Ayesha Riaz

Achar (pickle) is a traditional condiment used with many dishes in Pakistan and India. It’s spicy and tangy taste enhances the flavour of every food that one can’t help but eat more and more. The delicious aroma and colourful sight of achar never fail to grab the attention of people. Many brands sell different types of pickles these days but nothing can beat homemade pickle. Mix vegetable pickle is made in almost every house in Pakistan. The meal looks totally incomplete without the spoonful of sour, spicy and mouthwatering fruit and vegetable pickle.

Process of Pickling

Pickling is a process which is used to preserve vegetables and fruits for a long duration. Pickling technique is believed to be originated from India. Salt, vinegar and lemon are the basic ingredients used in this process.

The pickling techniques include the drying of sliced fruits and vegetables with heat from the sun. Few vegetables can dry in days and few require hours only. These vegetables are mixed with salt, vinegar, lemon juice, vegetable oil. The desi homemade pickle has ingredients like herbs, spices, garlic cloves, mustard seeds too.

All the material is mixed thoroughly and the mixture is kept in the jar under the sunlight and is used when it gets ripe after a few days.

Types of Pickles

There are many varieties of pickles, some of the famous ones include mango pickle, mixed pickle, carrot pickle, and lime pickle. Pickles can be made from any vegetable. Other pickles include stuffed orange pickle, turnip pickle, falsa/black currant pickle, lemon and green chilli pickle, pickled tamarind chillies, garlic chilli pickle.

Desi Dishes with Pickles

As Pakistanis are spice lovers, they love to give desi touch to all the recipes and make it more spicy and mouthwatering. There are many traditional dishes with achari hint such as achar gosht, achari aloo, chicken achari, achari bhindi, achari biryani, fish achari, achari qeema.

Achari masala is used in the making of these delicacies. It is a pickle/achar spice mix made with the mixing of different types of roughly ground spices. It gives achari taste to everyday recipes with meats and vegetables. Pickles adds flavour to the less spicy or simple food like daal chawal or aloo bhujia.

Benefits of Pickles

The spices used in the pickle increase the nutritional value of it. The raw and unripe ingredients in a pickle are a great source of antioxidants. The leafy vegetables like mint, coriander contains essential vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, vitamin A and C.

Pickles boost immunity. The turmeric used in the pickles contains a chemical named Curcumin which has anti-inflammatory properties that prevent our body from various bacteria and viruses.

It improves the process of digestion in your body. Because of antibiotics and bad food habits, probiotic bacteria which helps in digestion of food are being destroyed. These pickles can encourage the growth of these bacteria and help in the digestion process.

Side Effects of Pickle Overeating

People with diabetes, heart issues or hypertension should avoid consuming pickles because the salt intake through pickles can provoke persevering health issues. 

The excessive use of pickle or eating it as a main food can cause ample damage to the digestive system.