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{{Other uses|Achar (disambiguation){{!}}Achar}}
{{Short description|Pickled varieties of vegetable and fruit}}
{{short description|Foods originating from the Asian subcontinent, pickled from certain varieties of vegetables and fruits}}
{{redirect-several|Achar|Uruguay}}
{{merge from|Avakaya|discuss=Talk:South Asian pickle#Merger proposal of Avakaya into this article|date=April 2021}}
{{use Indian English|date=November 2025}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2015}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2025}}
[[File:Mango-achar.jpg|thumb|200px|Gujarati-style [[mango pickle]]]]
{{Infobox food
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]].
| image            = Chilli pickle in a plate 2.jpg
| caption          = Chilli pickle in India
| alternate_name  = Achar, khatai, pacchadi, loncha, oorugai, avakaai
| name            = South Asian pickle
| region          = [[Indian subcontinent]]
| type            = Pickle
| course          = [[Condiment]]
| main_ingredient  = Fruit (mango, plums), vegetables, or meat
| minor_ingredient = Oil, chili powder, spices, mustard seeds, fennel seeds
| country          = [[India]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Myanmar]]
| variations      = [[Acar]], [[atchara]]
}}
 
'''South Asian pickles''', known as '''''achar''''' among other names, are [[pickled]] and often highly-spiced [[condiment]]s made from a variety of vegetables and fruits preserved in [[brine]], [[vinegar]], [[edible oil]]s, and [[List of Indian spices|South Asian spices]]. The pickles are popular across South Asia, with many regional variants. They accompany many main dishes. Since the [[Columbian exchange]], which brought [[chili pepper]]s to India, pickles have often been hotly-spiced.
 
==Terminology==
 
In [[Hindi]] and several other South Asian languages, pickles are known as ''āchār'' ([[wikt:आचार|आचार]]).<ref name="theculturetrip"/> Early [[Sanskrit]] and Tamil literature uses the terms ''Avalehika, Upadamzam'', ''Sandhita,'' and ''Avaleha''.<ref name="K.T. Achaya 2003">{{cite book |last=Achaya |first=K. T. |title=The Story of Our Food |year=2003 |publisher=Universities Press (India) Private |isbn= 978-8173718359 }}</ref>
 
''Āchār'' is a [[Persian language|Persian]] origin word, from the time of the [[Mughal Empire]]. However, pickles in India are quite unlike the vinegar-based pickles of the Middle East.<ref name="Madani1993">{{cite book |last=Madani |first=Mohsen Saeidi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AqdJ7LlfVWUC&pg=PA153 |title=Impact of Hindu Culture on Muslims |publisher=M.D. Publications |year=1993 |isbn=978-81-85880-15-0 |pages=153– |quote=But in the Arab countries, Iran, and Afghanistan, grapes and palm are abundant, so vinegar is made out of them and the achaar in these countries is made by dipping onion, fruits etc. in vinegar. |access-date=2019-01-13 |archive-date=2023-11-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101225004/https://books.google.com/books?id=AqdJ7LlfVWUC&pg=PA153#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live}}</ref> In Persian, the word ''āchār'' 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 |archive-date=27 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027150142/https://theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-humble-indian-pickle/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
In the 18th century, [[Georg Eberhard Rumphius]] suggested that the Indian word ''achar'' came from America,{{sfn|Davidson|2014|pp=2–3 "achar"}} specifically [[Arawakan languages|Arawakan]] (of the [[Caribbean]])<ref>{{cite web |title=Concept CHILI PEPPER: aji |url=https://clics.clld.org/parameters/919#1/26/11 |website=CLICS 3 |access-date=14 November 2025}}</ref> ''axi, achi'', "chili pepper", widely used in pickles.{{sfn|Davidson|2014|pp=2–3 "achar"}} The 1886 Anglo-Indian dictionary ''[[Hobson-Jobson]]'' suggests a derivation from Latin ''[[wikt:acetaria|acetaria]]''.{{sfn|Davidson|2014|pp=2–3 "achar"}}
 
