The pickles are popular across South Asia, with many regional variants, natively known as lonache, avalehikā, uppinakaayi, khatai, pachadi or noncha, achaar (sometimes spelled aachaar, atchar or achar), athāṇu or athāṇo or athāna, khaṭāī or khaṭāin, sandhan or sendhan or sāṇdhāṇo, kasundi, or urugaai.

They are known as ūrugāi in Tamil, pachchadi, avakaya, achaar, tokku, or ūragāya in Telugu, uppinakaayi in Kannada, uppillittuthu in Malayalam, loncha in Marathi, lonchem in Konkani, athāṇu in Gujarati, athāṇo in Rajasthani and Braj, sendhān or sandhān in Awadhi,[1] Bagheli[2] and Bhojpuri,[3]khaṭāiṇ or sāndhaṇo in Sindhi,[4] kasundi in Bangla and Odia.

[5] In Hindi, native words for pickle which are rooted in Sanskrit include athāna, noncha, sendhān, and khaṭaī.

[12] Chili peppers were introduced to South Asia by Portuguese traders in ports controlled by the Mughal Empire on the western coast of Gujarat.

A mixture of lemon or lime juice with salt or traditional ganne ka sirka (sugarcane vinegar) may also be used as brine.

The tradition of making pickles in Bangladesh dates back centuries, with each region having its own unique recipes and techniques.

The tradition of making pickles has been preserved for centuries, showcasing the rich heritage and love for food in the region.

[17] Despite using the same main ingredients, differences in preparation techniques and spices have led to wide variation in Indian pickles.

Pachranga and satranga achaar are matured in mustard oil and whole spices with ingredients like raw mangoes, chickpeas, lotus stem, karonda, myrobalan, and limes.

Pachranga achaar was first created in 1930 by Murli Dhar Dhingra in Kaloorkot, a village in the Mianwali District of what is now Pakistan.

In South India, most vegetables are sun-dried with spices, taking advantage of the immensely hot and sunny climate in the region.

The sun-drying process naturally preserves the vegetables, along with spices such as mustard, fenugreek seeds, chili powder, salt, asafoetida, and turmeric.

In Kerala, tuna and sardines are finely chopped, marinated in spices, and cooked on the stove top to make in mīn acār.

Unripe mangoes, lemon, green chilis, gundā (Cordia dichotoma), and kerda are commonly used as key ingredients in Gujarati pickles.

[29] The most popular of variety of Shikarpuri achaar is a mixed pickle comprising carrots, turnips, onions, cauliflower, chickpeas, garlic, green chillies, lime, and mango.

[31][32] On Mauritius and the neighboring Réunion a local variation is called Achard de légumes in French or Zasar legim in Kréol.

It is commonly prepared by using a mixture of different vegetables like cabbage, carrots, green beans, chayote, palm heart and onions.