Pickled Chillies

DIY pickled chillies is quick to prepare and a must-have in the refrigerator. They are sourish with a very slight tinge of spiciness. Use the condiment to spice any meal of your choice.

It goes really well with rice, noodles, pizzas, kebab, sandwiches and the list goes on. Asian or western meals, the chillies pair well with it!

You may even see it served together with Chinese wonton noodles as a dip.

What type of chillies to use?

For this recipe, I used green Cayenne chillies which are less spicy compared to the red ones. Green Cayenne chillies are ‘grassier’ in taste and it's the best choice to use when preparing pickled chillies.

However, it may be substituted with red or even yellow chillies, according to preference.

Avoid pickled chillies from getting moldy

These green chillies are pickled in a vinegar solution. Use a kitchen towel to soak up any excess water from the soaked chillies before pickling them. This is important to prevent them from getting spoiled during the pickling process.

Should ingredients be increased to pickle more chillies?

The amount of vinegar solution recommended is only sufficient for the amount of chillies as mentioned in the recipe. If more chillies are pickled, then the amount of vinegar solution has to be increased accordingly.

Using apple cider vinegar

Substituting plain vinegar with apple cider vinegar gives the pickled chilli a special flavour. If you love ACV, feel free to replace it at a 1:1 ratio.

Additional ingredients

Feel free to add one or two whole garlic gloves at step 2. Other ingredients like whole black pepper and onions can improve its flavour.

What to do with pickled chillies?

Pickled chillies are either served plain or with soy sauce. Either way, the sweetness and sourness from the chillies will perk up the appetite.

A popular recipe using pickled chillies as a condiment is wonton noodles. Like mentioned earlier, it can be eaten with pizzas too.

How to store pickled chillies

Pickled chillies can last in the refrigerator for up to 1.5 months or more if stored in a clean sterilized bottle. Use clean and dry utensils to take the chillies slices from the bottle.

This will help in extending the shelf life of the pickled chillies.

Pickled chilli as a project with kids

When I was in primary school, pickled chillies was a science project. So, you can make this as an activity with your children. It will not be spicy for them as the spiciness is toned down by the vinegar.