==History==
 
{{see also|Curry#Cultural exchanges}}
 
=== Ancient and medieval ===
 
Early pickle recipes in [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic]] and [[Sangam literature|Sangam]] period texts mention several varieties of pickles, including the earliest known mention of [[mango]] pickles.<ref name="K.T. Achaya 2003"/> ''Nalachampu'', a Sanskrit epic written by Trivikrama Bhatta in 915 CE, describes pickles made from green mango, [[Black pepper|green peppercorns]], [[long pepper]], raw [[cardamom]], lemon, [[Lime (fruit)|lime]], [[Phyllanthus emblica|myrobalan]], [[Spondias|hog plum]], [[Aegle marmelos|stone apple]], and [[Cordia dichotoma|fragrant manjack]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Kamat |first=Jyotsna K. |title=Social Life in Medieval Karnāṭaka |publisher=Abhinav Publications |location=New Delhi |year=1980 |page=7}}</ref> Early [[Indian cookbooks|medieval cookbooks]] such as ''Lokopakara'' (1025 CE), ''[[Manasollasa]]'' (1130 CE), ''Pakadarpana'' (1200 CE), and ''Soopa Shastra'' (1508 CE), and ''Kshemakutuhala'' (1549 CE) mentions pickle recipes that use green mango, green peppercorns, longpepper, lemons and limes, [[turmeric]] root, [[Curcuma amada|mango-ginger]] root, [[ginger]], [[radish]], [[Momordica charantia|bitter gourd]], [[cucumber]], [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus]] root, and [[bamboo shoot]]s. The religious text ''Lingapurana'' by Gurulinga Desika (1594 CE) mentions more than fifty kinds of pickles.<ref>{{cite book |author1=[[Mangarasa III]] |author2=Krishna Jois, S. N. |author3=Konantambigi, Madhukar |author4=Bhat, N. P. |author5=Modwel, Nerupama Y. |title=Culinary Traditions of Medieval Karnataka: The Soopa Shastra of Mangarasa III |year=2012 |publisher=Intangible Cultural Heritage Division, [[Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage]] and B.R. Pub. Corp. |isbn=978-9350500316}}</ref> Unique pickles made from [[edible flower]]s are also mentioned in the ''Ni'matnama'' (1500 CE) cookbook.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chatterjee |first=Priyadarshini |title=From night jasmine to banana blossoms: India's centuries-old love affair with edible flowers |date=13 July 2018 |url=https://scroll.in/magazine/881094/from-night-jasmine-to-banana-blossoms-indias-centuries-old-love-affair-with-edible-flowers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208162919/https://scroll.in/magazine/881094/from-night-jasmine-to-banana-blossoms-indias-centuries-old-love-affair-with-edible-flowers |archive-date=8 February 2022 }}</ref>
 
=== Columbian exchange ===
 
{{see also|Columbian exchange}}
 
[[Chili pepper]]s were introduced to South Asia by [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] traders after the [[Columbian exchange]] (sometime after 1492) in ports controlled by the [[Mughal Empire]] on the western coast of [[Gujarat]]. Before that, the milder spices [[black pepper]], [[long pepper]], and ''[[Piper chaba]]'' (in both fresh and dried forms) were the main source of heat in ancient and medieval Indian cuisine.<ref name="K.T. Achaya 2003"/><ref name="Twilley Graber 2019 transcript">{{cite web |last1=Twilley |first1=Nicola |last2=Graber |first2=Nicola |last3=Iyer |first3=Raghavan |author3-link=Raghavan Iyer (chef) |last4=Collingham |first4=Lizzie |author4-link=Lizzie Collingham |title=Transcript: The Curry Chronicles |url=https://gastropod.com/transcript-the-curry-chronicles/ |website=Gastropod |access-date=6 October 2024 |date=9 April 2019}}</ref><ref name="Batsha 2020">{{Cite web |last=Batsha |first=Nishant |author-link=Nishant Batsha |date=25 June 2020 |title=Curry Before Columbus |url=https://contingentmagazine.org/2020/06/25/curry-before-columbus/ |access-date=15 December 2020 |website=Contingent |archive-date=17 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517012336/https://contingentmagazine.org/2020/06/25/curry-before-columbus/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
=== Anglo-Indian to British ===
 
{{further|Anglo-Indian cuisine}}
 
[[File:Hannah Glasse's Paco-Lilla 1758.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Hannah Glasse]]'s recipe for "[[Piccalilli|Paco-Lilla or India Pickle]]", 1758]]


==Etymology==
[[Anglo-Indian people|Anglo-Indians]] during the [[British Raj]] greatly liked [[chutney]]s and pickles, and prepared many kinds. For the pickled varieties, vegetables such as [[aubergine]]s and [[bell pepper]]s may be packed with chilies, mustard seed, and [[turmeric]] to give them a strong flavour; these may be cooked in mustard oil or sesame oil. Some fruits are prepared by pickling, soaking [[mango]]es and [[Lime (fruit)|lime]]s in salty water in a pot which is left in the sun. For the sweet chutneys, fruits such as mango are cooked with sugar, vinegar, and spices. Uncooked chutneys use ingredients such as green coriander leaves and coconut, flavoured with chili, tamarind, and sugar; these are prepared afresh each day.{{sfn|Brown|1998|pp=347–361}}


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>
In the 17th century, in the time of the [[East India Company]], British travellers to India noticed the many [[chutney]]s and pickles. Sailors found that the preserve-like varieties were useful accompaniments to their maritime diet of [[salt meat]] and dry [[ship's biscuit]]. Quantities were brought home to Britain, whether by individual travellers or by merchants, soon to be copied by cooks and further modified from the Indian originals.{{sfn|Collingham|2006|pp=147–148}}  


==Ingredients==
One of those cooks, [[Hannah Glasse]], described how "to make Paco-Lilla, or India Pickle" ([[piccalilli]]) in the 1758 edition of her book ''[[The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy]]''. Her recipe asked the cook to salt some ginger, long pepper, and garlic, and to spice vinegar with mustard seed and turmeric. She suggested that vegetables and fruits such as cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, melon, apple, french beans, and plums could all be pickled in this way.<ref>{{cite book |last=Glasse |first=Hannah |author-link=Hannah Glasse |chapter=Paco-Lilla or India Pickle |title=[[The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy]] |edition=6th |publisher=Printed for the Author: and sold by A. Millar, in the Strand; and T. Trye, near Gray's Inn Gate, Holbourn |year=1758 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_xJdAAAAAIAAJ/page/n412 |page=377}}</ref>
{{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
== Ingredients ==
| image2 = Achar Gosht.JPG|caption2=''Achar gosht'', a meat curry cooked with tastes borrowed and amalgamated from pickle
 
