South Asian pickle

2021-08-22T18:45:32Z

2A01:598:C827:9619:1:0:70D3:C11B: /* top */Removed an obviously untrue part of the sentence, possibly added as a joke or vandalism

{{Other uses|Achar (disambiguation){{!}}Achar}}
{{short description|Foods originating from the Asian subcontinent, pickled from certain varieties of vegetables and fruits}}
{{merge from|Avakaya|discuss=Talk:South Asian pickle#Merger proposal of Avakaya into this article|date=April 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2015}}
[[File:Mango-achar.jpg|thumb|200px|Gujarati-style [[mango pickle]]]]
A '''South Asian pickle''', known as '''achar''' (sometimes spelled as '''achaar''' or '''aachar'''), '''athanu''', '''loncha''' or '''Oorugai''' in the South, is a [[pickled]] food, native to the [[Indian subcontinent]], made from a variety of vegetables and fruits, preserved in [[brine]], [[vinegar]], or [[edible oil]]s along with various [[List of Indian spices|Indian spices]].

==Etymology==

According to Mohsen Saeidi Madani, Indian-style pickle is called {{transl|hi|hunterian|achar}} ([[ISO 15919|ISO]]: {{transl|hi|ISO|acār}}) in [[Hindustani language|Hindustani]],<ref name="Madani1993">{{cite book|author=Mohsen Saeidi Madani|title=Impact of Hindu Culture on Muslims|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AqdJ7LlfVWUC&pg=PA153|year=1993|publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd.|isbn=978-81-85880-15-0|pages=153–}}</ref> itself a loanword of [[Persian language|Persian]] origin. ''Ācār'' in Persian is defined as "powdered or salted meats, pickles, or fruits, preserved in salt, vinegar, honey, or syrup."<ref name="theculturetrip">{{Cite web|url=https://theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-humble-indian-pickle//|title=A Brief History Of The Humble Indian Pickle|date=28 November 2016|website=Culture Trip|access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref>

==Ingredients==
{{multiple image|perrow=2|total_width=400|caption_align=center
| image1 = Indian-pickle.jpg|caption1=Indian mixed pickle, containing lotus root, lemon, carrot, green mango, green chilis, and other ingredients
| image2 = Achar Gosht.JPG|caption2=''Achar gosht'', a meat curry cooked with tastes borrowed and amalgamated from pickle
}}
Although it varies by regions within the Indian subcontinent, some of the notable ingredients used are limes, lemons, mangoes, ginger, eggplants, and other regional ingredients, but the decisive ingredient is the [[chili pepper]].<ref name="Andrews2005">{{cite book|author=Jean Andrews|title=The Peppers Cookbook: 200 Recipes from the Pepper Lady's Kitchen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_fUh4YXWPikC&pg=PA26|year=2005|publisher=University of North Texas Press|isbn=978-1-57441-193-5|pages=26–}}</ref>

In India, there are two main types of achar, one is made with mustard oil, and the other is without oil. Lime pickle is made by putting the lime in the salt.<ref name="Madani1993"/>

Homemade pickles are prepared in the summer and are matured by exposing to sunlight for up to two weeks.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.indiacurry.com/chutney/hotsunpickling.htm |title=Pickling in the hot sun |access-date=2014-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217210959/http://www.indiacurry.com/chutney/hotsunpickling.htm |archive-date=2014-02-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The pickle is kept covered with muslin while it is maturing.<ref>[http://www.sailusfood.com/2015/05/08/mango-pickle-recipe-avakai/ Mango pickle recipe]</ref>

==Regional variations==

===India===
[[File:Mangopickle.jpg|thumb|150px|Indian spicy [[mango pickle]]]]
Despite using the same main ingredients, the differences in preparation techniques and spices can lead to a wide variation in [[India]]n pickles. A [[mango]] pickle from [[South India]] may taste very different from one made in [[North India]]—the southern states prefer [[sesame oil]] and tend to produce spicier pickles, while the northern states prefer [[mustard oil]].

In the northern state of [[Haryana]], [[Panipat]] is famous for being the hub of making commercial varieties of tasteful achar. Single main ingredient varieties prepared with mango, chilli and lemon are ever popular, but the city is famous of ''pachranga'' (literally 'five colors', prepared with five vegetables) and ''satranga'' (literally 'seven colors', prepared with seven vegetables) which are matured in [[mustard oil]] using main ingredients such as raw mangoes, chick peas, lotus stem, karonda and amlas or limes, pickled with whole spices. Pachranga achar was first created by Murli Dhar Dhingra in Pakistan in 1930, his Dingra and Malik descendants brought it to India in 1943. Panipat produces over {{INRConvert|500|m|lk=r|year=2016}} worth of achar every year (2016 figures), supplied to local markets as well as exported to UK, USA, and the Middle East.<ref name=har13>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040327/windows/main1.htm Our desi drive-ins]</ref><ref name=har12>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/spice-of-life-surrender-to-panipat-pickle/181599.html Spice of life: Surrender to Panipat pickle!, The Tribune, June 2016]</ref><ref name=har11>[http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/tzzAGvlSXLjpgizg4qV62M/The-road-to-Kashmir.html The road to Kashmir through Haryana]</ref>

