Pakistani achar is pickle made in oil with salt, chilli and pickling spices, and a jar of it sits on almost every dining table and dhaba counter in the country. The everyday kinds are mango, lime, green chilli, garlic, carrot and mixed vegetable. The most famous regional styles come from Shikarpur and Hyderabad in Sindh, and the brands you will see in every shop are Shan, National and Ahmed.
Next to the achar you will usually find a chutney and a bowl of raita. This guide explains what each one is, how Pakistanis eat them, and what to buy if you want to take a jar home.
What is Pakistani achar made of?
A Pakistani achar is a fruit or vegetable cut into pieces, salted, and preserved in oil with spices. The oil is often mustard oil. The usual spices are mustard seed, fenugreek, nigella seed (kalonji), fennel and red chilli. Many households still sun-cure their pickles in glass jars for days or weeks before they are ready.
It is sharp, sour, salty and hot all at once. You do not eat it on its own. A small piece goes on the side of a plate of daal and rice, a paratha or a plain salan to wake it up.
Which achar will you see most often?
- Aam ka achar (mango): raw green mango in oil, the most common pickle in Pakistan, made at home in early summer when unripe mangoes come in.
- Nimbu ka achar (lime): whole or quartered limes, sour and slightly bitter, often eaten with daal and khichri.
- Hari mirch ka achar (green chilli): whole green chillies, often stuffed with spices.
- Lehsan ka achar (garlic): whole cloves, mellower than you expect after a few weeks in oil.
- Gajar ka achar (carrot): sticks of carrot, sometimes mixed with turnip in winter.
- Mixed achar: a bit of everything, and the default in most restaurants.
- Lasoray (gunda): the sticky manjack fruit pickled whole, an older-style pickle that some people love and many have never tried.
What makes Shikarpuri achar famous?
Shikarpur, the old trading city in upper Sindh, is the most famous name in Pakistani pickles. Its classic mixed achar combines carrot, turnip, onion, cauliflower, chickpeas, garlic, green chilli, lime and mango in heavily spiced oil, and its pickle tradition is said to go back to the 1600s. Shikarpuri achar is made in home kitchens and small factories in the city and sold across Pakistan.
If you are in Sukkur, Shikarpur is close enough for a short visit, and our Shikarpur old city guide covers the bazaar and its pickle shops. Elsewhere, any grocer will have jars labelled Shikarpuri.
What is Hyderabadi achar?
Hyderabad in Sindh is the other big pickle name. "Hyderabadi" on a jar usually means a mixed pickle with plenty of whole spice and oil. Both Shan and Ahmed sell a Hyderabadi mixed pickle, so it is the easiest regional style to find in any city.
Which chutneys come with Pakistani food?
A chutney is a relish, either fresh and ground or cooked and sweet. The name comes from the Urdu chatni, from chatna, to lick.
- Hari chutney or podina chutney: fresh coriander or mint ground with green chilli, lemon and salt, sometimes with yoghurt. It comes with tikka, kebabs, samosas and pakoras.
- Imli chutney: sweet-sour tamarind, the brown sauce on chana chaat, dahi bhallay and gol gappay. Our Pakistani street food guide covers the dishes it goes on.
- Aloo bukhara chutney: sweet dried plum, served with biryani and pulao, especially at weddings.
- Aam ki chutney: cooked sweet mango, mild and jammy.
- Tomato and garlic chutneys: chilli-hot and common in Sindh and Karachi.
How is raita different from chutney?
Raita is yoghurt, thinned and seasoned, with cucumber, mint, onion, cumin or tiny fried gram balls (boondi). It cools a hot meal and is almost always served with biryani and karahi. It is a side dish rather than a relish, and in a restaurant it often comes free with the salad.
Which achar brands are best known?
These three are in almost every shop in Pakistan, and in Pakistani grocers abroad.
| Brand | Background | Pickles and chutneys |
|---|---|---|
| Ahmed Foods | Founded in Karachi in 1952; began with pickles and preserves | Oil and vinegar pickles, Hyderabadi and extra-hot ranges, chutneys and sauces |
| National Foods | Founded in Karachi in 1970 | Pickles alongside spices, ketchup, jams and sauces |
| Shan Foods | Founded in Karachi in 1981 by Sikandar Sultan | Mango, mixed, Hyderabadi mixed, carrot, chilli and garlic pickles; plum, tamarind, mango, tomato and green chutneys |
Many Pakistani families still prefer homemade achar or loose pickle bought by weight from a bazaar shop. A packed jar is still the safer choice to carry on a flight, because it is sealed.
Is achar worth buying as a souvenir?
Yes, if you like sharp food. A jar of Shikarpuri mixed pickle or a good mango achar costs little, keeps for months, and is the kind of gift Pakistani families abroad actually ask for. Buy sealed jars for luggage and wrap them in a plastic bag, because pickle oil stains everything.
Achar is not for everyone. It is very salty and very oily, and visitors with sensitive stomachs should start with a small piece. Loose pickle from an open tub at a dhaba is part of the meal, but it has sat out in the heat; if you are being careful, our guide on whether street food in Pakistan is safe explains what to watch. For more food experiences, see our experiences page and the Pakistani food guide for visitors.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular Pakistani achar?
Raw mango achar is the most common, followed by mixed vegetable achar. Shikarpuri mixed pickle is the best-known regional style.
What is Shikarpuri achar?
It is a mixed pickle from Shikarpur in Sindh, made with carrot, turnip, onion, cauliflower, chickpeas, garlic, green chilli, lime and mango in spiced oil. It is sold across Pakistan.
What is the difference between achar and chutney?
Achar is a long-keeping pickle preserved in oil, salt and spices. Chutney is a relish, either fresh and ground, like mint chutney, or cooked and sweet, like tamarind or plum.
Which chutney is served with biryani?
Usually raita, and often a sweet aloo bukhara (dried plum) chutney, especially at weddings and in Karachi.
Can I take achar on a plane from Pakistan?
Sealed jars generally go in checked luggage without trouble, but liquid and oil rules apply in hand luggage. Check your airline and destination country's food import rules before you pack.
