Green Hot Chili Pickle (Hari Mirch ka Aachar)

Thanks to our neighbors who let us plant few chili pepper plants in their vegetable garden, and before I knew it my husband brought these huge quantities of peppers that I did not know what to do with. I remember I used to make this pickle long time ago, but forgot all the ingredients, so I called my mom this morning and asked her for the recipe for this finger licking pickle that she taught me how to make. Bless her heart she remembered all the ingredients with exact quantity by heart and recited over the phone. She specifically told me not to forget to put the mango powder and that if you don't get mango powder in US, you can use tamarind paste instead. Thankfully, I did have mango powder and all the ingredients in my pantry except onion seeds which I did not use. I just made this pickle this afternoon and luckily it was very sunny day, so I could put it out to soak some sun too. This is how it turned out.




Ingredients:

2 pounds green chilies.
6 table spoon mango powder
4 table spoon coriander powder
2 table spoon of cumin powder
1 table spoon asafetida powder
1 table spoon onion seeds (optional)
2 table spoon of paprika
1-2 table spoon of cayenne pepper powder (optional)
6 table spoon salt
2 table spoon Turmeric powder
6 table spoon coarsely ground fennel seeds.
6 table spoon coarsely ground mustard seeds
16 fluid ounces of vegetable oil (1/2 quart) (I prefer mustard oil, but you may use canola, corn, sunflower or any vegetable oil) (I used Canola oil this time)

Method:

* Wash the peppers and allow to dry completely on a towel, or on a sunny surface. They should be completely free of water, before you make the pickle for this to last long.
* Once dry cut slit in each pepper length wise, leaving the stem intact. (You must wear gloves to do this).
* Mix all the spices together and fill each chili pepper with spice mixture.
* Heat oil on the stove.
* Pour hot oil over the stuff chili peppers. (be careful)
* Toss the stuff chili peppers so they are evenly soaked with oil.
* Put the pickle in wide container; leave this open in the sun every day for few days. (5-7 day), toss them every day before and after putting them in sun, so they are evenly soaked with oil. You may cover them in the night, but be sure to wipe the moisture from the lid from condensation. Once again if there is any moisture in the pickle it will spoil soon.
* Once the peppers reach desired softness, you can fill them in a jar with airtight cover and refrigerate.


Recipe source: My dearest Mom Mrs. Kasturben.
Photo by Surekha.