South Asian pickles are a

pickled Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects the food's texture and flavor. The resulting food is called ...

food made from a variety of vegetables, meats and fruits preserved in

brine Brine (or briny water) is a high-concentration solution of salt (typically sodium chloride or calcium chloride) in water. In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawat ...

vinegar Vinegar () is an aqueous solution of diluted acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains from 5% to 18% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting ...

edible oil Cooking oil (also known as edible oil) is a plant or animal liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. Oil allows higher cooking temperatures than water, making cooking faster and more flavorful, while likewise distributing he ...

s, and various South Asian spices. The pickles are popular across South Asia, with many regional variants, natively known as lonache, avalehikā, uppinakaayi, khatai, pachadi , thokku, or noncha, achaar (sometimes spelled aachaar, atchar or achar), athāṇu or athāṇo or athāna, khaṭāī or khaṭāin, sandhan or sendhan or sāṇdhāṇo, kasundi, or urugaai.

Terminology

Terms used for pickles in South Asia vary regionally. They are known as ''ūrugāi'' or ''thokku'' in

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

, '' pachchadi'', ''avakaya'', ''achaar'', ''tokku'', or ''ūragāya'' in Telugu, ''uppinakaayi'' in

Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

, ''uppillittuthu'' in

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

, ''loncha'' in

Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...

, ''lonchem'' in

Konkani __NOTOC__ Konkani may refer to: Language * Konkani language is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Konkan region of India. * Konkani alphabets, different scripts used to write the language **Konkani in the Roman script, one of the scripts used to ...

, ''athāṇu'' in Gujarati, ''athā''ṇ''o'' in

Rajasthani Rajasthani may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Rajasthan, a state of India * Rajasthani languages, a group of Indic languages spoken there * Rajasthani people, the native inhabitants of the state * Rajasthani architecture, Indian ar ...

and

Braj Braj, also known as Vraj, Vraja, Brij or Brijbhumi, is a region in India on both sides of the Yamuna river with its centre at Mathura-Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh state encompassing the area which also includes Palwal, Ballabhgarh and Nuh in ...

, ''sendhān'' or ''sandhān'' in Awadhi,

Bagheli Bagheli (Devanagari: बघेली) or Baghelkhandi is a Central Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Baghelkhand region of central India. Classification A language belonging to the Eastern Hindi subgroup, Bagheli is one of the languages d ...

and

Bhojpuri Bhojpuri may refer to: * Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal * Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language * Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language * Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language * Bhojpuri region ...

,''khaṭāiṇ'' or ''sāndhaṇo'' in Sindhi, ''kasundi'' in Bangla and Odia. In

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

, native words for pickle which are rooted in Sanskrit include ''athāna'', ''noncha'', ''sendhān'', and ''khaṭaī''. Another term, ''achaar'', is also used in

, Nepali,

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

, and

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

. Early

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

and Tamil literature uses the terms ''Avalehika, Upadamzam'', ''Sandhita,'' and ''Avaleha'' for pickles.The Story of Our Food by K.T. Achaya (2003) In Hindustani, an additional word, ''āchār'' ( अचार or आचार), is used for pickles, along with other native Hindi words. ''Āchār'' is a loanword of

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

origin, entered popular use as the Hindustani term for pickles under Islamic rule. However, pickles in India are totally different from vinegar-based pickles in the Middle East. In Persian, the word ''āchār'' is defined as "powdered or salted meats, pickles, or fruits, preserved in salt, vinegar, honey, or syrup".

History

Early pickle recipes in

Ayurvedic Ayurveda (; ) is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is heavily practised throughout India and Nepal, where as much as 80% of the population report using ayurveda. The theory and practice of ayur ...

and Sangam period texts mention several varieties of pickles, including the earliest known mention of

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...

pickles. ''Nalachampu'', a Sanskrit epic written by Trivikrama Bhatta in 915 CE, describes pickles made from green mango, green peppercorns,

long pepper Long pepper (''Piper longum''), sometimes called Indian long pepper or ''pippali'', is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. Long pepper has a taste sim ...

