strong flavour and aromatic scent. Pickled whole garlic cloves are marinated in a hot and sour masala consisting of fenugreek, mustard, turmeric, chilli powder, vinegar, and lemon juice. The garlic's harshness is subdued during the pickling process, producing a savoury and aromatic pickle that goes great with rice, roti, or dosa.
Though everyone who likes pickles has a favourite, there are so many to try that if you keep an open mind, you might find a new pickle to add to your plate.
