Raita marcha or athela marcha is a popular Gujarati pickle made with fresh green chili and Gujarati-style masala. It is an instant pickle with a little bit spicy, and flavorful, and helps enhance the taste when it is paired with Gujarati thepla, gathiya, or Rotis. It also has a very long shelf life and can store in an airtight container for 6 months in a refrigerator. I share the perfect ingredient ratio and a few no-fail tips help you to make the perfect raita marcha (green chili pickle) on the first attempt. Do try this!
The key to making perfect raita marcha at home are
- firstly, try to get fresh and tender green chili for such pickle recipes. you may notice the bright green color while shopping and that should be ideal for this recipe.
- secondly, the spice mix used in this recipe can be used for other vegetable-based stuffed pickles. my personal recommendation is Gajar-marcha nu athanu, but you may choose as per your choice.
- the chilies are rested and aged, and the taste of the pickle improves. hence once the stuffing is done, store it for a minimum of 2 days till it is used.
- lastly, Store green chili pickles in an airtight glass jar. it stays a good 6 months in the refrigerator.
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Recipe video
Raita marcha | athela marcha | kathiyawadi athela marcha | instant green chilli pickle
Ingredients
For marinate green chilli
- 500 grm green chilli
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 40 grm or 3 tbsp salt
For masala
- 50 grm or ½ cup splits mustard seeds - rai na kuria
- 15 grm or 2 tbsp splits fenugreek seeds - methi na kuria
- 2 tbsp dry coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 big size lemon juice
- ½ cup oil
Instructions
- Wash and dry green chili completely. Remove its upper part and make medium size pieces. Make slits in the center and divide them into two parts. Cut all chilies in the same way.
- Now add turmeric powder and salt to the chili pieces. Mix well and keep it aside for 1 hr. so water is released from chilies and the spiciness of chilies decreases.
- Remove water from the chilies and completely dry them.
- Then in a pan, add rai na Kuria, methi na Kuria, dry coriander seeds, and fennel seeds. Saute for 1 minute.
- Cool down and grind it into a coarse powder. Do not grind it into fine powder.
- Now roast salt for 1 minute and keep it aside.
- Then in a pan, adds ½ cup oil and heat it. switch off the gas and cool down slightly.
- Now in moderately hot oil add hing, masala, salt, and turmeric powder. Mix well.
- Pickle masala is ready. Add into green chili and mix well.
- Now squeeze some lemon juice and mix well.
- Raita marcha or athela marcha is ready.
- Store it in an air-tight glass bottle and be ready in 2 to 1 days.
- Serve it with Thepla, gathiya, dal-bhat, or with any meal.
Notes
- Choose green and fresh green chili for pickle.
- Do not remove seeds and veins from chilies.
- Coat green chili with turmeric and salt, to decrease its spiciness.
- Roast masala on low flame, so there is no moisture in it. Slightly roast masala increases the self-life of a pickle.
- Grind masala into a coarse powder. Do not grind it into fine powder.
- Roast masala in moderately hot oil. do not add masala to very hot oil.
- Lemon juice increase taste and act as a preservative in a pickle.
- Store pickles into a sterilized glass bottle.
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