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Indian · Nepalese

Dalle khursani achar (Sikkimese round chilli pickle)

Vegetarian

डल्ले खुर्सानीको अचार · ḍalle khursānīko acār

Sikkim's fiery round dalle chillies cut and cured with salt, turmeric and lemon juice, then sealed with smoking-hot mustard oil and fenugreek and matured in the sun. A few slivers set fire to dal-bhat, momos and thukpa.

Dalle khursani achar (Sikkimese round chilli pickle) is an Indian pickle, ready in about 72 hours 25 minutes and made with dalle khursani (sikkimese round chilli) and mustard oil. It serves 30 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
5 min
Rest
72 h
Total
72 h 25 min
Serves
30
Level
Easy
Calories
18

About 25 minutes of work, then 3–5 days of sunning before it is ready.

Ingredients

30 servings (about 6 g, 1–2 pieces)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put on gloves. Wash the chillies, dry them completely with a cloth and let them air-dry for 30 minutes; any water will spoil the pickle. Remove the stems and halve or quarter each chilli.

    Food safety: Dalle chillies are extremely hot; wear gloves and do not touch your eyes or face.

  2. Step 2

    In a dry bowl, toss the chillies with the salt, turmeric (opens in a new tab) and lemon juice (opens in a new tab) (and timur (opens in a new tab), if using).

  3. Step 3

    Heat the mustard oil (opens in a new tab) in a small pan over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke, which takes the raw edge off it. Take it off the heat, let it cool for 1 minute, then add the fenugreek (opens in a new tab) seeds and let them sizzle until reddish-brown, 20–30 seconds.

    Food safety: Smoking oil is very hot; keep children away and do not leave it unattended.

  4. Step 4

    Let the oil cool until warm, then pour it over the chillies and mix well. Pack into a sterilised, dry glass jar, pressing down so the oil rises over the chillies.

  5. Step 5

    Cover the jar mouth with a clean cloth (or close the lid loosely) and set it in the sun for 3–5 days, shaking it once a day, until the chillies soften slightly and turn glossy. Then close tightly.

About this dish

Origin
Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills, Sikkim, India · Commonly attributedDalle khursani (Capsicum annuum, a very hot cherry-shaped chilli) is grown in Sikkim, the Darjeeling hills and eastern Nepal. Pickling methods vary; this is the common oil-and-lemon home method.Also popular in Nepal, BhutanMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Pickles & ferments · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method
Marinated / cured, Fermented
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), sour, salty, aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead
Cook more with
Mustard oil · Turmeric · Lemon juice · Fenugreek
Techniques
Marinating · Fermentation · Pickling · Curing · Drying

Allergens

  • Contains: Mustardfrom mustard oil

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

18 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 6 g · recipe makes 30

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 2%
  • Carbohydrate 8%
  • Fat 90%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy18 kcal286 kcal
Protein0.1 g1.3 g
Carbohydrate0.4 g6.7 g
Net carbohydrate0.3 g5.5 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.1 g1.2 g
Fat1.9 g29.4 g
Saturated fat0.2 g3.4 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol——
Sodium130 mg2046 mg
Salt equivalent0.3 g5.1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
13 mg
Calcium
1 mg
Iron
0.1 mg
Magnesium
1 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
2 µg
Vitamin C
5 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
1 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: sichuan peppercorns.
  • Dalle khursani (Sikkimese round chilli): Raw hot red chilli (FDC 170106) used as a stand-in; dalle khursani is a very hot, cherry-shaped Capsicum annuum, nutritionally similar and eaten in small amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Use one or two pieces per plate; this is one of the hottest pickles in India.
  • If you have no sun, keep the jar in a warm spot for a week.

Common mistakes

  • Any water in the chillies or jar, which brings mould.
  • Pouring smoking oil straight onto the chillies, which fries them.

Serve with

  • Serve with dal-bhat, momos, thukpa or phagshapa.
  • Chop a piece into raw salads (sadeko) or alu dum.

Food safety

  • Store in a scrupulously clean, completely dry jar (sterilise it in boiling water or a low oven and let it dry fully) and always use a dry spoon; moisture is what spoils chutneys, podis and pickles.
  • Discard if you see mould or the pickle smells off rather than sharp and sour.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 months at room temperature in a cool, dark place, longer in the fridge, as long as the chillies stay under oil and only a dry spoon is used.

Variations

  • Dalle ko chhop: Dried dalle ground with salt into a hot powder.
  • Dalle-tomato achar: Pounded fresh dalle mixed with roasted tomato for a same-day chutney.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

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