, raw

cardamom Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genus (biology), genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indon ...

, lemon, lime,

myrobalan The common name myrobalan can refer to several unrelated fruit-bearing plant species: * Myrobalan plum (''Prunus cerasifera''), also called cherry plum and myrobalan plum * Emblic myrobalan (''Phyllanthus emblica''), also called Amla and Amalaki In ...

, hog plum, stone apple, and fragrant manjack. Early medieval cookbooks such as ''Lokopakara'' (1025 CE), ''

Manasollasa The ' also known as ''Abhilashitartha Chintamani'', is an early 12th-century Sanskrit text composed by the Kalyani Chalukya king Someshvara III, who ruled in present-day Karnataka. It is an encyclopedic work covering topics such as polity, gove ...

'' (1130 CE), ''Pakadarpana'' (1200 CE), and ''Soopa Shastra'' (1508 CE), Kshemakutuhala (1549 CE) mentions pickle recipes that use green mango, green peppercorns, longpepper, lemons and limes,

turmeric Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...

root, mango-ginger root,

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...

radish The radish (''Raphanus sativus'') is a flowering plant in the mustard family, Brassicaceae. Its large taproot is commonly used as a root vegetable, although the entire plant is edible and its leaves are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable. Origina ...

bitter gourd ''Momordica charantia'' (commonly called bitter melon, cerassee, goya, bitter apple, bitter gourd, bitter squash, balsam-pear, karela, karavila and many more names listed below) is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, w ...

bamboo shoot Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of many bamboo species including '' Bambusa vulgaris'' and '' Phyllostachys edulis''. They are used as vegetables in numerous Asian dishes a ...

s. The religious text ''Lingapurana'' by Gurulinga Desika (1594 CE) mentions more than fifty kinds of pickles. Unique pickles made from

edible flower Edible flowers are flowers that can be consumed safely. Flowers may be eaten as vegetables as a main part of a meal, or may be used as herbs. Flowers are part of many regional cuisines, including Asian cuisine, Asian, European cuisine, European, a ...

s are also mentioned in the ''Ni'matnama'' (1500 CE) cookbook.

Chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

s were introduced to South Asia by Portuguese traders in ports controlled by the Mughal Empire on the western coast of Gujarat. It is unclear when red chili peppers came to be used in pickles as they are today, since medieval texts do not mention their use in pickles. Before the introduction of chili peppers by the Portuguese, black pepper, long pepper, and '' Piper chaba'' (in both fresh and dried forms) were the main source of heat in ancient and medieval pickles.

Ingredients

In India, there are two main types of pickles: pickles made with

sesame Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for ...

mustard oil Mustard oil can mean either the pressed oil used for cooking or a pungent essential oil, also known as volatile oil, of the mustard plant. The essential oil results from grinding mustard seed, mixing the grounds with water, and isolating the resu ...

, and pickles made without oil. Pickles without oil use salt to draw out the moisture from green mangoes or lemons to create a brine. A mixture of lemon or lime juice with salt or traditional ''ganne ka sirka'' (

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...

vinegar) may also be used as brine. In some pickles from

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

and

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...

jaggery Jaggery is a List of unrefined sweeteners, traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, North America, Central America, Brazil and Africa. It is a concentrated product of Sugarcane juice, cane jui ...

is used as the main preserve. Homemade pickles are prepared in the summer. They are matured through exposure to sunlight for up to two weeks. The pickle is traditionally covered with

muslin Muslin () is a cotton fabric of plain weave. It is made in a wide range of weights from delicate sheers to coarse sheeting. It is commonly believed that it gets its name from the city of Mosul, Iraq. Muslin was produced in different regions o ...

while it is maturing. Chili peppers are a distinguishing ingredient in South Asian pickles, though other ingredients vary by region within the Indian subcontinent. Some commonly used ingredients are limes, lemons, mangoes, ginger, and

eggplant Eggplant (American English, US, Canadian English, CA, Australian English, AU, Philippine English, PH), aubergine (British English, UK, Hiberno English, IE, New Zealand English, NZ), brinjal (Indian English, IN, Singapore English, SG, Malays ...