In Southern India, most vegetables are sun-dried with spices, taking advantage of immensely hot and sunny days throughout the year, thus making pickles an everyday staple. The sun-drying naturally preserves the vegetable, along with spices such as mustard, [[fenugreek]] seeds, chili powder, salt, asafoetida, and turmeric. To speed up the process, vegetables may be cooked first.

The states of [[Telangana]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]] are famous for their spicy pickles. Unripe mango with garlic and ginger ({{transl|te|ISO|[[Avakaya|āvakāya]]}} in Telugu), unripe tamarind coupled sometimes with green chillies ({{transl|te|ISO|cintakāya}} in Telugu) and red chillies ({{transl|te|ISO|korivi kāram}} in Telugu) are a staple with everyday meals. Gooseberry ({{transl|te|ISO|usirikāya}} in Telugu) and lemon ({{transl|te|ISO|nimmakāya}} in Telugu) are also widely eaten pickles as well.

The state of [[Tamil Nadu]] makes a [[mango pickle]] called {{transl|ta|ISO|māvaḍu}}, which is usually made early in the summer season when mangoes are barely an inch long. The preservation process uses [[castor oil]], giving the pickle its unique taste. Another pickle from Tamil Nadu is {{transl|ta|ISO|nārttaṅgai}}, consisting of unripe [[citron]]s cut into spirals and stuffed with salt. Tamilians also use sun-dried chillies stuffed with salted yogurt, thus making a dry condiment called {{transl|ta|ISO|mōr miḷagai}} that is typically eaten with rice.

In the state of [[Karnataka]], the tender whole mango pickle, called {{transl|kn|ISO|māvina uppinakāyi}} in Kannada, is a traditional pickle recipe. This is preserved entirely by dehydrating tender whole mangoes with salt and is very salty and sour. A special type of this is [[wikt:ಜೀರಿಗೆ ಮಿಡಿ|{{transl|kn|ISO|jīrige miḍi}}]] prepared using special tender mango with a refreshing aroma.

Southern Indians living in the coastal areas also pickle fish and meats. In Tamil Nadu, {{transl|ta|ISO|karuvāḍu}} is made by salting and sun-drying various species of fish. {{transl|ta|ISO|Nettili karuvāḍu}}, made from anchovies, is among the more popular varieties of {{transl|ta|ISO|karuvāḍu}}. In Kerala, tuna and sardines are finely chopped and marinated in spices and later cooked on the stovetop, resulting in {{transl|ml|ISO|mīn acār}}. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also make fish and shrimp pickles but are more famous for their lamb and chicken pickles, which are known for their spiciness.

Unripe mangoes, lemon, green chilis, {{transl|gu|ISO|gundā}} (''[[Cordia dichotoma]]'') and ''[[kerda]]'' are commonly used as key ingredients in [[Gujarati cuisine|Gujarati]] cuisine. Varieties of pickled mango commonly found in Gujarati households include salted mango pickle made with [[groundnut oil]] and spiced with [[fenugreek]] seeds, and red chili powder; hot and sweet mango pickle made with [[Peanut|groundnut]] oil and [[jaggery]], [[fennel]] seeds, dry [[Date (fruit)|dates]] ({{transl|gu|ISO|khārēk}}), [[Mustard seed|mustard]] and red chili powder; and hot and sweet mango pickle made with sugar syrup, [[cumin]] and chili powder.

[[Carissa carandas#Medicine and food|Karonda]] ({{transl|hi|ISO|karvanda}}) is used in the ancient Indian herbal system [[ayurvedic]] as well as to make pickles, [[chutney]], jams, jelly, etc., to treat acidity, indigestion, fresh and infected wounds, skin diseases, urinary disorders and diabetic ulcer.<ref name=karonda1>[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/14186015.cms Summer brings astringently delicious karonda, a fruit that's ripe for pickling], Economic Times, June 2012.</ref><ref name=karonda2>[https://easyayurveda.com/2016/12/13/karonda-carissa-carandas-karamarda/Carandas, benefits, research, side effects], Easy Ayurveda.</ref>

