Best Indian Pickles to Buy Online: Mango, Lime, Green Chilli and More (Achaar Guide)

A spoonful of achaar turns plain dal and rice, a stack of parathas or a bowl of curd rice into a full meal. Indian pickles are fruits and vegetables preserved with salt, spices and oil, and every family has a favorite. If you grew up with them, or you're trying them for the first time, here's how the most popular kinds compare and how to pick a jar online.

Mango pickle (aam ka achaar)

The best-known Indian pickle. Raw mango pieces are cured with mustard oil, salt and a spice blend, so it's tangy, spicy and a little bitter from the mustard. It goes with almost everything: rice and dal, rajma chawal, parathas, theplas and khichdi. If you're buying only one jar, start here.

Lime pickle (nimbu ka achaar)

Whole or quartered limes pickled with salt and spices. It's sour and zesty, and the peel softens and deepens in flavor as the jar ages. A small piece next to curd rice, khichdi or stuffed parathas cuts through rich food nicely.

Green chilli pickle and mango chilli pickle

For heat lovers. Green chilli pickle is fiery and pungent, best in small amounts with yogurt, poha, aloo paratha or dal rice. Mango chilli pickle mixes raw mango with green chillies, so you get tang and heat in the same bite. It's great with theplas and as a kick in sandwiches and wraps.

Mixed pickle

A bit of everything: mango, lime, chilli and other vegetables in one jar. Every spoonful is a little different, which makes it the easiest pickle to put on the table when you're feeding a crowd. Restaurants, tiffin services and big families often buy it in bulk.

Amla (Indian gooseberry) pickle

Amla is tart with a slight bitterness, and pickling rounds it out with warm spices. It's a nice change from mango and lime, and many people enjoy a small piece with simple everyday meals like dal chawal or curd rice.

How to store an open jar

Always use a clean, dry spoon, since water is what spoils pickle fastest. Keep the lid tight and the jar away from direct heat and sunlight. Press the pieces down so they stay covered by the oil, which protects them. Follow the storage instructions on the label, and you'll get weeks of meals out of one 800g jar.

Buying Indian pickles online in the US

Our Desimunchiess pickles come in generous 800g (about 28 oz) jars, much bigger than the small bottles in most supermarkets, and we ship from Riverside, California to all 50 states. Orders over $100 ship free; below that it's a flat $16.50, so it's worth picking two or three flavors at once.

Running a store or restaurant? Pickles come in cases of 12 jars (the 5kg tub in cases of 2), and you can mix them with namkeen, candies and cookies in a wholesale order.