}}
In India, there are two main types of pickles: pickles made with [[Sesame oil|sesame]] or [[mustard oil]], and pickles made without oil. Pickles without oil use salt to draw out the moisture from green mangoes or lemons to create a brine. A mixture of lemon or lime juice with salt or traditional ''ganne ka sirka'' ([[sugarcane]] vinegar) may also be used as brine.<ref name="Madani1993"/> Some pickles such as those from [[Gujarat]] use [[jaggery]] sugar as the main preserve.<ref name="Roy 2024">{{cite news |last=Roy |first=Nibedita |title=8 types of traditional Pickles from different parts of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/8-types-of-traditional-pickles-from-different-parts-of-india/articleshow/108161679.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=3 March 2024}}</ref>
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. They are matured through exposure 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=17 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217210959/http://www.indiacurry.com/chutney/hotsunpickling.htm |archive-date=17 February 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The pickle is traditionally covered with [[muslin]] while it is maturing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sailusfood.com/2015/05/08/mango-pickle-recipe-avakai/ |title=Mango pickle recipe |date=8 May 2015 |access-date=18 September 2015 |archive-date=5 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905233312/http://www.sailusfood.com/2015/05/08/mango-pickle-recipe-avakai/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Chili peppers are a distinguishing ingredient in South Asian pickles.<ref name="Andrews2005">{{cite book |last=Andrews |first=Jean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_fUh4YXWPikC&pg=PA26 |title=The Peppers Cookbook: 200 Recipes from the Pepper Lady's Kitchen |publisher=[[University of North Texas Press]] |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-57441-193-5 |pages=26– |access-date=2019-01-13 |archive-date=2023-11-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101225005/https://books.google.com/books?id=_fUh4YXWPikC&pg=PA26#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live}}</ref>  


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>
<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=190 heights=140>
File:Indian-pickle.jpg|Indian mixed pickle, with lotus root, lemon, carrot, green mango, and green chilis
File:Achar Gosht.JPG|''Achar gosht'', a meat curry cooked with flavours from pickle
File:Preparation of red chilli Indian pickle (2).jpg|Preparation of red chilli Indian pickle
</gallery>


==Regional variations==
==Regional variations==
===Bangladesh===
{{see also|Bengali cuisine|Bangladeshi cuisine}}
In [[Bengali culture]], pickles are known as ''Achar'' ([[Bengali language|Bengali]]: আচার) or Asar ([[Bengali language|Bengali]]: আসার). They are an integral part of [[Bengali cuisine]], adding flavours to meals. They are made by preserving various fruits, vegetables, and even fish or meat in a mixture of spices, oil, and vinegar or lemon juice. The process involves marinating the chosen ingredient with a blend of spices such as mustard seeds, fenugreek, nigella seeds, and chili powder. The pickles are then left to mature in airtight jars, allowing the flavours to develop over time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Bangladeshi-Pickles-Scene-in-Short/td-p/2021506 |title=Bangladeshi Pickles Scene (In Short) |date=18 October 2019 |access-date=2 September 2023 |archive-date=1 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101225014/https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Bangladeshi-Pickles-Scene-in-Short/td-p/2021506 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Bengali pickles have tangy, spicy, and sometimes sweet taste profiles. They are often served as accompaniments to rice, bread, or curry. Popular varieties include mango, lime, mixed vegetable, and fish pickles. The [[Shatkora]] ''achar'' of [[Sylhet]] and [[Piper chaba|Chui jhal]] ''achar'' of [[Khulna]] are known even outside India and Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Food_Preservation |title=Food Preservation - Banglapedia |access-date=2 September 2023 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902093011/https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Food_Preservation |url-status=live}}</ref>
<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=160 heights=160>
File:আমের আঁচার.jpg|Making Bengali mango pickle
File:গুড় আম.jpg|Mango and Date jaggery achar
</gallery>


===India===
===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>
{{further|List of Indian pickles}}
 
Among the many regional variations in India, a [[lotus stem]] pickle is made in [[Kashmir]]; [[gongura]] leaves are used in [[Andhra Pradesh]]; prawns with garlic and [[curry leaves]] are pickled in the southern coastal state of [[Kerala]]; [[bamboo shoot]]s are fermented with [[mustard seed]]s and oil in [[Assam]]; whole [[lemon]]s are pickled with [[asafoetida]], mustard seed, and [[turmeric]] in [[Maharashtra]]; whole garlic cloves form the base of a pickle in [[Karnataka]]; and [[tomato]]es are pickled with mustard seed, red chili, and curry leaves in [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="Roy 2024"/>


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 city of [[Panipat]] in [[Haryana]] prepares ''achaar'' commercially, especially ''pachranga'' and ''satranga'' (literally "five/seven colours", prepared with that many vegetables). The vegetables are matured in mustard oil and whole spices with ingredients like raw mangoes, [[chickpea]]s, lotus stem, [[Carissa carandas|karonda]], [[myrobalan]], and limes. As of 2016, Panipat produced over {{INRConvert|500|m|lk=r|year=2016}} worth of ''achaar'' every year, supplied to local markets and exported to the UK, US, and Middle East.<ref name="har13">{{cite web |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040327/windows/main1.htm |title=Our desi drive-ins |access-date=6 April 2017 |archive-date=1 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301051639/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040327/windows/main1.htm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="har12">{{cite web |last1=Panipat |first1=Parveen Arora in |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/spice-of-life-surrender-to-panipat-pickle/181599.html |title=Spice of life: Surrender to Panipat pickle!, The Tribune, June 2016 |work=Tribuneindia News Service |access-date=6 April 2017 |archive-date=6 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406201536/http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/sunday-special/perspective/spice-of-life-surrender-to-panipat-pickle/181599.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="har11">{{Cite web |url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/tzzAGvlSXLjpgizg4qV62M/The-road-to-Kashmir.html |title=The road to Kashmir through Haryana |work=mint |date=4 September 2009 |access-date=6 April 2017 |archive-date=6 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406201509/http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/tzzAGvlSXLjpgizg4qV62M/The-road-to-Kashmir.html |url-status=live}}</ref>