===Pakistan===
The [[Sindh]] province of modern-day Pakistan is noted for [[Shikrarpuri achar]] and [[Hyderabadi pickle|Hyderabadi achar]]. Both of these ''achar'' are commonly eaten in [[Pakistan]] and abroad.<ref name=":0"/> Shikrarpuri achar is believed to have originated during the 1600s in medieval India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/114415/all-you-need-to-know-about-shikarpurs-pickle/|title=All you need to know about Shikarpur's pickle|date=1 October 2017|work=Daily Times|access-date=13 January 2018}}</ref> The most popular of all the varieties of Shikarpur's pickle is the mixed achar comprising carrots, turnips, onions, cauliflower, chickpeas, garlic, green chillies, lime and mango.<ref name=":0"/>

===Nepal===
In Nepal, a native fruit called ''[[Choerospondias axillaris|lapsi]]'' (Nepali hog plum),<ref>https://www.nepalemarket.com/products/hot-spicy-lapsi-pickle-hog-plum</ref> as well as hot red [[Pimiento|cherry peppers]],<ref>https://www.nepalemarket.com/products/dalla-pickle-in-oil</ref> are used to make pickles.

===Myanmar (Burma)===
The [[Burmese language|Burmese]] word for pickle is {{my|{{linktext|သနပ်}}}} (''thanat''). Mango pickle ({{my|သရက်သီးသနပ်}}) (''thayet thi thanat'') is the most prevalent, and can be pickled using green, ripe, and dried mangoes, which are cured in vinegar, sugar, salt, chili powder, [[Masala (spice)|masala]], garlic, fresh chilies, and [[mustard seed]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foodmagazinemyanmar.com/contributors/%E1%80%9E%E1%80%9B%E1%80%80%E1%80%B9%E1%80%9E%E1%80%AE%E1%80%B8%E1%80%9E%E1%80%94%E1%80%95%E1%80%B9-spicy-green-mango-pickle/|title=သရက်သီးသနပ် (Spicy Green Mango Pickle)|website=Food Magazine Myanmar|language=my|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foodmagazinemyanmar.com/contributors/%E1%80%9E%E1%80%9B%E1%80%80%E1%80%B9%E1%80%9E%E1%80%AE%E1%80%B8%E1%80%9E%E1%80%94%E1%80%95%E1%80%B9-%E1%80%A1%E1%80%B1%E1%80%BB%E1%80%81%E1%80%AC%E1%80%80%E1%80%B9-spicy-dry-mango-pickle/|title=သရက်သီးသနပ် (အခြောက်) (Spicy Dry Mango Pickle)|website=Food Magazine Myanmar|language=my|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref> Mango pickle is commonly used as a condiment alongside curries and [[biryani]] in [[Cuisine of Burma|Burmese cuisine]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myfoodmyanmar.com/biryani-recipe/|title=အလှူ မင်္ဂလာဆောင်တို့ရဲ့ ဇာတ်လိုက်ကျော် ဒံပေါက်|website=MyFood Myanmar|language=my|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref> It is also a mainstay ingredient in a traditional Burmese curry called ''wet thanat hin'' ({{my|ဝက်သနပ်ဟင်း}}).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://we.com.mm/detail/2631|title=ဝက်သားဟင်း ၄ မျိုး|website=We Media|language=my|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref>

===Africa===
In [[South African Indians|South Africa]] and [[Botswana]], Indian pickles are called ''atchar'', and are sometimes eaten with bread.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.doc-developpement-durable.org/file/Conservation-Graines-Semences-Vegetaux-Legumes-Refrigeration/Pickled%20Vegetables.pdf|title=Pickled Vegetables|website=Practical Action - The Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development}}</ref>

'''<big>Sri Lanka</big>'''

It is known as "acharu" in Sinhala or "Oorugai" in Tamil and is also popular as well<ref>{{Citation|title=Sri Lankan Achcharu Recipe|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyJ0tIB5liE|language=en|access-date=2021-05-19}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Food}}
* {{annotated link|Indian relish}}
* {{annotated link|Acar}}
* {{annotated link|Atchara}}, pickled unripe papaya from the Philippines
* {{annotated link|Piccalilli}}, a British variant of South Asian pickle
* {{annotated link|Amba (condiment)}}, an Israeli/middle-eastern variant of South Asian pickle

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Indian dishes}}
{{Pakistani dishes}}

[[Category:Bangladeshi condiments]]
[[Category:Bengali cuisine]]
[[Category:Indian condiments]]
[[Category:Indian pickles| ]]
[[Category:Nepalese cuisine]]
[[Category:Indo-Caribbean cuisine]]
[[Category:Pakistani condiments]]
[[Category:Pakistani pickles| ]]
[[Category:Pakistani spices]]
[[Category:Sindhi cuisine]]
[[Category:South African cuisine]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan cuisine]]

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South Asian pickle