Lemon ginger chili pickle is a combination of green chilies, lemons, and ginger, along with mustard oil, garlic, asafoetida, and a variety of aromatic spices. Join me in the culinary adventure with this step-by-step guide to learn the steps to make lemon ginger chili pickle at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Store the pickle in a clean, sun-dried, glass jar with a tight-fitting lid to ensure proper sealing. You may refrigerate if you want.
- Serve the pickle with Indian bread, rice dishes, snack items, grilled meats, curries, stews, salads, chaat, or any fritter.
- Lemon ginger chili pickle tastes spicy, tangy, and earthy.
- Lemon ginger chili pickle offers a spicy, tangy, and earthy taste.
- Other similar pickles are Chili Pickle (Mirch ka Achar), Mango Pickle (Aam ka Achar), Lime Pickle (Limboo ka Achar), Garlic Pickle (Lehsun ka Achar), Radish Pickle (Mooli ka Pickle), and Carrot Pickle (Gajar ka Achar).
The Ingredients:
- 200 gram green chilies
- 10 pieces lemon
- 100 gram ginger
- 12 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp carom seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 bowl mustard oil
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp nigella seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp rock salt
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp vinegar
This pickle recipe came from a nurse I met during a routine health camp. Along with medical advice, she also shared how she makes this pickle after every night shift because it helps her relax. I was touched and asked for the recipe. She told me with a sleepy smile.
I made the pickle the following weekend. My husband said it felt nurturing, and my boys said it tasted quite unique. Now, it is our unwind-day meal. That conversation reminded me that caregivers nourish themselves too, not just patients, and their comfort food often carries silent strength and healing in every gentle bite.
How to Make Lemon Ginger Chili Pickle? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take 200g of sundried green chilis, 8 to 10 pieces of sundried lemons cut in four halves, 100g of sundried ginger cut into thin slices, and 10 to 12 cloves of sundried garlic. Clean and pat dry all the ingredients.
(Pro tip: Garlic is optional. Green chilis, lemons, ginger, and garlic cloves should be sun-dried for 2 days. You will notice significant color and texture changes in them.)
Step 2: Coarsely crush the 10 to 12 garlic cloves.
(Pro tip: Crushing the garlic will release its oil, enhancing the overall flavor.)
Step 3: Take a frying pan and add 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, and 1 tsp carom seeds. Dry roast all the ingredients under medium flame for 2 minutes until they emit a lovely aroma.
(Pro tip: You can use black mustard instead of yellow mustard.)
Step 4: In a frying pan, add 1 bowl of mustard. Heat the oil to a smoking point, then turn off the gas. Now, add the crushed garlic cloves into it. Let it cook for some time and then let it cool down completely.
Step 5: In a mixing bowl, combine green chilis, lemons, and ginger slices. Add 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp asafoetida, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp nigella seeds, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 2 tsp rock salt, salt to taste, pickle spice mix, 1 tbsp white vinegar, and finally, the mustard oil along with the garlic cloves. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
(Pro tip: Kashmiri red chili powder is used only for color in the pickle. Use a slightly larger quantity of salt, as the balance will be achieved when the pickle is ready. White vinegar enhances the taste and shelf life. You can also use black vinegar.)
Step 6: Lemon Ginger Chili Pickle is ready. Transfer the pickle into a sundried and clean glass jar and enjoy the delicacy after 7 to 8 days. Make sure to keep this pickle under the sun for 2 to 3 days to extend its shelf life.
Recipe Card
Lemon Ginger Chili Pickle | Nimboo Adrak Mirch ka Achar
Ingredients
- 200 gram green chilies
- 10 pieces lemon
- 100 gram ginger
- 12 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp carom seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 cup mustard oil
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp nigella seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp rock salt
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp vinegar
Instructions
- Take 200g of sundried green chilis, 8 to 10 pieces of sundried lemons cut in four halves, 100g of sundried ginger cut into thin slices, and 10 to 12 cloves of sundried garlic. Clean and pat dry all the ingredients. (Pro tip: Garlic is optional. Green chilis, lemons, ginger, and garlic cloves should be sun-dried for 2 days. You will notice significant color and texture changes in them.)
- Coarsely crush the 10 to 12 garlic cloves. (Pro tip: Crushing the garlic will release its oil, enhancing the overall flavor.)
- Take a frying pan and add 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, and 1 tsp carom seeds. Dry roast all the ingredients under medium flame for 2 minutes until they emit a lovely aroma. (Pro tip: You can use black mustard instead of yellow mustard.)
- In a frying pan, add 1 bowl of mustard oil. Heat the oil to a smoking point, then turn off the gas. Now, add the crushed garlic cloves into it. Let it cook for some time and then let it cool down completely.
- In a mixing bowl, combine green chilis, lemons, and ginger slices. Add 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp asafoetida, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp nigella seeds, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 2 tsp rock salt, salt to taste, pickle spice mix, 1 tbsp white vinegar, and finally, the mustard oil along with the garlic cloves. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. (Pro tip: Kashmiri red chili powder is used only for color in the pickle. Use a slightly larger quantity of salt, as the balance will be achieved when the pickle is ready. White vinegar enhances the taste and shelf life. You can also use black vinegar.)
- Lemon Ginger Chili Pickle is ready. Transfer the pickle into a sundried and clean glass jar and enjoy the delicacy after 7 to 8 days. Make sure to keep this pickle under the sun for 2 to 3 days to extend its shelf life.