Regional variations

Bangladesh

Bengali culture The culture of Bengal defines the cultural heritage of the Bengali people native to eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, mainly what is today Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura, where they form the dominant ...

, pickles are known as ''Achar'' (

: আচার) or Asar (

: আসার). Bengali pickles are an integral part of

Bengali cuisine Bengali cuisine is the culinary style of Bengal, that comprises Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, and Assam's Karimganj district. The cuisine has been shaped by the region's diverse history of Bengal, history and climate. It is k ...

, adding a burst of flavors to meals. These pickles are made by preserving various fruits, vegetables, and even fish or meat in a mixture of spices, oil, and vinegar or lemon juice, which is why pickles of Bangladesh taste different. The tradition of making pickles in Bangladesh dates back centuries, with each region having its own unique recipes and techniques. The process involves marinating the chosen ingredient with a blend of spices such as mustard seeds, fenugreek, nigella seeds, and chili powder. The pickles are then left to mature in airtight jars, allowing the flavors to develop over time. Bengali pickles are cherished for their tangy, spicy, and sometimes sweet taste profiles. They are often served as accompaniments to rice, bread, or curry dishes, enhancing the overall dining experience. Popular varieties of Bengali pickles include mango pickle, lime pickle, mixed vegetable pickle, and fish pickle. Pickles can be also popular depending on the district such as Shatkora achar of

Sylhet Sylhet (; ) is a Metropolis, metropolitan city in the north eastern region of Bangladesh. It serves as the administrative center for both the Sylhet District and the Sylhet Division. The city is situated on the banks of the Surma River and, as o ...

and Chui jhal achar of

Khulna Khulna (, ) is the third-largest city in Bangladesh, after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is the administrative centre of the Khulna District and the Khulna Division. It is the divisional centre of 10 districts of the division. Khulna is also the seco ...

are famous even outside India and Bangladesh. The art of making pickles is passed down through generations, with families having their secret recipes and methods. Pickles also serve as condiment for rice in

Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...

. Bengali pickles are a cherished part of the culinary culture in Bangladesh. They offer a delightful blend of flavors and are an essential accompaniment to Bengali meals. The tradition of making pickles has been preserved for centuries, showcasing the rich heritage and love for food in the region.

India

Despite using the same main ingredients, differences in preparation techniques and spices have led to wide variation in Indian pickles. A

pickle from

South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

tastes very different from one made in

North India North India is a geographical region, loosely defined as a cultural region comprising the northern part of India (or historically, the Indian subcontinent) wherein Indo-Aryans (speaking Indo-Aryan languages) form the prominent majority populati ...

, as the southern cuisines prefer sesame oil and tend to produce spicier pickles, while the northern cuisines prefer mustard oil. The city of

Panipat Panipat () is an industrial , located 95 km north of Delhi and 169 km south of Chandigarh on NH-44 in Panipat district, Haryana, India. It is famous for three major battles fought in 1526, 1556 and 1761. The city is also known as ...

in Haryana is well-known as a hub for commercial ''achaar'', and is particularly famous for ''pachranga'' (literally "five colors", prepared with five vegetables) and ''satranga'' (literally "seven colors", prepared with seven vegetables). ''Pachranga'' and ''satranga'' ''achaar'' are matured in mustard oil and whole spices with ingredients like raw mangoes,

chickpea The chickpea or chick pea (''Cicer arietinum'') is an annual plant, annual legume of the family (biology), family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, cultivated for its edible seeds. Its different types are variously known as gram," Bengal gram, ga ...

