15 Iconic Pickles Of India To Add Flavour To Your Meals
Jul 9, 2024
Shireen JamoojiIndian Pickle Types
Pickles are a staple addition to meals across India, but the concept of a pickle can change vastly depending where you go. Learn more about the diversity of Indian pickles with these 15 unique varieties.
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Aam Ka Achar
Starting out with the most iconic, this Punjabi pickle made with sour mango, spices and preserved in oil is a favourite around the country.
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Prawn Balchao
A coastal from the state of Goa, it's made with small prawns cooked in an intensely sour gravy and a melange of fiery spices.
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Akhuni Pickle
A speciality from Nagaland made with fermented soyabean, this pickle is incredibly pungent but adds a completely unique flavour to your meals.
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Kolhapuri Thecha
This spicy chilli pickle from Kolhapur in Maharashtra is made with green chillis, garlic, and peanuts all grund together into a fiery condiment to enjoy alongside any meal.
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Gor Keri
Gujarat is known for it’s love for sweetness and this pickle made with raw mango and lots of jaggery is a testament to that.
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Avakaya
In this Andhra pickle Sour, raw mangoes are diced and pickled along with a powdered mustard known as avalu and other earthy spices, the perfect buddy for your curd rice.
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Pandhi Yerchi Paara
Pork is the pinnacle of Coorgi cuisine and it makes sense they’ve found a way to add it to every meal in the form of this meaty pickle.
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Kamal Kakdi Ka Achar
This lotus stem pickle from Kashmir is made with mustard oil and whole spices. The stems retain their crunch for a perfectly textured bite.
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Lesua Gunda Pickle
A special berry of Rajasthan, this Marwari special pickle has a uniquely sweet, moderately bitter, and slightly astringent flavour offset with spicy chilli powder.
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Gobhi Gajar Shalgam Pickle
A mix of cauliflower, carrot and turnips, this achar is typically found in the Himalayan regions where hardy root vegetables are abundant and preservation is common.
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Karivepaku Uragai
We know curry leaves are essential in South Indian fare, but this Andhra pickle allows you to add an extra dose to any meal.
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Lingad Achar
Made with a plant native to the north east called lingri or fiddlehead fern. Foraged, not farmed, this ferns are lightly pickled to preserve them.
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Vazhaipoo Urugai
Made with chopped banana flowers and stems, preserved with a miz of garlic, spices and jaggery, this Kerala special pickle is completely unique.
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Mesu Pickle
Made with fermented bamboo shoots this deeply umami pickle is popular in the North Eastern state of Sikkim.
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Lanka Achara
An Odia chilli pickle made with sliced green chillies, roasted and powdered mustard and methi seeds, lime and vinegar.
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