Garlic pickle is a combination of fresh garlic cloves, a wide assortment of seeds and powders along with some aromatic whole spices. It is quite easy to make garlic pickle at home following my step-by-step guide.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Garlic pickle is a flavorful pickle that will enhance your culinary expertise.
- Preserve the freshness of the pickle by storing it in an airtight and dry jar. Keep it in a cool dark place.
- Serve this pickle with a variety of rice dishes, Indian bread, curries, lentil preparations, vegetable dishes, grilled meats, and snack items.
- Garlic pickle tastes spicy and citrusy.
- A somewhat similar taste is offered by other pickles such as lemon pickle, ginger pickle, amla pickle, chili pickle, and mixed vegetables pickle.
I came across this recipe at a pottery exhibition I visited last week. One of the stall owners was having lunch behind her counter. She noticed me eyeing her food and grinned. I smiled back and we started chatting. I liked the pickle she was having with her roti and asked how she made it. She told the recipe while taking a bite. I made it that weekend.
My husband said it was earthy and warm, and the boys called it “mud magic.” Now, it’s our art-day dish. That day reminded me that artists carry their creativity into everything—even the food they carry quietly in their palms.
How to Make Garlic Pickle? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
1. First, prepare a spice mix or masala with whole spices like 1½ tbsp coriander seeds, ½ tsp carom seeds, 3 tbsp fennel seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tbsp fenugreek seeds, and 1/4th cup yellow mustard seeds. Place all the spices in a pan for dry roasting.
2. On low to medium flame, sauté the spices until they emit a nice aroma and change color.
3. When they start emitting an aroma and change color, turn off the gas and transfer the spices to a plate to cool.
4. Add the cooled spices to a grinder jar.
5. Make a fine powder out of the spices.
6. Peel 500 gm of garlic cloves, which will yield around 412 gm. Cut a few cloves into halves and leave the rest whole.
(Pro tip: To peel garlic easily, you can steam it first.)
7. In a pan, add 3/4th cup of mustard oil. Heat the oil on high flame until very hot.
(Pro tip: Using heated oil eliminates the raw smell and enhances the overall taste of the pickle.)
8. When the oil is smoking hot, turn off the flame and cool it. When it is cool enough add 1 tsp of asafoetida into it.
(Pro tip: Do not add asafoetida to hot oil as it can burn and lose its flavor.)
9. Mix the asafoetida with a spatula.
10. Turn on the gas again and add the garlic cloves to the oil.
11. Stir the garlic cloves for 5 minutes to soften them, then add the ground spices.
12. Mix the spices thoroughly over low flame.
13. Add powdered spices: 1 tbsp nigella seeds, 3 tsp turmeric powder, 2 ½ tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 2 tbsp red chili powder, 1 tbsp rock salt, and 2 ½ tbsp salt.
14. Mix all the ingredients and cook for 2 minutes on low flame to enhance the flavor and aroma. After 2 minutes, turn off the gas and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
15. After cooling, the garlic cloves will have absorbed the mustard oil, increasing the longevity.
16. Add ½ cup of lemon juice to the mixture.
17. Add ½ cup of white vinegar to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Set it aside for cooling and absorption.
(Pro tip: White vinegar enhances the shelf life of the pickle.)
18. When the garlic pickle cools down, transfer it to a sun-dried jar and enjoy the delicacy.
Recipe Card
Garlic Pickle | Lehsun Ka Achar
Ingredients
- 500 grams Garlic cloves peeled
- 1½ tbsp Coriander seeds
- ½ tsp Carom seeds
- 3 tbsp Fennel seeds
- 2 tsp Cumin seeds
- ½ tbsp Fenugreek seeds
- 1/4 cup Yellow mustard seeds
- ¾ cup Mustard oil
- 1 tsp Asafoetida
- 1 tbsp Nigella seeds
- 3 tsp Turmeric powder
- 2½ tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 tbsp Red chili powder
- 1 tbsp Rock salt
- 2½ tbsp Salt to taste
- ½ cup Lemon juice
- ½ cup White vinegar
Instructions
- First, prepare a spice mix or masala with whole spices like 1½ tbsp coriander seeds, ½ tsp carom seeds, 3 tbsp fennel seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tbsp fenugreek seeds, and 1/4th cup yellow mustard seeds. Place all the spices in a pan for dry roasting.
- On low to medium flame, sauté the spices until they emit a nice aroma and change color.
- When they start emitting an aroma and change color, turn off the gas and transfer the spices to a plate to cool.
- Add the cooled spices to a grinder jar.
- Make a fine powder out of the spices.
- Peel 500 gm of garlic cloves, which will yield around 412 gm. Cut a few cloves into halves and leave the rest whole. (Pro tip: To peel garlic easily, you can steam it first.)
- In a pan, add 3/4th cup of mustard oil. Heat the oil on high flame until very hot. (Pro tip: Using heated oil eliminates the raw smell and enhances the overall taste of the pickle.)
- When the oil is smoking hot, turn off the flame and cool it. When it is cool enough add 1 tsp of asafoetida into it. (Pro tip: Do not add asafoetida to hot oil as it can burn and lose its flavor.)
- Mix the asafoetida with a spatula.
- Turn on the gas again and add the garlic cloves to the oil.
- Stir the garlic cloves for 5 minutes to soften them, then add the ground spices.
- Mix the spices thoroughly over low flame.
- Add powdered spices: 1 tbsp nigella seeds, 3 tsp turmeric powder, 2 ½ tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 2 tbsp red chili powder, 1 tbsp rock salt, and 2 ½ tbsp salt.
- Mix all the ingredients and cook for 2 minutes on low flame to enhance the flavor and aroma. After 2 minutes, turn off the gas and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
- After cooling, the garlic cloves will have absorbed the mustard oil, increasing the longevity.
- Add ½ cup of lemon juice to the mixture.
- Add ½ cup of white vinegar to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Set it aside for cooling and absorption. (Pro tip: White vinegar enhances the shelf life of the pickle.)
- When the garlic pickle cools down, transfer it to a sun-dried jar and enjoy the delicacy.
Notes
Nutrition Info (Estimation Only)
