Indian Pickle recipe is unique and mouth-watering! We all love our Achar or Pachadi! In Andhra cuisine especially, pickles are the first dish that comes to our mind. Everyone would have asked their Telugu friend to bring Avakaya Pachadi or Gongura Pachadi from hometown. In Andhra Pradesh, pickles are made with almost every vegetable! In fact, there are many non-veg pickles too!
Every pickle has a unique taste. These are spicy, tangy, and add a zing to the meal!. Hot rice- Pickle- Ghee is the best combo ever. There are many pickle brands available to buy but nothing beats the pickle prepared at home using the traditional Indian Pickle recipe!! So here I’m presenting you 5 Indian pickle recipes in Andhra style which I learned from my mom.
Tips to follow while preparing Indian pickles to last more than a year
- The main ingredients should be dry and totally free from moisture, else pickles will get spoil.
- An adequate amount of salt is the key ingredient that makes the pickle last for more than a year.
- Store the pickles in ceramic or glass jar. If not available then plastic box. Never store in a steel box.
- Make sure to use a dry spoon or ladle while taking out the pickle better if you can find wooden spoons.
- If the Indian Pickle recipe requires water add only boiled and cooled water.
- Store the pickle in the refrigerator. This will make sure that the color or spice level of the pickle remains the same.
- Generally to prepare pickles we use groundnut oil or gingelly oil in Andhra which enhances the taste.
- It is advisable to eat pickles at a moderate level as they are extremely spicy.
Tempering:
Some Indian Pickle recipes call for tempering to bring out the extra flavour. So, traditionally in Andhra, pickle is made and is stored without the tempering. Whenever required a small quantity (which is needed for 1-2 weeks) is taken out, tempered and relished. This brings out the flavours and gives freshness to the pickle. So, I suggest following this way.
How to temper Andhra pickles in an authentic way:
Here is how you can temper for a small batch of pickle:
- In a kadai add oil-100ml
- Once it is medium hot add the following ingredients
- First, add Mustard-1 tbsp and let it splutter.
- Chana Dal-1 tbsp
- Split urad dal-1tbsp
- Curry Leaves-a handful
- Dried red Mirchi-10 No.
- Hing or asafoetida- 1 tsp
- Once it is done and gives out that nice aroma, add it over the pickle and mix it well.
Avakaya ( Mango Pickle)- Flavourful Indian Pickle Recipe
Avakaya or mango pickle is the first pickle which everyone would have tasted! Mango pieces with a rich mustard flavor.
There is a saying “Andhra Matha- Avakaya; Andhra Pitha- Gongura”. This shows how much we love our pickles. Our summers are incomplete without making new Avakaya. Almost in every household, you can find this Avakaya in summer. Do remember spicier it is; tastier it will be! So make sure to adjust chili powder as per your taste level.
Ingredients:
- Mango- 1 dozen (medium size)
- Chilli Powder (Guntur Mirchi)- 200 gms. (for spice)
- Chilli powder (Bellary Mirchi)- 200gms (for color)
- Rock Salt- 250gms
- Fenugreek seeds-50gms
- Mustard Seeds-200gms
- Groundnut oil-1 Kg
- Garlic- 100 gms
- Turmeric- 4 tbsp
Preparation of Avakayi Pickle
Wash the mangoes dry them using a clean cloth. There shouldn’t be any water droplets and it should be absolutely moisture-free. Chop them to medium-sized pieces along with the seed. (Usually, we get this done outside).
Now add Turmeric powder and 100gms oil and mix well. To this add Chilli Powder, Rock Salt, Fenugreek powder, Mustard powder, and mix well by slowly adding oil.
Remove the skin of the garlic and dry them, add the garlic to the pickle and mix.
Transfer it to Ceramic or glass jar and pour the remaining oil over it.
Leave it for 3 days, now mix well with a spatula. Make sure your oil is floating above the pickles to at least 1 inch. If not you can increase the quantity of oil.
Tempering is not required for this.
The best way to relish Avakaya is with hot rice, homemade ghee, and with plain cooked Toor dal. We call this “Mudda Pappu-Avakaya”. Try it and thank me later.
