my tomatoes might have been a little worse for wear after my 3 week absence, most of them took a suicide leap that ended in a bloody-red mess. i did however, manage to save a couple-eight pounds of them. and proceeded to make this again this year – if you have a bunch of overripe tomatoes. make it now…and thank me later.
back to the point of this post:
have chiles
…will cut ‘em.
for those of you who have been hanging around here for quite some time, you know that i love me my chiles! this year, the chile-gods and chile-goddesses had mercy on me, and my little ‘ole plants of plenty produced big time!
i cook up this indian-style chile pickle when i have an abundance of chiles. any kind will do – hot or hotter. it’s cooked down, loaded with chiles, garlic and ginger, and packed with oil. so don’t even think about hot water bath canning it. i put mine in the fridge in little jars, which lasts a year or even up to two!
the depth of flavor comes from the ‘tarka‘ or sputtering of the whole spices in oil. it’s a traditional indian technique that both releases and enhances the flavor of a particular spice. i eat this pickle on anything that remotely resembles the palate of the eastern hemisphere; on top of rice, stirred into yogurt, tucked inside flatbread, beside a good curry or stew.
hot damn chile pickle!
adapted from my bombay kitchen
3 pounds chiles – any kind, stemmed & chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 & 1/3 cups light sesame oil (not toasted, or another vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon whole brown mustard seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek seed
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds
3/4 cup garlic, chopped fine*
3/4 cup ginger, chopped fine*
1 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
1 & 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 & 3/4 cups white wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar (i use turbinado)
2 & 1/4 tablespoons sea salt
yield: 3 pints
1. heat oil over medium heat, once hot, add mustard seeds. the mustard seeds will sputter and turn a light gray within 15-20 seconds. when they do, add the whole fenugreek, cumin and fennel seeds. let them sizzle until they are just a shade darker, about 15 seconds. very important: do not burn the spices, they should not get dark brown, err on the side of not cooking enough. if you are unsure count to 15 after you add them and you’re good!
2. add the garlic and ginger, let sizzle a few seconds until just lightly golden. add the cayenne if using and the turmeric, stir once and add the chiles. stir.
3. add salt, sugar and vinegar. bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer on low for 45 minutes to 1 hour. if during the cooking process it sticks and seems too dry, add more vinegar by the tablespoon, do not add water. it is done when the oil separates and sits on top (it will look similar to the photo above).
4. let cool slightly and taste. this should be a salty pickle used as a condiment – add salt here if it needs more. fill clean 1/2 pint or pint jars. store in fridge for a year or more.
pawnote:
*if you have one of these, or something like it, you can use it for the garlic-ginger and make a paste instead of chopping fine. i do!
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so does that mean I don't need to do anything to seal the jars? can I just put them into any screw-top jar for example?
helene – yes it does. any cap will do, just stick them right in the fridge.
brilliant! I'm now collecting my jars. I can see this recipe becoming one of this family's favourites!
Thanks!
Ohh how vibrant! The chilli pickle sounds so easy to make without having to seal the jars, thanks for sharing
I just finished making this — my first attempt at any kind of hot chile condiment. That is some seriously good heat; it's wonderful! I used red hot chile peppers and had to cut the recipe by 1/3 because I only had a pound of 'em, but it turned out just great. Thanks, Tigz!
– helene and charlotte – do try it, i think you'll love it!
shae – so glad you made it! it's kind of addicting!
If you waterbath this, will it keep for a year?
lorraine – this is absolutely NOT safe to waterbath can. it is an indian oil pickle, and even though it has a lot of vinegar in it, which helps preserve it in the fridge, i would not take a chance to waterbath can it as the acidity is most likely not high enough to keep it safe at room temperature. however, fear not, because you can put it right in the fridge and it will last for over a year. i've had some that was 2 years old, kept in the fridge the whole time and tasted as good as the day i made it!
Just curious–why only light sesame oil? Is it purely a necessity for flavor, or is there some other reason to not use other oils?
valhalla – i did say up there that it could be another kind of veggie oil. i suggest light sesame because it is what is traditionally used in india – called gingelly oil – and so will be more authentic to this type of pickle. that said you could use another clear tasting vegetable oil if you prefer and i am sure it will be just as tasty!
Thank you so much for this recipe – I made it last night with the basket full of peppers I had on my dining room table – It is fabulous!! We had a party tonight and everyone loved the spicy flavor. I so appreciate your generosity, all your work is noticed here in the Pacific Northwest.
Oops, I read the "not toasted, or another oil" in a totally doofus way, doh! thanks
made it last night, in licking the ladle after filling the jars i can confirm it's an awesome recipe. i used a combo of sweet and hot peppers from the garden, and threw in some chile powder to make up for the sweet peppers.
I am relatively new to canning, but totally hooked. I was wondering if you think that this recipe would be safe to can and store in a pantry (as opposed to in the refrigerator)? I am still learning the do's and dont's of canning (e.g. the chemical properties of what can be safely canned), so always like to ask first. Thanks!
hi dana,
this is most definitely not appropriate for water bath canning as the acidity level is too low. it lasts for a long, long time in fridge though.
i always recommend new canners read my acid and the b word post – you can find it in the side bar to the right under essentials. that gives a great intro into the dos and don'ts of canning vegetables.
happy canning – and welcome!
thanks so much! I just love everything that is in the recipe, so I was hopin for a conversion that would make it safely can-able. I'll read your article now!