Pickle making is undoubtedly an age old tradition in India.Commonly known as “Achar” and served as a condiment or an accompaniment while complementing every Indian meal,adding a sweet n spicy zest to the palette. Often thought of as a digestive if eaten in small quantities. Pickles are fairly native to the Indian sub continent and consist of a varieties of raw fruits or vegetables that are preserved in Salt, Spices,Oil and Vinegar. While raw Mangoes reign supreme,Lemons, Carrots, Green chilies etc too form the basis of most pickles,all though pickling styles and methods per say may vary from region to region.A pickle made in Northen India will vary very much from its counter part in the south, primarily due to the oil used. Mustard oil in the northern states and Sesame oil in the southern ones seem to be predominant choices.
Most North Indian pickles use a variety of mangoes,chilli and lemon.Some even a multitude of vegetables like the Lotus stem,Amla (Indian gooseberry) Limes and Peas like in the popular “Panchranga” pickle of the north.In Southern India, many vegetables are sun-dried with spices, taking advantage hot and sunny days throughout the year, thus making pickles an everyday affair. The sun-drying the pickles acts as a preservative for the vegetable, along with spices such as Mustard, Fenugreek seeds, Chili powder, Salt, Asafoetida, and Turmeric.
