Pickled Black Pepper with Lime & Green Chili
We Indians take a lot of pride in our variety of pickles. Each region has its own unique spice blend and within that each home has its own special variation of it! There probably is no vegetable which is not pickled in India. Our world of pickles is vast and colorful just like our country!
Growing up, we always had a serving of pickle with every meal. Our lunches and dinners would be incomplete without some ‘curd rice’ (yogurt with rice) and a serving of spicy pickle, most common being tender mango pickle. Every year during the mango season women get busy with pickling. Summer months are for filling big jars with salted tender mangoes, sun drying the spices, dry roasting them, grinding them and assembling it all together. We would never run out of our favorite mango pickle which can be stored for years. Then there were seasonal pickles, like bamboo shoot, tender jackfruit, cucumber, some wild berries and fruits and other vegetables which would last only for about a week.
I was introduced to black pepper pickle much later on in life. My aunt who was living in Chennai at that point got me a jar full of these tangy, spicy green pods and I fell in love instantly! She really made the best black pepper pickle! My husband (then boyfriend) would actually request her for some of it every year! I tried making the pickle a few years ago and failed miserably. I don’t’ really know how I could go wrong as it’s extremely simple but then again I was totally new to pickling.
Tangy Spicy Green Pods
A couple of weeks ago when we were at my parents place, my husband saw some fresh black pepper corns (which are green before ripening and drying) and immediately asked me if I could pickle some for him. I decided to give it another shot as I couldn’t resist the beauty of shiny green pods of black pepper freshly plucked off the vine and the thought of lip smacking pickle I had years ago!
I am so glad I tried it as it’s unbelievably simple to make and oh so GOOD! Flavors are really very simple which is the best aspect of this pickle is. Unlike most Indian pickles this one doesn’t have many dry spices in it. It’s fragrant with fresh lime and the blend of black pepper and green chili flavors.
I don’t think it’s easy to find fresh black pepper (when it’s still green) in the market but if you ever do please make this pickle! It tastes the best when served with simple rice and yogurt.
Pepper pods, green chilies and limes
Salt does all the magic!
Green chilies slit
Lime quartered and ready
layer them with salt
till all the pepper pods, chilies and limes are used up.
All done! Now the waiting game begins 
After 10 long days the pickle is ready…
But it is well worth the wait
[typography font="Cantarell" size="24" size_format="px" color="#b36f98"]Ingredients:[/typography]
- 20-25 pepper pods
- 10-15 fresh green chilies
- 10 limes
- About ½ cup of salt
Wash the black pepper pods, green chilies and limes and let them dry in the sun for 30 mins to an hour.
Slit all the green chilies and keep aside.
Cut 5 limes into quarters.
Take a small glass jar. Place a layer of pepper pods on a bed of some salt and sprinkle with about a table spoon of salt again. Then place a layer of lime pieces and green chilies and sprinkle another tablespoon of salt. Repeat this till all the pepper pods, chilies and limes are used up.
Squeeze the juice out of remaining 5 limes and pour it on top of the pepper mixture and sprinkle with some more salt.
Close the lid of the jar and place it in a cool dry place for about a week to 10 days. Make sure you mix the pickle every other day with a dry spoon to evenly distribute the salt and lime juice and prevent the blackening of the pepper corns.
18 comments :
senthil January 6, 2015 1:53PM
hi chinmayee,how to make with green pepper alone?when we can add the lemon juice before boiling the water or after boiled?
Pickled – Pepper pods and Limes | Cafe-Baklava March 3, 2013 10:17AM
[...] for the recipe, wherein the pepper pods are used directly. And that’s how I landed up with ,http://www.lovefoodeat.com/pickled-black-pepper-with-lime-green-chili/, and decided to go with that instantaneously, with some [...]
Sharanya November 29, 2011 4:47AM
This was my dad’s fav pickle. Mom used to make it so often..when i foung this on your site..it was like living all those good times
I made this yesterday..:) The only change was to fry the salt a little..to take away the moisture if any..:)
Thanks so much for sharing this
Mariel October 25, 2011 11:31PM
these look so yummy! similar to something i’ve made recently but trying to perfect it!
do you think i could replace the almonds with more of something else ? also how much did it make?
Chinmayie October 28, 2011 7:31PM
I think you have commented on the wrong recipe Mariel! There are no almonds in this pickle
Biswanath ghosh July 9, 2013 3:15PM
Hw come Almond?
Radhika | Just Home Made October 25, 2011 3:10PM
Oh! BTW, raw green peppers on the vine are available in Malleswaram market during the season if I am not wrong. Amma makes it every year
Radhika | Just Home Made October 25, 2011 3:07PM
OMG! Chinmayie, you got me all nostalgic and home sick with this pickle!
Amma makes exactly the same way and it is her specialty at home
End of nov/dec is the season for green peppers right? Can’t find it here though! The bottle she sent is almost over , so I’m treating every spoon like a pot of gold right now..
Chinmayie October 25, 2011 5:07PM
Hey Radhika! We are eating this pickle for lunch and dinner every single day now and it’s delicious! So good to know that your mom makes it the same way
Not sure about the season for green peppers and I have never bought it as we grow it at home 
Abi October 25, 2011 3:05PM
omg looking at this i’m salivating, Chinmayee. Tnx for sharing such simple recipe. Can I try it with chili and lemon without black pepper?
Chinmayie October 25, 2011 5:04PM
I am sure you can Abi! We pickle only lemon like this and it tastes great!
Zareena October 25, 2011 1:22PM
mmmmm… drooling here. A simple and easy pickle. Yummm..
Princy October 25, 2011 8:31AM
I have never eaten the green pepper pods///i mean tasted it!!
Keerthana @ lifenspice October 25, 2011 6:51AM
I simply love any kind of pickle. This one looks so mouthwatering yet so simple to prepare. I will give this a try.
Richa@HobbyandMore October 25, 2011 2:58AM
the pickle looks gorgeous.. i think i should plant a pepper sapling in my community garden patch!
Merryn October 25, 2011 12:26AM
This looks delicious. After the last week or so, I am longing for a pepper tree to do what you have done. What amazingly simple pickled peppers, just like Polly picked only better
Tanvi@SinfullySpicy October 25, 2011 12:19AM
I have never seen raw black pepper..south indians are lucky to see the spices in the most natural way
This pickle is just my kind- tangy & spicy!
sreelu October 24, 2011 6:05PM
Chinmayee, this sounds absoutely delicious,its hard to find fresh peppers here but we used to have few trees back home