Rai Ki Mirch :Stuffed Green Chilli Pickle: Instant Hari Mirch Ka Achar: Indian Pickle

Rai Ki Mirch is a very poplar pickle in Rajasthan made with green chillies (hari mirch). No matter what the season is, this pickle is always relished. Unlike other Indian pickles this is neither time consuming nor does it need sun bathing. This is the quickest and instant green chilli pickle you will ever make. There is nothing better than homemade pickle, no preservatives and you know exactly what’s going in the recipe. If this sounds interesting to you, then, do see my instant mango pickle recipe.

I am from Rajasthan that too a marwadi and I exactly know how important this rai ki mirchi is for people of Rajasthan. There are many varieties of chillies available in the market; all I look for is fat chillies with pleasant green colour. My mom explained me; slimmer chillies have more heat in them. So when I saw these chubby chillies at the nearby Bangladeshi store, I picked it up with no other thought but turning them into pickle.

The mixture of spices with mustard oil (sarson ka tel) and lemon juice, oozes out sharp and peppery flavour which is to remembered by the tounge forever. But it is no ordinary chilli pickle; The unusual process of stuffing the chillies is the unique and exceptional characteristic. I prepare it many times in small batches and gobble it with parathas, aloo puri and pulav. Over all; no rocket science, no pain- all you need is the appetite to relish it.

Ingredients:

1 cup green chillies- washed and dry

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 ½  tablespoon Mustard seeds/ rai

½ tablespoon fenugreek seeds/methi

2 tablespoon fennel seeds/saunf

1 teaspoon dry mango powder/amchur

Pinch asafoetida/hing

Salt to taste

1/4 cup mustard oil

Method:

1. Slit green chillies such that it opens like a pocket. Remove the seeds and keep aside.
2. In the grinder, grind fenugreek, fennel and mustard seeds into coarse powder.
3. Heat oil to the smoking point and then let it cool. Now again heat the oil (only till it gets warm).
4. Mix the warm oil with asafoetida, salt, dry mango powder and grinded coarse powder. Keep this paste aside for 1-2 minutes.
5. Fill ¼ teaspoon of the above paste in each chilli. Do same with the remaining chillies.
6. Finally mix in the lemon juice and toss well.
7. The pickle is ready to eat. Store in any airtight glass or plastic container.

Notes:

It stays fresh up to 3 weeks in the fridge. (Fresh is always better)

Any type of chillies can be used, depending on the level of heat you can handle.

I grind the spices in the large quantity and keep it ready for the future use.

Any other oil can be used instead of mustard oil. (No olive oil please)

Instant Tomato Pickle / Chutney

Summers in India mean all the homes busy preparing various types of pickles. The spicy mango pickle and the tangy lemon pickle are the most common; but both these pickles are very time consuming, thus  I wanted something which was quick, spicy and tangy; it was with this idea that I prepared Tomato Pickle-it looks like chutney but the spices used are of pickle. Yummy and instant!!!

Ingredients:

• 5 tomatoes
• ½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 6 cloves garlic (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 Dry Red Chilies
• 2 tbsp Red Chilli powder (Lal Mirch)
• 3 tbsp Oil

Method:

1. Heat pan and dry roast mustard, fennel, fenugreek and dry red chillies.
2. In the blender blend together tomatoes, garlic and the above roasted spices.
3. Heat oil in the pan and add asafoetida in it. Then add the blended puree, salt, sugar and red chilli powder in it.
4. Cover it and let it boil till the consistency is running and water has evaporated. (The color will become dark red)
5. Once cool keep it in airtight container.

Serve it with rice, idli, dosa, sandwiches...almost all the dishes!