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.
<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=220 heights=150>
File:Sweet pickle made out of mango, in West Bengal, India.jpg|Sweet and spicy [[Mangifera indica|mango]] pickle
File:Mangopickle.jpg|Indian spicy [[mango pickle]]
File:Various kinds of pickles for sale at a shop in Dakshineswar, Kolkata, India.jpg|Pickles for sale in [[Kolkata]]
</gallery>


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.
===Myanmar (Burma)===


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.
The [[Burmese language|Burmese]] word for pickle is ''thanat'' ({{Langx|my|သနပ်}}). Mango pickle ({{lang|my|သရက်သီးသနပ်}}) (''thayet thi thanat'') is the most prevalent variety. The pickle is made with green, ripe, or dried mangoes cured in vinegar, sugar, salt, chili powder, [[Masala (spice)|masala]], garlic, fresh chilies, and [[mustard seed]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=သရက်သီးသနပ် (Spicy Green Mango Pickle) |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/ |access-date=11 July 2019 |website=Food Magazine Myanmar |language=my |archive-date=22 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222110257/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/|url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=သရက်သီးသနပ် (အခြောက်) (Spicy Dry Mango Pickle) |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/ |access-date=2019-07-11 |website=Food Magazine Myanmar |language=my |archive-date=2019-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220161205/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/|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Mango pickle is commonly used as a condiment alongside curries and [[biryani]] in [[Cuisine of Burma|Burmese cuisine]].<ref>{{cite web |date=10 May 2016 |title=အလှူ မင်္ဂလာဆောင်တို့ရဲ့ ဇာတ်လိုက်ကျော် ဒံပေါက်|url=https://myfoodmyanmar.com/biryani-recipe/ |access-date=11 July 2019 |website=MyFood Myanmar |language=my |archive-date=11 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711054657/https://myfoodmyanmar.com/biryani-recipe/ |url-status=live}}</ref> It is a mainstay ingredient in a [[Burmese curry]], ''wet thanat hin'' ({{lang|my|ဝက်သနပ်ဟင်း}}), that combines pork belly with the pickle.<ref>{{cite web |title=ဝက်သားဟင်း ၄ မျိုး |url=http://we.com.mm/detail/2631|access-date=11 July 2019 |website=We Media |language=my |archive-date=11 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711054655/http://we.com.mm/detail/2631 |url-status=dead}}</ref>


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.
=== Nepal ===


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.
In [[Nepal]], ''achaar'' ({{Langx|ne|अचार}}) is commonly eaten with the staple [[Dal bhat|dal-bhat-tarkari]] as well as [[Momo (food)|momo]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Rai |first=Sikuma |title=The mother of all pickles |date=7 September 2018 |url=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-mother-of-all-pickles/ |access-date=24 February 2022 |archive-date=24 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224041115/https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-mother-of-all-pickles/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Many ''achaar'' factories in Nepal are women-owned or operated by women.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nepali pickle makers come into their own|url=https://kathmandupost.com/money/2015/03/14/nepali-pickle-makers-come-into-their-own |access-date=24 February 2022 |newspaper=[[The Kathmandu Post]] |language=English |archive-date=2022-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224041115/https://kathmandupost.com/money/2015/03/14/nepali-pickle-makers-come-into-their-own |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Navaras: Pickles |url=http://ecs.com.np/features/navaras-pickles |access-date=24 February 2022 |website=ECS Nepal |language=en |archive-date=24 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224041118/http://ecs.com.np/features/navaras-pickles |url-status=live}}</ref>


[[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>
<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=180 heights=180>
File:Dalle Khursani And Fermented Bamboo Shoot Pickle.jpg|Nepali pickle made of ''[[Dalle Khursani]]'' (round chilies) and ''Tama'' (fermented bamboo shoot pickle)
File:Mula Ko Aachar.jpg|Mula Ko Aachar
File:Jhol_Momo.jpg|Broth made from achar used for [[jhol momo]]
</gallery>


===Pakistan===
===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===
The [[Sindh]] province of modern-day Pakistan is noted for its [[Shikarpur, Sindh|Shikrarpuri]] and [[Hyderabadi pickle]]s. Both of these ''achaar'' varieties are commonly eaten in [[Pakistan]] and abroad.<ref name="Daily Times 2017"/> Shikrarpuri pickle is believed to have originated during the 1600s in medieval India.<ref name="Daily Times 2017">{{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 (Pakistan)|Daily Times]] |access-date=13 January 2018 |archive-date=14 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114021004/https://dailytimes.com.pk/114415/all-you-need-to-know-about-shikarpurs-pickle/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The most popular Shikarpuri ''achaar'' is a mixed pickle made of carrots, [[turnip]]s, onions, cauliflower, chickpeas, garlic, green chillies, lime, and mango.<ref name="Daily Times 2017"/> Another pickle is made from [[Cordia dichotoma|fragrant manjack]] fruits.<ref name="Bachheti2023">{{cite journal |last1=Bachheti |first1=Archana |last2=Deepti |last3=Bachheti |first3=Rakesh Kumar |last4=Singh |first4=Anjita |last5=Zebeaman |first5=Meseret |last6=Hunde |first6=Yilma |last7=Husen |first7=Azamal |title=Bioactive constituents and health promoting compounds of underutilized fruits of the northern Himalayas of India: a review |journal=Food Production, Processing and Nutrition |date=2023 |volume=5 |issue=24 |article-number=24 |doi=10.1186/s43014-023-00140-5 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
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)===
<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=180 heights=180>
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>
File:Lasoora Pickle.JPG|''Lasora achar'', with [[Cordia dichotoma|fragrant manjack]] berries
</gallery>
 