s, lotus stem, karonda,

, and limes. ''Pachranga'' ''achaar'' was first created in 1930 by Murli Dhar Dhingra in Kaloorkot, a village in the

Mianwali District The Mianwali District () is a Districts of Pakistan, district located in the Sargodha Division of the Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab province of Pakistan. Mianwali District remained part of Rawalpindi Division until 1963, when Mianwali District beca ...

of what is now

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

. Dhingra's descendants brought the pickle to India in 1943. As of 2016, Panipat produced over worth of ''achaar'' every year, supplied to local markets as well as exported to the UK, US, and Middle East. In South India, most vegetables are sun-dried with spices, taking advantage of the immensely hot and sunny climate in the region. The sun-drying process naturally preserves the vegetables, along with spices such as

mustard Mustard may refer to: Food and plants * Mustard (condiment), a paste or sauce made from mustard seeds used as a condiment * Mustard plant, one of several plants, having seeds that are used for the condiment ** Mustard seed, small, round seeds of ...

fenugreek Fenugreek (; ''Trigonella foenum-graecum'') is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae, with leaves consisting of three small Glossary_of_leaf_morphology#Leaf_and_leaflet_shapes, obovate to oblong leaflets. It is cultivated worldwide as a semiar ...

seeds,

chili powder Chili powder (also spelled chile, chilli, or, alternatively, powdered chili) is the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties of chili pepper, sometimes with the addition of other spices (in which case it is also sometimes known as chili p ...

, salt,

asafoetida Asafoetida (; also spelled asafetida) is the dried latex (Natural gum, gum oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of ''Ferula'', perennial herbs of the carrot family. It is produced in Iran, Afghanistan, Central As ...

, and turmeric. To speed up the process, vegetables may be cooked before drying. Mangopickle

The states of

Telangana Telangana is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated in the Southern India, south-central part of the Indian subcontinent on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ele ...

and

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

are particularly well-known for their spicy pickles. Unripe mango with garlic and ginger ( in Telugu) and unripe tamarind with green chilies ( in Telugu) and red chillies ( in Telugu) are a staple with everyday meals. Amla (

Indian gooseberry ''Phyllanthus emblica'', also known as emblic, emblic myrobalan, myrobalan, nelikai, Indian gooseberry, Malacca tree, amloki or amla, is a deciduous tree of the family Phyllanthaceae. Its native range is tropical and southern Asia. Descripti ...

) ( in Telugu) and lemon ( in Telugu) pickles are widely eaten as well. In the state of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

, the mango pickle is a staple condiment. is usually made early in the summer season, when mangoes are barely an inch long. The preservation process uses

castor oil Castor oil is a vegetable oil pressed from castor beans, the seeds of the plant ''Ricinus communis''. The seeds are 40 to 60 percent oil. It is a colourless or pale yellow liquid with a distinct taste and odor. Its boiling point is and its den ...

, giving the pickle a unique taste. Tamil Nadu is also known for the , which consists of unripe

citron The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick Peel (fruit), rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the Citrus taxonomy#Citrons, original citrus fruits from which al ...

s cut into spirals and stuffed with salt, and for , which consists of sun-dried chillies stuffed with salted yogurt. In the state of

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

, the tender whole mango pickle is made by dehydrating tender whole mangoes with salt. Appemidi or Appimidi is the mango variety which gives distinct taste to the mango pickle made Also pickles made from

Gooseberry Gooseberry ( or (American and northern British) or (southern British)) is a common name for many species of ''Ribes'' (which also includes Ribes, currants), as well as a large number of plants of similar appearance, and also several unrela ...

(Nelikayi), Hogplum (Ametekayi),

Lemon The lemon (''Citrus'' × ''limon'') is a species of small evergreen tree in the ''Citrus'' genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. A true lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some ...

