Bua ji’s Red Chilli Achaar (Recipe) Updated April 2024


Friend' achaar - it looks much better than mine.


I first had red chilli achaar on a group trip to Varanasi.  We stayed at a lovely boutique hotel that had scrumptious food.  Although I saw many places in Varanasi, I have to say, what I loved the most is the Red Chilli Achaar that was served with lunch and dinner.  While that version had mild heat, it was not painfully hot.  The grainy masala is infused with the pepper flavor and bound by the pepper skin.  It is very different from most other achaars I have tasted.  


When we left the hotel I purchased 2 kgs of the special achaar.  My family finished off the achaar very quickly, unfortunately, I could never find that particular flavor in any manufactured brand.  The store bought versions just didn’t satisfy my taste buds.

A few months ago, I was talking with a friend about how I was craving the achaar.  She sent me the recipe her husband’s aunt had given her.  Of course it was written in Hindi and I couldn’t comprehend, but my daughter-in-law was kind enough to translate for me.  

While all the ingredients were listed, directions on how to make were scarce.  So I also looked up directions on the internet.  

The first batch I made I followed the method most used on the internet, which was to cover the chillies with mustard oil.  When I sent a picture to my friend she told me to pour that oil out and she showed me a picture of how hers looked.  (Yeah, I know, I should have asked her before I prepared mine).  Even though it had already been several days, I removed most of the oil.  Then I used that oil for the 2nd batch of achaar sticking closely to the 500 ml amount of oil in total.  


Cleaned split red chillies.

Masala for the Chillies.

A few stuffed chillies

This year the days have been very foggy, so the achaar is taking a little longer to mature - for all the flavors to mingle and the chilli to become the right texture.  At our first test of the submerged achaar I was told the flavor was exquisite, but the texture needed more time.  Hopefully in a few days all will be as it is supposed to be.  

It has now been more than two weeks since I first set the achaar.  Everyone who has tasted it has really enjoyed it.  

There is still a bit of resistance with the pepper, but the spice flavors have mingled and with time and synergy the flavor is more than the parts.  In fact now that I have the technique down, my staff wants their own jars.  So next week we will put up 10 kgs of the achaar.  The only difference will be they will add some roasted red chilli flakes to theirs.  I might even add some to one of my batches.  

I just wanted to mention do not cheat when making achaar.  Don’t buy powdered spices.  Take the time to roast the whole spices and grind them yourself.  You’ll thank yourself for it.  And it really only takes about 20 minutes to roast all of them individually.  And they should be roasted and ground individually as each of the spices takes a different amount of time to roast properly.


February 25, 2021 both achaars have matured fully. While taste is not affected. The masala stayed inside of the peppers filled from the top with minimal loss to the bottom of the jar. However, the ones filled from a slit are nearly empty. Since no one can eat one stuffed pepper at one sitting this isn't a major issue as you can just cut up the peppers and layer the masala so that when spooned you get both.


April 5, 2024. This year I made a lot this achaar. I made 2 batches of the original recipe. I made 2 batches of the original recipe with 100 gm less of Kathai (Aamchoor) as sometimes I find the tartness a bit much. I also made 2 batches of the original recipe but adding roasted dried red chillies that I had soaked in a bit of the mustard oil. I then layered some of the red chillies with the soaked red chillies. My staff had recommended 50gm / batch. I think it is just enough, not too much spiciness. I think it was very very tasty.


I also tried something else new. We had purchased a crate of 27 kg of red chillies. I had separated the chillies into 1 kg piles of similar sizes, thinking each jar should be filled with similar sized chillies. At the end I had almost 3 kg of small chillies that would have been very difficult to stuff so I had my staff remove the stems and cut the chillies in rings and made the achaar as per the recipe with the addition of the roasted dried red chillies soaked in mustard oil. I then layered the achaar mixture and the soaked roasted red chillies. Then put it out in the sun as usual. After a couple of weeks I used this mixture to make Achaari Aloo (Fried potatoes spiced with achaar). It has been a great success in the house. It can also be made with the regular achaar, but this version saves time as all the ingredients are already chopped and mixed.




First batch of Achaar soaking in oil. 

LAL MIRCHI KA BHARVA ACHAAR

(Stuffed Red Chilli Achaar)


Preserved large red chillies stuffed with ground spices and mustard oil.

SERVINGS OR AMOUNT

Approximately 3 kgs when finished 

INGREDIENTS

Large Red Chillies  2 kg

Kathai (Aamchoor) (dried green mango powder) Powder 250 gm

Sarson (Yellow Mustard) (lightly roasted) 200 gm

Zeera (Cumin) (roasted and powdered) 50 gm

Large Saunf (Moti)  (anise) (roasted and powdered) 200 gm

Coriander Seed (roasted and powdered) 100 gm

Ajwain (roasted and powdered) 30 gm

Kalonji (roasted and powdered) 50 gm

Methi (fenugreek) (roasted and powdered) 50 gm 

Salt 200 gm

Black Salt (50 gm)

Mustard Oil 500 gm

*Dried Red Chilli (optional to taste) roasted and powdered Or whole roasted and soaked in some of the Mustard Oil. 50 gm

COMMENTS

  •  Purchase whole spices.  Dry roast and grind separately.

    • To dry roast.  Place the spice in a pan.  Swirl spices around until they darken, start to pop, and you can smell their fragrance.  Place to the side until cool.  

    • Grind spice when cool.

  • Use mustard oil only as this gives a very specific flavor to the achaar.  

  • Remember to turn the achaar daily for a couple of weeks, so that the oil coats all of the chillies.

  • Make sure all ingredients and containers/lids are bone dry.  Any water on anything will cause a fungal growth and the achaar will have to be thrown. 

  • Once the achaar has matured properly, it can be put away and used  - I have been told anywhere from 3 months to 2 years.  I’ll get more information on this.  The latest information is that it will last until eaten, just turn the jar every once in a while to recoat the chillies with the oil.

  • Once all the chillies are eaten you will be left with oil and spices in the jar.  This is very good and can be used for cooking other dishes ie. vegetables, mutton.  It might be too strong for chicken.

METHOD

  • Wash and dry chillies

  • Put into sun to dry

  • Remove seeds and put to the side

    • Method 1,  remove stem, make a slit in side of chilli, remove seeds via slit.

    • Method 2, cut top of chilli removing stem, remove seeds and put to the side, 

  • Roast and Grind each Spice INDIVIDUALLY

  • Mix all Spices

  • Add a bit of Mustard oil to spices and knead into a masala

  • Add seeds to the masala

  • Stuff the masala into the chilli

    • If stuffing from top, use a chopstick or other thin utensil to pack the masala down to the tip,

    • If stuffing from a slit, fill to overflowing over entire length,

  • Put 1 cup of oil in a separate container

  • Dip Red Chili in oil and remove 

  • Place stuffed, dipped chilli into a glass container******

  • Repeat.

  • Add remaining mustard oil.******

  • Tightly cover

  • Place chillies in a window that gets maximum sun.  

  • Turn chillies daily for two weeks to recoat the chillies with oil.  

  • Check the chillies after 7 days. Depending on the amount of sun it can take from 1-2 weeks to finish.


*****Made two batches one with adding extra mustard oil (submerging all of the chillies and another with not.  Have been told both are acceptable methods, but that not adding oil is better for texture.  If you don’t top with more oil, the achaar needs to be turned daily in order to keep the top chillies coated with oil (the oil will leak from the dipping and settle on the bottom with extra masala).  


******The above achaar lasted more than two years. We just opened the last jar of the 2022 batch.

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