===Sri Lanka===
 
In Sri Lanka, green ginger, onion, and chilies are salted and flavoured with garlic, mustard seed, and vinegar. Other spices and sugar may be added. Either vegetables or fruits such as the [[Elaeocarpus serratus|Ceylon olive]] (''veralu'') or the [[Spondias mombin|hog plum]] (''amberalla'') may be used.<ref name="Time Out 2018">{{cite web |title=In a pickle |url=https://www.timeout.com/sri-lanka/things-to-do/in-a-pickle |publisher=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] |access-date=14 November 2025 |date=25 May 2018}}</ref>
 
===Middle East===
 
* ''[[Amba (condiment)|Amba]]'' is a sweetened mango pickle, brought back to [[Baghdad]] by [[Iraqi Jewish]] merchants from [[Bombay]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Monterescu |first1=Daniel |last2=Hart |first2=Joel |title=The Mango Sauce Connecting Indians, Israelis and Palestinians – and Taking High-end Restaurants by Storm |url=https://www.haaretz.com/food/.premium.MAGAZINE-the-delicious-sauce-connecting-indians-israelis-and-palestinians-1.6136021 |access-date=28 April 2025 |work=[[Haaretz]] |date=1 June 2018}}</ref> It somewhat resembles a spicy [[mango chutney]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Hazout |first=Tamar Lea |title=Amba, Pickled Mango Sauce |url=https://aish.com/amba-a-pickled-mango-sauce/ |website=aish.com |publisher=[[Aish HaTorah]] |access-date=30 July 2025}}</ref> It is used across the [[Middle East]].<ref name="First">{{cite news |last=Miri |first=Adhid |title=First Tango with Mango: Iraqi Amba |url=https://www.chaldeannews.com/2023-content/2023/11/1/first-tango-with-mango-iraqi-amba |access-date=30 July 2025 |work=Chaldean News |date=1 November 2023}}</ref>


===Africa===
===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>'''
In [[South African Indians|South Africa]], [[Botswana]] and [[Kenya]], Indian pickles are called atchar. They are made primarily from unripe mangoes 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 |access-date=11 July 2019 |archive-date=21 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221125911/https://www.doc-developpement-durable.org/file/Conservation-Graines-Semences-Vegetaux-Legumes-Refrigeration/Pickled%20Vegetables.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2011 |title=Pickled Vegetables |url=https://answers.practicalaction.org/our-resources/item/pickled-vegetables/ |access-date=29 November 2021 |website=Practical Action |archive-date=29 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129182031/https://answers.practicalaction.org/our-resources/item/pickled-vegetables/ |url-status=live}}</ref>


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>
On [[Mauritius]] and [[Réunion]] a local variation is called ''Achard de légumes'' in French or ''Zasar legim'' in [[Mauritian Creole]]. It is prepared with a mixture of vegetables like cabbage, carrots, green beans, chayote, palm heart and onions. This is spiced with cumin, turmeric, green chilies, red chilies, ginger, garlic, salt and vinegar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Achard de légumes réunionnais |website=Cuisine AZ |url=https://www.cuisineaz.com/recettes/achard-de-legumes-reunionnais-112997.aspx |access-date=14 November 2025}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
{{portal|Food}}
 
* {{annotated link|Indian relish}}
* {{annotated link|Branston Pickle}}
* {{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==
==References==
{{Reflist}}


{{reflist|30em}}
== Sources ==
* {{cite book |last=Brown |first=Patricia |title=Anglo-Indian Food and Customs |date=24 February 1998 |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] India |isbn=0-14-027137-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Collingham |first=Lizzie |author-link=Lizzie Collingham |title=Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors |date=2006 |orig-year=2005 ([[Chatto & Windus]]) |publisher=[[Vintage Books]] |location=London |isbn=978-0-099-43786-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Davidson |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Davidson (food writer) |editor=Tom Jaine  |title=[[The Oxford Companion to Food]] |edition=3rd |location=Oxford |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-19-967733-7}}
==Further reading==
* {{cite journal |last=Paralkar |first=Anil |title=Trade, Exoticism and the English Appropriation of South Asian Pickles, c. 1600–1750 |journal=Cultural History |date=2020 |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=106–122 |doi=10.3366/cult.2020.0211 |s2cid=216172922 |ref=none}}
{{Bangladeshi dishes}}
{{Indian dishes}}
{{Indian dishes}}
{{Pakistani dishes}}
{{Pakistani dishes}}
{{Curry in the United Kingdom}}


[[Category:Bangladeshi condiments]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi condiments]]
[[Category:Bengali cuisine]]
[[Category:Bengali cuisine]]
[[Category:Botswana cuisine]]
[[Category:Burmese cuisine]]
[[Category:Fijian cuisine]]
[[Category:Indian condiments]]
[[Category:Indian condiments]]
[[Category:Indian pickles| ]]
[[Category:Indian pickles| ]]
[[Category:Indo-Caribbean cuisine]]
[[Category:Kenyan cuisine]]
[[Category:Mauritian cuisine]]
[[Category:Nepalese cuisine]]
[[Category:Nepalese cuisine]]
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[[Category:Pickles]]

Latest revision as of 04:58, 6 February 2026


Several terms redirect here. For other uses, see Achar (disambiguation) and Uruguay (disambiguation).

