Sirkewalli Mirch
Whole chillies pickled in a sharp vinegar brine with whole peppercorns, mustard seeds and bay. They taste tangy, lightly spicy and aromatic from the whole spices.
Whole pickling spices
7 gAdded to the jar with the chillies (step 1)Everything else
Method
- Put 60 g mixed chilli and the whole pickling spices (2.9 g black peppercorn, 3.3 g yellow mustard seed, 1 g bay leaf) into a sterilised jar.
- Add 507 g white wine vinegar, 250 ml water, 4.2 g caster sugar and 0.3 g salt.
- Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Seal the jar and leave it for 1 week, until the chillies are pickled.
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Green chilliUse the same weight, finely chopped; similar fresh heat, deseed for a milder result.
Bird's eye chilliUse 25–50% of the weight, finely chopped; much hotter, so add gradually and taste.
Mild green chilliUse the same weight, chopped; gives chilli aroma with little heat.
Coarsely ground black pepperUse 75% of the weight. Add midway through simmering; spreads heat evenly through the dish instead of delivering isolated bursts.
Ground black pepperUse 50% of the weight. Stir in near the end of cooking; significantly darkens light gravies and provides an immediate, sharp bite.
Mustard seedUse the same weight for tempering. It is the closest match; watch the heat because it can pop faster than yellow mustard seed.
Black mustard seedUse the same weight, or 75% if you want less heat. It is sharper and more pungent; temper in hot oil as usual.
Mustard powderUse about half the weight of whole seed, mix with a little water and add near the end. It will not give the same whole-seed crunch in a tempering.
Cinnamon stickUse a 2 cm piece (about 1 g) for every 1 to 2 bay leaves. Fry in whole-spice temperings; provides the cassia-like warmth typical of Indian tejpatta.
Ground cinnamon (cassia)Use 0.5 g per leaf. Stir into the sauce during simmering; gives the same warm woodiness but darkens the colour slightly.
White vinegarUse the same weight but taste: it is sharper, so use 10–20% less if strong.
Malt vinegarUse the same weight; it is darker and maltier, so it will tint pale dishes.
Lemon juiceUse the same weight or 10% more; add off the heat to keep it fresh.
Granulated sugarUse the same weight. It is slightly coarser, so stir a little longer to dissolve; in baking, grind briefly if a fine texture matters.
Demerara sugarUse the same weight, but dissolve it earlier as it is coarser. It adds a light caramel note and a little colour.
Ground jaggery or soft brown sugarUse the same weight; crush or grate jaggery first. It darkens the dish and adds molasses flavour, so reduce other liquid slightly.
Similar dishes
- Same: Sticky Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce shares chilli, caster sugar and salt with this dish, and both use whole spices.
- Different: Sticky Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce uses vegetable oil, cumin seed and mild Kashmiri chilli powder, lacks vinegar, whole chillies, peppercorns, mustard seeds and bay, and is made by reducing a sugar syrup rather than pickling in brine.
- Same: Sirkewalla Mirch Aur Dhania shares with this dish a sharp white wine vinegar base, caster sugar, salt and chillies.
- Different: It is a loosened dipping sauce made with fresh green bird's-eye chilli and coriander leaf and stem, and it lacks this dish's whole peppercorns, mustard seeds and bay leaf.
- Same: Both are chilli-based dishes that use whole chillies and whole spice seeds.
- Different: Molagai coats stuffed green chillies in a gram flour batter with ajwain, amchoor and salt and fries them in vegetable oil, while this dish pickles whole chillies in white wine vinegar with peppercorns, mustard seeds, bay, sugar and salt.
- Same: Chilli Garlic Chutney shares chillies, vinegar, sugar and salt with this dish.
- Different: Chilli Garlic Chutney uses dried Kashmiri chillies, malt vinegar, garlic and vegetable oil blended into a chutney, and it lacks this dish's whole peppercorns, mustard seeds and bay.