More Than Just a Side Dish: The Vibrant World of Indian Pickles
When Shakespeare's Trinculo in The Tempest asked, "How cam'st thou in this pickle?", he likely didn't anticipate that in India, being in a pickle would be considered a delightful culinary experience rather than an unfortunate predicament. As summer arrives across the subcontinent, it's common to see large glass jars filled with colorful pickles adorning balconies and rooftops, basking in the sun to achieve perfect preservation.
A Personal Journey Through Pickle Memories
From early adolescence until around eighteen years old, I recall concluding every meal with a small bowl of spicy aamer aachar (mango pickle) that my nanny prepared in abundance each year. The process was mesmerizing: wedges of green mango would be marinated in pungent mustard oil with an aromatic blend of pickling spices including fenugreek, mustard seeds, chili, and salt.
I remember watching trays filled with cut green mangoes, generously coated with turmeric powder and salt, left to dry under the sun for several days. If I managed to resist sneaking a taste before my nanny could intervene, these mango pieces would then be combined with oil and spices before being sealed in glass jars and returned to the sunlight for at least a month of curing.
Regional Specialties That Define Indian Palates
Another household favorite was Kooler aachar, a Bengal specialty featuring sweet-and-spicy ripe berries typically flavored with jaggery and boasting a delightfully treacly consistency. The Eastern regions also offer Jalpai, a unique pickle crafted from Indian olives that showcases the diversity of local ingredients.
In North India, achaar transforms into a breakfast staple, with parathas frequently accompanied by pickle. The quintessential North Indian or Punjabi varieties include:
- Mixed vegetable pickle featuring carrots and radishes
- Black lime pickle with its distinctive tangy flavor
- Morabba – a preserve of boiled fruits like mango or amla cooked in spiced sugar syrup
Southern India presents its own pickle treasures, with Andhra Pradesh offering particularly memorable varieties:
- Gongura achaar – a sorrel-based pickle
- Tomato achaar – perfect when paired with rice, ghee, and dal pappu
- Avakkai – one of the most renowned uncooked pickles from the region
The Science and Tradition of Pickling
That pickles thrive in tropical India comes as no surprise, given their ability to last for months through sun-drying preservation. Pickling essentially represents "cooking without fire", relying solely on solar heat to create edible products. While traditional methods used only sunlight, contemporary practices often involve cooking pickling spices and oil over fire before adding the main ingredients.
The preparation typically involves tossing mango or other vegetables with turmeric powder and salt, then incorporating crushed spices like asafoetida, chilies, and methi seeds. Regional variations extend to the oils used: mustard oil dominates in the North and East, while sesame oil prevails in the South and West.
Historical Roots and Linguistic Journey
The deep cultural embedding of pickles across India is evident from historical records. A Kannada work from AD 1594 describes no fewer than fifty different pickle varieties, demonstrating their longstanding significance.
Most Indian languages feature distinct names for achaar:
- Sanskrit: sandan or sandin
- Gujarati: athanu, goondas, and chundo
- Tamil: urukai
- Kannada: uppinakayi
- Hindi: achar
- Bengali: aachaar
The etymology reveals fascinating cross-cultural exchanges. In AD 1563, Portuguese physician Garcia da Orta documented a conserve of cashew in salt in Goa, noting "they call it achar." Approximately thirty years later, Dutch merchant Linschoten used the same term and is credited with introducing Indian pickle concepts to Europe. By 1687, references to bamboo-achar and mango-achar appeared in Thailand and Indonesia, leaving the precise origin of both the word and practice open to interpretation.
While commonly attributed Persian origins, Hobson-Jobson suggests possible roots in western Asia from the Latin acetaria. German-born botanist Rumphius, employed by the Dutch East India Company, noted in AD 1750 that "chili is referred to as axi or achi, hence comes the Indian name achar for pickles."
A Culinary Invitation
May the world find itself in a pickle – preferably an Indian one! I strongly recommend sampling regional pickles during travels, especially within India, where they promise authentic tastes of the country: spicy, piquant, and sometimes with a sweet aftertaste that lingers pleasantly.
These vibrant condiments transcend their role as mere accompaniments, embodying regional identities, preservation wisdom, and culinary creativity that has evolved over centuries. From breakfast tables to festive feasts, Indian pickles continue to add their distinctive punch to the nation's diverse gastronomic landscape.