South Asian pickle
Chilli pickle in India
Alternative namesAchar, khatai, pacchadi, loncha, oorugai, avakaai
TypePickle
CourseCondiment
Place of originIndia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar
Region or stateIndian subcontinent
Main ingredientsFruit (mango, plums), vegetables, or meat
Ingredients generally usedOil, chili powder, spices, mustard seeds, fennel seeds
VariationsAcar, atchara

South Asian pickles, known as achar among other names, are pickled and often highly-spiced condiments made from a variety of vegetables and fruits preserved in brine, vinegar, edible oils, and South Asian spices. The pickles are popular across South Asia, with many regional variants. They accompany many main dishes. Since the Columbian exchange, which brought chili peppers to India, pickles have often been hotly-spiced.

Terminology[edit | edit source]

In Hindi and several other South Asian languages, pickles are known as āchār (आचार).[1] Early Sanskrit and Tamil literature uses the terms Avalehika, Upadamzam, Sandhita, and Avaleha.[2]

Āchār is a Persian origin word, from the time of the Mughal Empire. However, pickles in India are quite unlike the vinegar-based pickles of the Middle East.[3] In Persian, the word āchār is defined as "powdered or salted meats, pickles, or fruits, preserved in salt, vinegar, honey, or syrup".[1]

In the 18th century, Georg Eberhard Rumphius suggested that the Indian word achar came from America,[4] specifically Arawakan (of the Caribbean)[5] axi, achi, "chili pepper", widely used in pickles.[4] The 1886 Anglo-Indian dictionary Hobson-Jobson suggests a derivation from Latin acetaria.[4]

History[edit | edit source]

See also: Curry § Cultural exchanges

Ancient and medieval[edit | edit source]

Early pickle recipes in Ayurvedic and Sangam period texts mention several varieties of pickles, including the earliest known mention of mango pickles.[2] Nalachampu, a Sanskrit epic written by Trivikrama Bhatta in 915 CE, describes pickles made from green mango, green peppercorns, long pepper, raw cardamom, lemon, lime, myrobalan, hog plum, stone apple, and fragrant manjack.[6] Early medieval cookbooks such as Lokopakara (1025 CE), Manasollasa (1130 CE), Pakadarpana (1200 CE), and Soopa Shastra (1508 CE), and Kshemakutuhala (1549 CE) mentions pickle recipes that use green mango, green peppercorns, longpepper, lemons and limes, turmeric root, mango-ginger root, ginger, radish, bitter gourd, cucumber, lotus root, and bamboo shoots. The religious text Lingapurana by Gurulinga Desika (1594 CE) mentions more than fifty kinds of pickles.[7] Unique pickles made from edible flowers are also mentioned in the Ni'matnama (1500 CE) cookbook.[8]

Columbian exchange[edit | edit source]

See also: Columbian exchange

Chili peppers were introduced to South Asia by Portuguese traders after the Columbian exchange (sometime after 1492) in ports controlled by the Mughal Empire on the western coast of Gujarat. Before that, the milder spices black pepper, long pepper, and Piper chaba (in both fresh and dried forms) were the main source of heat in ancient and medieval Indian cuisine.[2][9][10]

Anglo-Indian to British[edit | edit source]

Further information: Anglo-Indian cuisine
Hannah Glasse's recipe for "Paco-Lilla or India Pickle", 1758

Anglo-Indians during the British Raj greatly liked chutneys and pickles, and prepared many kinds. For the pickled varieties, vegetables such as aubergines and bell peppers may be packed with chilies, mustard seed, and turmeric to give them a strong flavour; these may be cooked in mustard oil or sesame oil. Some fruits are prepared by pickling, soaking mangoes and limes in salty water in a pot which is left in the sun. For the sweet chutneys, fruits such as mango are cooked with sugar, vinegar, and spices. Uncooked chutneys use ingredients such as green coriander leaves and coconut, flavoured with chili, tamarind, and sugar; these are prepared afresh each day.[11]

In the 17th century, in the time of the East India Company, British travellers to India noticed the many chutneys and pickles. Sailors found that the preserve-like varieties were useful accompaniments to their maritime diet of salt meat and dry ship's biscuit. Quantities were brought home to Britain, whether by individual travellers or by merchants, soon to be copied by cooks and further modified from the Indian originals.[12]

One of those cooks, Hannah Glasse, described how "to make Paco-Lilla, or India Pickle" (piccalilli) in the 1758 edition of her book The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her recipe asked the cook to salt some ginger, long pepper, and garlic, and to spice vinegar with mustard seed and turmeric. She suggested that vegetables and fruits such as cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, melon, apple, french beans, and plums could all be pickled in this way.[13]

Ingredients[edit | edit source]

