Stuffed Red Chilli Pickle (Mirchi ka Achar)

Step 1: Dry Roast Spices

Add fennel, mustard, cumin, black pepper, fenugreek, carom, and dry red chillies to a pan. Dry roast them on a low flame for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Turn off the flame and let the spices cool completely.

Step 2: Prepare Red Chillies

Take 250 grams of red chillies. Wash them thoroughly with water and then wipe them completely dry with a clean cloth. Make a slit along one side of each chilli and carefully remove the seeds using a knife or spoon. Collect the removed chilli seeds in a separate bowl.

Step 3: Grind Roasted Spices

Transfer the cooled roasted spices into a grinder. Grind them coarsely to a textured powder.

Step 4: Prepare Stuffing Mixture

Pour the coarsely ground spices into a large mixing bowl. Add the collected chilli seeds, yellow mustard powder (2 tbsp), coriander powder (2 tbsp), nigella (1 tbsp), turmeric powder (1 tbsp), asafoetida (1/2 tbsp), salt (2 tbsp), and mango powder (1 tbsp). Pour in the juice of 2 lemons. Mix all the ingredients well, initially with a spatula and then by hand, to ensure a uniform mixture.

Step 5: Stuff the Chillies

Carefully take each slit red chilli and generously stuff it with the prepared spice mixture. Ensure the stuffing is packed well into each chilli.

Step 6: Prepare and Add Mustard Oil

Pour 250 grams of mustard oil into a pan and heat it until it starts smoking. Once it reaches the smoking point, turn off the flame and let the oil cool down completely. Transfer the cooled oil into a clean bowl.

Step 7: Dip and Store Pickles

Dip each stuffed red chilli into the cooled mustard oil, ensuring it is fully coated. Place the oil-coated stuffed chillies into clean, dry glass containers. Pour any remaining mustard oil over the chillies in the containers. The pickle is now ready to be stored.

• Ensure red chillies are thoroughly washed and completely dry before preparation to prevent spoilage.

• Heat mustard oil until it smokes, then allow it to cool completely before adding to the chillies. This removes the pungent raw smell of the oil.

• Store the pickle in a clean, dry glass container to ensure a longer shelf life.

• Adjust the amount of dry red chillies to control the spice level.

• Experiment with other types of large chillies suitable for stuffing.