(Nimbekayi or Limbekayi) is popular.Also GSB Konkani cuisine has unique way of making a wide variety of pickles without any use of edible oil. South Indians living in the coastal areas also pickle fish and meats. In Tamil Nadu, is made by salting and sun-drying fish. , made from anchovies, is among the more popular varieties of . In Kerala, tuna and sardines are finely chopped, marinated in spices, and cooked on the stove top to make in . While fish and shrimp pickles are eaten in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, they are not as popular as lamb and chicken pickles. Unripe mangoes, lemon, green chilis, (''

Cordia dichotoma ''Cordia dichotoma'' is a species of flowering tree in the borage family, Boraginaceae, that is native to the Indomalayan realm, northern Australia, and western Melanesia. Common names in English include fragrant manjack, clammy cherry, glue be ...

''), and '' kerda'' are commonly used as key ingredients in Gujarati pickles. Common Gujarati pickles include salted mango pickle made with

groundnut oil Peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil or arachis oil, is a vegetable oil derived from peanuts. The oil usually has a mild or neutral flavor but, if made with roasted peanuts, has a stronger peanut flavor and aroma. It is often used in Americ ...

and spiced with

seeds and red chili powder; hot and sweet mango pickle made with groundnut oil and

fennel Fennel (''Foeniculum vulgare'') is a flowering plant species in the carrot family. It is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It is indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean but has become widely naturalized ...

seeds, dry dates (),

, and red chili powder; and hot and sweet mango pickle made with sugar syrup,

cumin Cumin (, ; ; ''Cuminum cyminum'') is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the Irano-Turanian Region. Its seeds – each one contained within a fruit, which is dried – are used in the cuisines of many cultures in both whole ...

, and chili powder.

Myanmar (Burma)

The Burmese word for pickle is ''thanat'' (). Mango pickle () (''thayet thi thanat'') is the most prevalent variety. The pickle is made with green, ripe, or dried mangoes cured in vinegar, sugar, salt, chili powder, masala, garlic, fresh chilies, and

mustard seed Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about in diameter and may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are an important spice in many regional foods and may come from one of three diff ...

s. Mango pickle is commonly used as a condiment alongside curries and

biryani Biryani () is a mixed rice dish originating in South Asia, made with rice, meat (chicken, goat, lamb, beef) or seafood (prawns or fish), and spices. To cater to vegetarians, the meat or seafood can be substituted with vegetables or pane ...

Burmese cuisine Burmese cuisine encompasses the diverse regional culinary traditions of Myanmar, which have developed through longstanding agricultural practices, centuries of sociopolitical and economic change, and cross-cultural contact and trade with neighb ...

. It is also a mainstay ingredient in a traditional

Burmese curry Burmese curry refers to a diverse array of dishes in Burmese cuisine that consist of meat or vegetables simmered or stewed in an aromatic curry base. Burmese curries generally differ from other Southeast Asian curries (e.g., Thai curry) in that ...

called ''wet thanat hin'' ().

Nepal

Dalle Khursani And Fermented Bamboo Shoot Pickle

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

, ''achaar'' () is commonly eaten with the staple dal-bhat-tarkari as well as

momo Momo may refer to: Geography * Momo (department), Cameroon, a division of Northwest Province * Momo, Gabon, a town in the Woleu-Ntem province * Momo, Piedmont, a town in the province of Novara, Italy People Given name or nickname Athletes * ...

. Many ''achaar'' factories in Nepal are women-owned or operated by women. Nepalese ''achaar'' is made with spices such as mustard seeds, ''timur'' (

Sichuan pepper Sichuan pepper (, also known as Sichuanese pepper, Szechuan pepper, Chinese prickly ash, Chinese pepper, Mountain pepper, and ''mala'' pepper, is a spice commonly used in Sichuan cuisine in China, Bhutan and in northeast India. It is called mej ...