In India, there are two main types of pickles: pickles made with sesame or mustard oil, and pickles made without oil. Pickles without oil use salt to draw out the moisture from green mangoes or lemons to create a brine. A mixture of lemon or lime juice with salt or traditional ganne ka sirka (sugarcane vinegar) may also be used as brine.[3] Some pickles such as those from Gujarat use jaggery sugar as the main preserve.[14]

Homemade pickles are prepared in the summer. They are matured through exposure to sunlight for up to two weeks.[15] The pickle is traditionally covered with muslin while it is maturing.[16] Chili peppers are a distinguishing ingredient in South Asian pickles.[17]

  • Indian mixed pickle, with lotus root, lemon, carrot, green mango, and green chilis
    Indian mixed pickle, with lotus root, lemon, carrot, green mango, and green chilis
  • Achar gosht, a meat curry cooked with flavours from pickle
    Achar gosht, a meat curry cooked with flavours from pickle
  • Preparation of red chilli Indian pickle
    Preparation of red chilli Indian pickle

Regional variations[edit | edit source]

Bangladesh[edit | edit source]

See also: Bengali cuisine and Bangladeshi cuisine

In Bengali culture, pickles are known as Achar (Bengali: আচার) or Asar (Bengali: আসার). They are an integral part of Bengali cuisine, adding flavours to meals. They are made by preserving various fruits, vegetables, and even fish or meat in a mixture of spices, oil, and vinegar or lemon juice. The process involves marinating the chosen ingredient with a blend of spices such as mustard seeds, fenugreek, nigella seeds, and chili powder. The pickles are then left to mature in airtight jars, allowing the flavours to develop over time.[18]

Bengali pickles have tangy, spicy, and sometimes sweet taste profiles. They are often served as accompaniments to rice, bread, or curry. Popular varieties include mango, lime, mixed vegetable, and fish pickles. The Shatkora achar of Sylhet and Chui jhal achar of Khulna are known even outside India and Bangladesh.[19]

  • Making Bengali mango pickle
    Making Bengali mango pickle
  • Mango and Date jaggery achar
    Mango and Date jaggery achar

India[edit | edit source]

Further information: List of Indian pickles

Among the many regional variations in India, a lotus stem pickle is made in Kashmir; gongura leaves are used in Andhra Pradesh; prawns with garlic and curry leaves are pickled in the southern coastal state of Kerala; bamboo shoots are fermented with mustard seeds and oil in Assam; whole lemons are pickled with asafoetida, mustard seed, and turmeric in Maharashtra; whole garlic cloves form the base of a pickle in Karnataka; and tomatoes are pickled with mustard seed, red chili, and curry leaves in Tamil Nadu.[14]

The city of Panipat in Haryana prepares achaar commercially, especially pachranga and satranga (literally "five/seven colours", prepared with that many vegetables). The vegetables are matured in mustard oil and whole spices with ingredients like raw mangoes, chickpeas, lotus stem, karonda, myrobalan, and limes. As of 2016, Panipat produced over ₹500 million (equivalent to ₹580 million or US$8.1 million in 2019) worth of achaar every year, supplied to local markets and exported to the UK, US, and Middle East.[20][21][22]

Myanmar (Burma)[edit | edit source]

The Burmese word for pickle is thanat (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.). Mango pickle (သရက်သီးသနပ်) (thayet thi thanat) is the most prevalent variety. The pickle is made with green, ripe, or dried mangoes cured in vinegar, sugar, salt, chili powder, masala, garlic, fresh chilies, and mustard seeds.[23][24] Mango pickle is commonly used as a condiment alongside curries and biryani in Burmese cuisine.[25] It is a mainstay ingredient in a Burmese curry, wet thanat hin (ဝက်သနပ်ဟင်း), that combines pork belly with the pickle.[26]

Nepal[edit | edit source]

In Nepal, achaar (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) is commonly eaten with the staple dal-bhat-tarkari as well as momo.[27] Many achaar factories in Nepal are women-owned or operated by women.[28][29]

  • Nepali pickle made of Dalle Khursani (round chilies) and Tama (fermented bamboo shoot pickle)
    Nepali pickle made of Dalle Khursani (round chilies) and Tama (fermented bamboo shoot pickle)
  • Mula Ko Aachar
    Mula Ko Aachar
  • Broth made from achar used for jhol momo
    Broth made from achar used for jhol momo

Pakistan[edit | edit source]

The Sindh province of modern-day Pakistan is noted for its Shikrarpuri and Hyderabadi pickles. Both of these achaar varieties are commonly eaten in Pakistan and abroad.[30] Shikrarpuri pickle is believed to have originated during the 1600s in medieval India.[30] The most popular Shikarpuri achaar is a mixed pickle made of carrots, turnips, onions, cauliflower, chickpeas, garlic, green chillies, lime, and mango.[30] Another pickle is made from fragrant manjack fruits.[31]

Sri Lanka[edit | edit source]

In Sri Lanka, green ginger, onion, and chilies are salted and flavoured with garlic, mustard seed, and vinegar. Other spices and sugar may be added. Either vegetables or fruits such as the Ceylon olive (veralu) or the hog plum (amberalla) may be used.[32]

Middle East[edit | edit source]

Africa[edit | edit source]

In South Africa, Botswana and Kenya, Indian pickles are called atchar. They are made primarily from unripe mangoes and are sometimes eaten with bread.[36][37]

