Pickles incidentally have been around for very long. Thousands of years ago, cucumber, native to India was the first thing to be pickled. The sole reason for pickling at that time was to preserve food for long journeys. “Since then, pickles have come far in the culinary world. Not to forget, I’d like to give Indian cuisine a huge credit for making pickles popular. India being a hot country without any refrigerators till about hundred years ago had to look at ways of extending shelf life of seasonal fruits and vegetables and the only way to do was to look at persevering them in combination of salt, oil, spices and acid.

Whether you are dining out or at home, travelling, at work or anywhere else, pickles are a popular feature in Indian meals, no matter where we are. Our love affair with pickles have also traversed from generation to generation. Other things may come and go, but a desi will always have space for achaar on their plate and in their heart,” says Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. In India we pickle almost anything, vegetables, fruits, flowers, roots, shoots, stems and even seafood and meat.

Read the full story that first appeared on Round Glass Thali here: