Everyone has fond memories of summer. It is no less than a wave of nostalgia.

For some, it is getting sunkissed while playing wildly during the summer holidays. Others think of sitting in front of the water cooler and digging into juicy fruits. And for a lot of us, this season is synonymous with making (or helping to make) pickles and papads.

Even though you may not have been a big fan of the harsh sun’s rays, it was perfect for your mango and red chilly pickle recipe. While, of course, mango pickle was a season’s favourite, there is something special about the lal mirch ka achar. It complements your rotis, paranthas, pooris, and dal-rice with the hot and spicy lal mirch ka achar, and it will only make everything taste better!

In this post, we will explore how to make red chilli pickle in two ways.

Traditional Stuffed Red Chilly Pickle Recipe

For the traditional stuffed red chilly pickle recipe, you will need:

• 20 pieces of fresh red chillies (lal mirch)
• A quarter cup of mustard seeds (rai)
• A quarter cup of fennel seeds (saunf)
• A tablespoon of fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• A teaspoon of nigella seeds (kalonji)
• Two tablespoons of raw mango powder (amchur)
• A teaspoon of organic turmeric (haldi)
• Two tablespoons of salt
• Half a teaspoon of asafoetida (hing)
• Two tablespoons of vinegar
• A cup of mustard oil (kachi ghani)

Following is a step-by-step guide for the red chilly pickle recipe:

1. Wash the red chillies, dry them with paper towels or a clean cloth, and air dry them thoroughly. Your red chillies must be completely dry before you start with the entire process of the red chilly pickle recipe.
2. Remove the stalk and slit all the chillies along their vertical. Keep them aside.
3. Heat a pan on a low flame and add the mustard, fennel, and fenugreek seeds. Dry roast them until they turn aromatic. Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool.
4. After the spice mix cools, grind it into a coarse powder. Transfer it in a mixing bowl.
5. To the mixing bowl, add the remaining spices and the vinegar. Combine everything until it forms a crumbly mixture.
6. Take some of this spice and stuff it inside a red chilli. Do this for all the 20 chillies.
7. Transfer the chillies into a glass jar.
8. Heat mustard oil until it reaches the smoking point, and then allow it to cool down completely. Pour this oil over the chillies.
9. Screw on the lid of the jar and give it a good shake until everything is covered in the oil and masala. Let it sit.

This red chilly pickle recipe will take about a week (7 days) to give you a softened, perfectly cooked red chilly pickle.

Instant Red Chilly Pickle Recipe

If the above red chilly pickle recipe appears to time-consuming, you can speed it up with this instant variant. It basically makes use of the same spices as its traditional counterpart but cuts short the resting period.

For the quick and easy red chilly pickle recipe, you need:

• 20 pieces of fresh whole red chillies (lal mirch)
• Six tablespoons of coriander seeds (dhania)
• Two teaspoons of yellow mustard seeds (peeli rai)
• Three tablespoons of fennel seeds (saunf)
• Two teaspoons of fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• Two teaspoons of nigella seeds (kalonji)
• Two teaspoons of raw mango powder (amchur)
• A teaspoon of organic turmeric (haldi)
• Two tablespoons of salt
• Half a teaspoon of asafoetida (hing)
• Six tablespoons of mustard oil (kachi ghani)
• Juice of two lemons

Here is a quick look at how to make red chilli pickle:

1. Wash and dry the whole red chillies. Once again, they should be absolutely dry. Chop them into small pieces (1/8th of an inch).
2. Dry roast the coriander, mustard, fennel, fenugreek, and nigella seeds. Allow them to cool once they turn aromatic. Grind them coarsely. Mix all the spices together in a bowl.
3. Heat the oil until it smokes and allow it to cool. Reserve a 2/3rds of the oil and gently heat the remaining once again. Add the asafoetida to the warm oil and allow it to impart its flavour into the oil.
4. Saute the red chilly pieces in the oil for a few seconds. Turn off the flame and sprinkle the spice mix on top. Toss it all together and let it cool.
5. Squeeze in the lemon juice and pour the remaining oil and give it a good stir. Transfer the pickle to a glass jar and allow it to sit.

You can serve this pickle immediately. Alternatively, you can wait for two days for the instant pickle to acquire an even richer flavour.

Quick Tips for Red Chilly Pickle Recipe

Keep the following tips in mind while making your red chilly pickle:

• Ensure that no water or moisture gets into your pickle, or else it will spoil. For best results, store it in an airtight container.
• Sterilize your jar and let it dry completely before transferring your pickle into it.
• You may substitute mustard oil with olive oil for a healthier spin.
• Make sure that all the kitchen implements are clean and dry while making the pickle.
• If you have sensitive skin, use gloves to prevent irritating your skin.

Try out 24 Mantra Ogranic’s Red Chilli Whole and relish the taste of red chilly pickle.