Green Chili Pickle (Hari mirchi ka Koota) is a spicy, lip smacking, Rajasthani style crushed/pounded Indian green chili/jalapeno pickle with a simple mix of aromatic spices and lemon juice. This mix and enjoy kind of pickle is perfect with any meal – rice and dal or even as a side with parathas, rotis etc.
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Chatting with my close friend in Delhi, who is from Rajasthan in India, in the course of our Whatsapp chat, she shared her husband's favorite instant chili pickle she had just made; her husband is a big time hot chili lover! Can you believe, he bites into chilies before buying them to source the hottest variety? Amazing and so brave of him!
Anyway, coming to the pickle, I was fascinated by the texture of this as it looked crushed, fresh and coated with some earthy spices of which turmeric was very much visible; had me drooling over it! Had to get the recipe!
My husband too is a lover of pickles (the Indian variety) so much so that we have a “pickle corner” in our kitchen which has a variety of pickles to pick and choose from for every meal! And he too loves to bite into green chilies especially the ones that have been pickled or have been slightly charred in a tempering or seasoning.
This spicy one has become his favorite homemade pickle for now!
HARI MIRCHI KA KOOTA:
Green chilies (called "hari mirchi" in Hindi) are a must in almost all of Indian cooking to add to our spice love in all our dishes! We love to slit them, chop them, blend them or crush them before adding to any curry, dal, in seasonings etc.
I have used a mix of jalapenos with a couple of fiery hot serranos to amp up the heat or spice! Make sure to wash and dry them thoroughly before using them in making pickles. Moisture is an enemy of any kind of Indian pickle!
This green chili pickle, unlike other green chili pickles which are either chopped or slit and filled with spices has crushed or pounded (koota) green chilies which is coated with a lip smacking mix of spices.
Pounding or crushing them allows for all the spices and flavors to infuse into every pore of the crushed chilies for a delicious bite every time you eat.
Traditionally, in Hari mirchi ka koota, green chilies (the spicy, fiery ones or a mix of mild and spicy) are pounded in a mortar and pestle but I have whizzed it in my mini food processor to make it quick and easy; perfectly crushed don’t you think? You can probably give a whir in your small blender jar too. But make sure not to make it into a paste!
Once crushed, it is coated with a mix of roasted spices (typically used in any Indian pickle) like fennel seeds, cumin seeds/jeera, mustard seeds and fenugreek or methi seeds with some hing/asafetida powder and haldi/turmeric powder; all good for your spices that add to your immunity and health in general.
Dry roast fennel, cumin and mustard for a few minutes until hot and lightly roasted and then add some methi or fenugreek seeds to roast for a minute or so more. Try not to burn the spices; roasting should be done on medium low heat, stirring continuously.
Roasted and cooled spices are then powdered in a blender jar or coffee grinder. If you have a mortar and pestle, feel free to use that to pound the spices.
Add the spice mixture to the crushed green chilies.
A douse of salt, lemon juice and some oil is all that is needed.
Mix gently, adjust the amount of salt and lemon juice and enjoy!
It is ready eaten fresh but let it sit a day or two and the flavors develop. All the spices permeate the chilies and like any pickle, the longer it sits, the better it tastes!
When refrigerated, it lasts for a few weeks.
My husband was relishing it at every meal until it was all gone!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE MIRCHI KA KOOTA OR CRUSHED GREEN CHILI PICKLE:
Fresh Green Chilies – I have used a mix of jalapenos (which are not that spicy) and a couple of Serrano peppers to add to the heat. You can use any variety of chilies you can source depending upon your tolerance for heat or spice in the chili
Spices – these are basic spices that most Indian pickles have; fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds along with turmeric powder and hing or asafetida powder
Lemon juice – a dash of lemon or lime juice in pickles not only adds to the flavor but tones down the heat or spice and acts as a preservative too. I was fortunate enough to pluck fresh lemons from our garden to use in this pickle.
Oil – use any traditional oil you like or have but here I have used mustard oil which many Indian pickles have. Just heat until it starts to smoke and pour over the mixed pickle
Salt – of course no pickle is complete without some salt
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
We love to enjoy this spicy and lip smacking Indian relish like pickle as a side with our meals of rice and dal but it goes superb with any kind of Indian flat bread, be it roti, chapatti, paratha or even puri.
Smear your flat bread with this chili relish, roll and enjoy!
Here are some more easy Indian pickles that will tickle your palate always:
- Green Apple Pachadi/Instant Pickle
- Karathe Nonche/Bitter Gourd Pickle
- Instant Mango Pickles
- Spicy Tomato Thokku/Relish
- Green Chili Pickle
PIN here for later:
Crushed Green Chili Pickle (Hari mirchi ka Koota)
Ingredients
- 3 cups crushed green chilies mix of hot and mild green chilies; jalapenos and Serrano
- 1 tablespoon saunf/fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon jeera/cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon methi/ fenugkreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder
- Dash of black pepper powder
- Lemon juice 1 to 2 tablespoons
- ¼ teaspoon Hing/Asafetida Powder
- ½ cup mustard oil heated to smoking point
- Salt to taste
Instructions
TO PREPARE THE CHILIES:
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Wash, drain and dry green chilies thoroughly.
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Chop into roughly cut pieces and blitz in a food processor or crush in a mortar and pestle. Do not make it into too small pieces or paste.
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Remove and set aside in a mixing bowl.
TO MAKE THE SPICE POWDER:
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In a saucepan, dry roast the whole spices – 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 2 tablespoons mustard seeds and 1 tablespoon jeera on medium low heat, stirring continuously until lightly roasted and hot.
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Stir in 1 teaspoon of methi or fenugreek seeds and roast again for a few seconds.
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Remove from heat and let cool.
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Once cool, powder (to a fine or slightly coarse powder) in a blender jar or mortar and pestle.
TO MAKE THE HARI MIRCHI KA KOOTA (Crushed green chili pickle):
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Add the spice mixture powder along with 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, salt, ¼ teaspoon hing, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, a dash or sprinkle of black pepper powder. Mix well.
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Do a taste test and adjust the amount of lemon juice and salt to your preference.
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Heat ½ cup mustard oil (or any oil you prefer, preferably odorless) to smoking point, cool slightly and add to the above mixture. Mix again.
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Let sit for an hour or so and then enjoy with any meal!
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It goes perfect as a side with any Indian meal be it rice, dal and a vegetable stir fry, along with chapattis, rotis etc. or even as one of the fillings in your sandwiches (yes, we do that too!).
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Like any Indian pickle, this one too tastes better as you let it sit.
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For a longer shelf life, it is always better to refrigerate it.
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Enjoy and Happy Pickling and Eating!
Recipe Notes
- Adjust the amount of spices according to personal preference. These amount I have given makes for a delicious pickle (made it many times already!).
- The type of green chilies you used is up to you. We used a mix of more jalapenos (milder in spice level) with a couple of fiery Serrano peppers.
- Always avoid moisture touching any Indian pickle. Use a dry spoon every time you scoop up some and make sure to wash and dry the chilies thoroughly before proceeding.
- Enjoy!
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