Gongura Pachadi: (Sorrel Leaves Pickle) – Tangy Indian pickle Recipe
Now we are coming to ‘Andhra Pitha’! Gongura Pachadi has an easy instant version that lasts for a week which you can find here. Whereas the below given Indian Pickle recipe for nilava pachadi (pickle made for storing for a year) stays good for more than 1 year.
Ingredients:
- Gongura- 1 kg
- Tamarind- 250gms
- Rock Salt- 250 gms
- Fenugreek powder- 2 tbsp
- Mustard Powder- 2tbsp
- Red mirchi- 250gms
- Garlic- 100 gms
Tempering as described above.
Preparation of Gongura Pachadi
- Wash the leaves and spread them on a cloth and leave them to dry for at least 1 day. There shouldn’t be any trace of moisture.
- In a kadhai add 250ml oil and fry Gongura leaves.
- Remove the leaves and fry the chilies also in the same oil.
- Soak Tamarind in hot water.
- Now grind the fried leaves, chilies, fenugreek powder, mustard powder, garlic, rock salt. Do remember to grind it coarsely.
- Temper it when before relishing.
I will tell you the best way to enjoy this pickle. Mix the pickle with hot rice along with ghee and with chopped fresh onions. You will love it.
Nimmakaya Pachadi (Lemon Pickle)– Goodness of Lemon!
We end our Andhra meal with curd rice. The best side dish for curd rice is lemon pickle. This spicy tangy lemon pickle with curd rice has a huge fanbase.
Ingredients for Lemon Pickle
- Lemons-25 No. (medium size)
- Chili powder-100gms
- Methi powder-2 tbsp
- Turmeric- 1tbsp
- Salt- 100 gms
- Garlic -100grm
Preparation of Nimmakayi Pickle
- Clean the lemons and pat them with a clean cloth to remove the moisture.
- Cut each lemon into 4 pieces (you can even make smaller pieces).
- Add salt and mix it well and leave it for 5-7 days.
- Roast the fenugreek and dry grind it to smooth powder.
- Lemon would have become tender. Now add remaining ingredients like chili powder, turmeric, Fenugreek powder, ground garlic, and leave it for a day.
- Store this pickle in the refrigerator only!
- Tempering is optional.
This is one of the best low-calorie pickles with the goodness of lemon.
Pandumirchi Pachadi- Laal Mirchi ka Achar (Red Mirchi Pickle)
This is one of the spiciest pickles. Do remember to eat this in moderation.
Ingredients for Pandumirchi Pachadi
- Chili-1 kg
- Tamarind- 250gms
- Salt-250gms
- Methi powder- 2tbsp
- Mustard powder= 1tbsp
- Garlic-200gms
Tempering
- Oil- ½ litre
- Redmirchi- 50gms
Preparation of Pandumirchi Pickle
- Dry the red chilies in the hot sun for 5-6 hrs and then remove the stems.
- Grind Red chilies along with salt. To this add tamarind make a coarse paste.
- Leave this aside for 2-3 days.
- Now add garlic, mustard powder, fenugreek powder, and grind again to a coarse paste.
- Temper small quantities of this pickle as and when required.
Tomato Pickle Recipe- Feast for the taste buds
Tomato pickle is usually done with sun-dried tomatoes. But in most cities, it is difficult to dry them in the sun. Alternatively, you can follow the below given Indian Pickle recipe.
Ingredients for Tomato Pickle
- Tomato- 1kg
- Tamarind- 250gm
- Rock Salt- 250 gms
- Fenugreek powder- 1 tbsp
- Mustard powder- 2tbsp
- Turmeric -1tbsp
- Garlic-100 gms
Tomato Pickle Recipe – Preparation
- Cut the tomatoes into small-sized pieces and mix salt and turmeric. Cover and leave it for 3-4 days
- Now Take out pieces, you will be left with mushy tomatoes. To that add tamarind and let it soak for around 4 hrs. ( Tamarind can be adjusted based on the sourness of the tomatoes.)
- Grind the tomatoes, Fenugreek Powder, Salt, and tamarind along with mustard powder and garlic.
- Temper it when required.
Tomato pickle goes well with rice, idly, dosa, upma. Infact this is one of the best side dish it goes well with everything.!
So, next time you need not ask your Telugu Friend to bring you Andhra pickles. You can make them easily at home following these Indian Pickle recipes. Do let me know what is your favourite pickle in the comments!