), cumin powder,

coriander Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual plant, annual herb (''Coriandrum sativum'') in the family Apiaceae. Most people perceive the ...

powder, turmeric powder, and chili powder. Some of the popular varieties of achar eaten in Nepal are: * '' Lapsi'' ''achaar'' - Hog plum pickle (can be sweet, savoury, or both) * ''Khalpi achaar'' - Ripe

cucumber The cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.Dalle khursani achaar'' - Nepali round chili pickle * ''Tama achaar'' - Fermented bamboo pickle * ''Gundruk achaar'' - Fermented mustard leaves pickle * ''Mula ko achaar'' - Sun-dried radish and

daikon Daikon 大根 (だいこん) or mooli, (مولی) ''Raphanus sativus'' var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia ...

preserved in oil and spices * ''Karkalo achaar'' - Pickled stems of ''Colocasisa'' * '' Kinema achaar'' - Fermented

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source o ...

pickle * ''Buff achaar'' - Pickled buffalo meat * ''Chicken achaar'' - Pickled chicken * ''Aanp ko achaar'' - Unripe mango pickle (can be sweet, savoury, or both) * ''Kagati ko achaar'' - Lemon pickle * ''Timur ko chop'' - Powdered Sichuan pepper with spices * ''Jhinge machha achaar'' - Freshwater

shrimp A shrimp (: shrimp (American English, US) or shrimps (British English, UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily Aquatic locomotion, swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchi ...

pickle * Koiralo ko phool ko achaar (Mountain Ebony, is the edible flowers of the Bauhinia tree)- Instant pickle made by boiling the flower of a tree called 'Koiralo' in Nepali. Tempered and marinated with dry roasted powdered sesame seeds with turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds, chillies in a mustard oil. Garnished with cut green coriander leaves. Ready to eat instantly as an accompaniment to rice, Sel/roti, chyuraa (beaten/flattened rice). * Aalu ko achaar - pickle made from boiled potatoes marinated with dry roasted/powdered sesame seeds,mustard oil,salt,green chillies,lemon or Lapsi/Hog Plum or 'Chook Amilo', small peas known as 'Sano Kerau'. Tempered with turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds, chillies in a mustard oil. Garnished with cut green coriander leaves. Ready to eat instantly as an accompaniment to rice, Sel/roti, chyuraa (beaten/flattened rice). * Dhaniya ko paat ko achaar - Fresh green coriander leaves are blended in a mixer/blender or traditionally in a stone pestle/mortar with salt and chilli or tomatoes can be mixed as desired.Ready to eat instantly as an accompaniment to rice, Sel/roti, chyuraa (beaten/flattened rice). Lasoora Pickle

Pakistan

The

Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...

province of modern-day Pakistan is noted for Shikrarpuri ''achaar'' and Hyderabadi ''achaar''. Both of these ''achaar'' varieties are commonly eaten in

and abroad. Shikrarpuri ''achaar'' is believed to have originated during the 1600s in medieval India. The most popular of variety of Shikarpuri ''achaar'' is a mixed pickle comprising carrots,

turnip The turnip or white turnip ('' Brassica rapa'' subsp. ''rapa'') is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, fleshy taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties a ...

s, onions, cauliflower, chickpeas, garlic, green chillies, lime, and mango.

Sri Lanka

Pickles are known as ''acharu'' in Sinhala or ''oorugai'' in

Africa

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

and

Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the sou ...

, Indian pickles are called atchar (also spelled achar).'. They are made primarily from unripe mangoes and are sometimes eaten with bread. On

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

and the neighboring

Réunion Réunion (; ; ; known as before 1848) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France. Part of the Mascarene Islands, it is located approximately east of the isl ...

a local variation is called Achard de légumes in French or Zasar legim in Kréol. It is commonly prepared by using a mixture of different vegetables like cabbage, carrots, green beans, chayote, palm heart and onions. This is spiced with cumin, turmeric, green chilies, red chilies, ginger, garlic, salt and vinegar. Achard de légumes is a very popular condiment that accompanies many meals.