On Mauritius and Réunion a local variation is called Achard de légumes in French or Zasar legim in Mauritian Creole. It is prepared with a mixture of vegetables like cabbage, carrots, green beans, chayote, palm heart and onions. This is spiced with cumin, turmeric, green chilies, red chilies, ginger, garlic, salt and vinegar.[38]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "A Brief History Of The Humble Indian Pickle". Culture Trip. 28 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Achaya, K. T. (2003). The Story of Our Food. Universities Press (India) Private. ISBN 978-8173718359.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Madani, Mohsen Saeidi (1993). Impact of Hindu Culture on Muslims. M.D. Publications. pp. 153–. ISBN 978-81-85880-15-0. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2019. But in the Arab countries, Iran, and Afghanistan, grapes and palm are abundant, so vinegar is made out of them and the achaar in these countries is made by dipping onion, fruits etc. in vinegar.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Davidson 2014, pp. 2–3 "achar".
  5. ↑ "Concept CHILI PEPPER: aji". CLICS 3. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  6. ↑ Kamat, Jyotsna K. (1980). Social Life in Medieval Karnāṭaka. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. p. 7.
  7. ↑ Mangarasa III; Krishna Jois, S. N.; Konantambigi, Madhukar; Bhat, N. P.; Modwel, Nerupama Y. (2012). Culinary Traditions of Medieval Karnataka: The Soopa Shastra of Mangarasa III. Intangible Cultural Heritage Division, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage and B.R. Pub. Corp. ISBN 978-9350500316.
  8. ↑ Chatterjee, Priyadarshini (13 July 2018). "From night jasmine to banana blossoms: India's centuries-old love affair with edible flowers". Archived from the original on 8 February 2022.
  9. ↑ Twilley, Nicola; Graber, Nicola; Iyer, Raghavan; Collingham, Lizzie (9 April 2019). "Transcript: The Curry Chronicles". Gastropod. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  10. ↑ Batsha, Nishant (25 June 2020). "Curry Before Columbus". Contingent. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  11. ↑ Brown 1998, pp. 347–361.
  12. ↑ Collingham 2006, pp. 147–148.
  13. ↑ Glasse, Hannah (1758). "Paco-Lilla or India Pickle". The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (6th ed.). Printed for the Author: and sold by A. Millar, in the Strand; and T. Trye, near Gray's Inn Gate, Holbourn. p. 377.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Roy, Nibedita (3 March 2024). "8 types of traditional Pickles from different parts of India". The Times of India.
  15. ↑ "Pickling in the hot sun". Archived from the original on 17 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  16. ↑ "Mango pickle recipe". 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  17. ↑ Andrews, Jean (2005). The Peppers Cookbook: 200 Recipes from the Pepper Lady's Kitchen. University of North Texas Press. pp. 26–. ISBN 978-1-57441-193-5. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  18. ↑ "Bangladeshi Pickles Scene (In Short)". 18 October 2019. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  19. ↑ "Food Preservation - Banglapedia". Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  20. ↑ "Our desi drive-ins". Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  21. ↑ Panipat, Parveen Arora in. "Spice of life: Surrender to Panipat pickle!, The Tribune, June 2016". Tribuneindia News Service. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  22. ↑ "The road to Kashmir through Haryana". mint. 4 September 2009. Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  23. ↑ "သရက်သီးသနပ် (Spicy Green Mango Pickle)". Food Magazine Myanmar (in မြန်မာဘာသာ). Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  24. ↑ "သရက်သီးသနပ် (အခြောက်) (Spicy Dry Mango Pickle)". Food Magazine Myanmar (in မြန်မာဘာသာ). Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  25. ↑ "အလှူ မင်္ဂလာဆောင်တို့ရဲ့ ဇာတ်လိုက်ကျော် ဒံပေါက်". MyFood Myanmar (in မြန်မာဘာသာ). 10 May 2016. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  26. ↑ "ဝက်သားဟင်း ၄ မျိုး". We Media (in မြန်မာဘာသာ). Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  27. ↑ Rai, Sikuma (7 September 2018). "The mother of all pickles". Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  28. ↑ "Nepali pickle makers come into their own". The Kathmandu Post. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  29. ↑ "Navaras: Pickles". ECS Nepal. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 "All you need to know about Shikarpur's pickle". Daily Times. 1 October 2017. Archived from the original on 14 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  31. ↑ Bachheti, Archana; Deepti; Bachheti, Rakesh Kumar; Singh, Anjita; Zebeaman, Meseret; Hunde, Yilma; Husen, Azamal (2023). "Bioactive constituents and health promoting compounds of underutilized fruits of the northern Himalayas of India: a review". Food Production, Processing and Nutrition. 5 (24) 24. doi:10.1186/s43014-023-00140-5.
  32. ↑ "In a pickle". Time Out. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  33. ↑ Monterescu, Daniel; Hart, Joel (1 June 2018). "The Mango Sauce Connecting Indians, Israelis and Palestinians – and Taking High-end Restaurants by Storm". Haaretz. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  34. ↑ Hazout, Tamar Lea. "Amba, Pickled Mango Sauce". aish.com. Aish HaTorah. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  35. ↑ Miri, Adhid (1 November 2023). "First Tango with Mango: Iraqi Amba". Chaldean News. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  36. ↑ "Pickled Vegetables" (PDF). Practical Action - The Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  37. ↑ "Pickled Vegetables". Practical Action. 2011. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  38. ↑ "Achard de légumes réunionnais". Cuisine AZ. Retrieved 14 November 2025.

Sources[edit | edit source]

Further reading[edit | edit source]

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