Indian pickle
Achar, the Hindustani word for a variety of spicy pickled side dish or condiment, redirects here. For the Biblical character Achar or Achan, see Achan (Bible).
Pickling in India is an ancient art of food preservation used. Indian pickles are quite different from the European variety in that the pickling is done in oil rather than using vinegar. Such pickles are also part of the cuisines of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Preparation
Pickles form an integral part of an Indian meal. Seasonal vegetables and fruits are cleaned and finely chopped; they are then mixed with a special blend of ground spices and marinated in oil.
The choice of spices gives the Indian pickle its unique flavor. Most pickles are made in the summer and allowed to mature in the hot sun for at least three weeks before use. Pickles are generally stored in porcelain or glass jars with air-tight lids. The acidic nature of the marinade retards bacterial growth, while the oil acts as a preservative. Pickles can retain their freshness and flavor, so long as they do not come into contact with moisture. However, commercially made pickles use preservatives such as citric acid or sodium benzoate.
Indian pickles come in a wide variety of flavors -- a mango pickle from South India tastes very differently from that made in North India. In the southern states, sesame (gingelly) oil is preferred, while mustard oil is more typically used in pickle-making in northern India. The cuisine of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh is probably the spiciest of all Indian cuisine. Andhra pickles and chutneys have a unique flavor and are popular among all those who like it hot.
Fruits and vegetables used
Some of the vegetables and fruits used in pickling include, mango, lemon, lime, ginger, Indian gooseberry, onion, garlic, green chili, gunda, and kerda. There are a wide variety of different achars made and each is usually made with a mixture of fruits or vegetables which are chopped and marinated in a liquid (often oil or lemon juice) and a variety of different spices (often including lots of chile pepper) and salt. Almost all sorts of fruits vegetables found in South Asia are pickled in this manner, including pumpkins, heart of palm, mango slices, and rose petals, along with vegetables more conventionally pickled in the west. Some of the most popular varieties of Indian pickle are mango pickle, lemon pickle, lime pickle, mixed pickle (usually including cauliflower, carrot, and radish), onion pickle, and garlic pickle.
Names
Achar also written as Achaar and often simply called pickle in English) is the Hindustani word for the variety of spicy pickled side dish or condiment popular in the Indian subcontinent, in Southeast Asia, and in many other areas among ethnically South Asian communities. A similar dish in Malaysia is called acar, while Filipinos call it achara.
Urgai is the Tamil name for pickles. There are many indigenous varieties of pickles, some of the most popular ones being mangai urgai (mango pickle) and elimicha urgai (lime pickle). Some of the special pickles from Tamil Nadu include a tender mango pickle called maavadu. Maavadu literally translates to tender mango. Maavadu is usually made early in the summer season when mangos are barely an inch long. The preservation process consists of uses castor oil which gives the pickle its unique taste. Maavadus are a local favourite served with yogurt rice or thayir sadam. Another interesting pickle from Tamil Nadu is narthangai, which is a citron preserved in salt. Unripe citrons are cut into spirals and stuffed with salt, which dries them out. This pickle stays fresh and unspoiled for a long time and is an accompaniment to sambhar rice. |
