Mix Vegetable Achar Recipe: Homemade Mixed Pickle in Mustard Oil
Quick answer: To make mix vegetable achar at home, wash and fully dry lemons, carrots and green chillies (plus raw mango in season). Cut them into pieces, rub them with salt and haldi for 2–4 hours, then drain the water and air-dry them. Mix them with lightly roasted saunf, methray, rai, kalonji and red chilli, pack them into a clean, dry glass jar and cover them with premium mustard oil. Stir daily for the first week. The achar is ready in about 3 weeks, once the lemon peel turns soft.
Mix achar (mixed pickle) is the one jar every Pakistani dastarkhwan seems to have. Each spoon gives you a little of everything: sour lemon, sweet carrot, spicy green chilli and tangy mango, all soaked in mustard oil and masala. Here is how to make mix vegetable achar at home, the traditional Punjabi way, with no vinegar.
Ingredients (for about 8 kg fruits and vegetables)
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Lemons (thin-skinned, fresh) | 1 kg |
| Carrots (desi red or orange) | 1 kg |
| Green chillies (firm, not too thin) | 1 kg |
| Raw mango (keri), in season – or more carrot/lemon | 5 kg |
| Salt | 400–500 g |
| Haldi (turmeric) | 4 tbsp |
| Saunf (fennel seeds) | 4 tbsp |
| Methray / methi dana (fenugreek seeds) | 4 tbsp |
| Rai (mustard seeds) | 2 tbsp |
| Kalonji (nigella seeds) | 2 tbsp |
| Red chilli, crushed or powder | 2 tbsp |
| Premium mustard oil | about 3–5 L (enough to cover) |
Tip: you can change the mix to suit your family. Many homes also add gobhi (cauliflower), shalgam (turnip) or chana (dry, not soaked).
How to make mix vegetable achar (mix achar banane ka tarika)
- Wash and dry fully. Wash all the vegetables well and leave them until they are completely dry. Any water left on them can spoil the achar.
- Cut the vegetables. Cut lemons into 4–8 pieces and remove the seeds. Cut carrots into sticks or chunks. Slit the green chillies down one side. Cut raw mango into pieces with the guthli, removing any soft fibre and dark spots on the peel.
- Add salt and haldi. Mix everything with the salt and haldi, cover and leave for 2–4 hours so the vegetables release some water.
- Drain and air-dry. Drain off the water, then spread the pieces on a clean cloth in an airy place for a few hours until the surface feels dry.
- Roast the spices. Lightly dry-roast the saunf, methray, rai and kalonji on low heat for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant. Let them cool.
- Prepare the mustard oil. Use premium quality mustard oil. If you like, heat it with a few garlic cloves until they turn brown, let it cool, then remove the garlic.
- Mix. Mix the vegetables with the roasted spices, red chilli, a little more haldi and a few spoons of the oil.
- Fill the jar. Pack everything into a clean, completely dry glass jar and pour in oil until the pieces are covered by about an inch.
- Let it mature. Keep the jar at room temperature and stir it daily with a clean, dry spoon for the first week. Carrot and chilli are ready in about 2 weeks; the achar is fully ready in about 3 weeks, once the lemon peel is soft.
Tips for the best mixed achar
- Choose thin-skinned lemons: thick peels take much longer to soften.
- Keep the pieces a similar size so everything matures at the same time.
- Keep everything dry: wet vegetables, a wet jar or a wet spoon are the main reasons achar spoils.
- Keep pieces under the oil: top up with more mustard oil if the level drops.
- Avoid very hot kitchens: keep the jar away from the stove and direct sun.
Sliced mix achar vs chopped mix achar
- Sliced mix achar has big pieces you can see and pick: lemon, mango, carrot, green chilli and more. It suits a side plate with roti and daal.
- Chopped (crushed) mix achar has small chunks that spread through every bite. It is perfect for rice, biryani and lunchboxes.
How to store mix achar
Keep the jar at room temperature, in a cupboard or on the dining table. No fridge is needed. Always use a clean, dry spoon and keep the pieces under the oil. When made and stored this way, mixed achar keeps for a long time; AL-Afraah mix achar stays good for 2 years and more.
No time to make it? Try AL-Afraah Mix Achar
Making mixed achar means buying, cutting and maturing many vegetables for weeks. AL-Afraah makes two kinds the traditional way in Gujrat: fresh fruits and vegetables are washed, dried fully and hand-cut, then mixed with cleaned, sun-dried spices and preserved in pure mustard oil, with no vinegar and no chemical preservatives.
- Sliced Mixed Achar: large pieces of mango, lemon, carrot, green chilli, chana, lasoora and sohanjna mooli. 500g Rs 830 and 800g Rs 1,190.
- Chopped Mixed Achar (our best seller): small chunks of lemon, green chilli, carrot and mango. 400g Rs 660, 650g Rs 940 and 900g Rs 1,210.
Order on our website, www.alafraah.com, or on WhatsApp, with Cash on Delivery all over Pakistan.
Want to try a single-fruit achar? See our aam ka achar recipe, or learn the difference between oil and vinegar pickle.
Taste traditional achar made in pure mustard oil – no vinegar, no chemical preservatives.
Frequently asked questions
Which vegetables are used in mix achar?
The most common are lemon, carrot, green chilli and raw mango. Some families also add gobhi, shalgam, chana, lasoora or sohanjna.
How many days does mix achar take to be ready?
About 3 weeks. Carrot and chilli soften sooner, but lemon peel needs about 3 weeks to become soft.
Can I make mix achar without vinegar?
Yes. Traditional Punjabi mix achar is made with salt, roasted spices and mustard oil, with no vinegar.
Why is my lemon in mix achar still hard?
Thick-skinned lemons and big pieces take longer. Cut lemons smaller, keep them under the oil and give them more time.
Does mix achar need a fridge?
No. Keep it at room temperature, use a clean, dry spoon and keep the pieces under the oil.
