Fermented Mushroom Achar – A Tangy Twist on Tradition

Fermented Mushroom Achar – A Tangy Twist on Tradition

I recently went for lunch with a friend to a cozy local Indian spot, where I had the most amazing tikka-spiced paneer on naan, slathered in tangy pickles. My friend had their house dahl, and the whole experience left me craving those bold, comforting flavours.

That meal rekindled one of my all-time favourite combinations: mushroom achar served with green lentil chana dal. The dal is loosely inspired by a traditional North Indian urad-chana recipe, but I’ve adapted it using green lentils, which are easier to find and just as delicious. (I think that dal deserves its own blog post – stay tuned!)

The tanginess of the achar paired with the creamy, spiced dal is an absolute joy. Let’s start with the star of the show – the Mushroom Achar.

🌶 What is Achar?

In short: achar is a type of Indian fermented pickle. My first foray into this tangy world came via a daikon achar recipe from Kirsten Shockey’s book Fiery Ferments. In that version, Kirsten recommends slightly dehydrating the daikon first, which removes excess moisture and intensifies the flavour. I swapped in carrots instead – and it was SO GOOD. More importantly, it introduced me to the magical achar spice mix I’ve now used in countless variations – including this mushroom one.

Mushrooms in ferments. 

I usually cook mushrooms before fermenting – a local grower once told me that cooking helps release their medicinal properties, especially in varieties like Lion’s Mane. For this batch, I used leftover oyster mushrooms from the same grower.

That said, I’ve also fermented basic supermarket chestnut (cremini) mushrooms raw and lived to tell the tale. But if you're using anything a bit "fancier", I recommend giving them a quick steam. 

If, like me, you are steaming the mushrooms, you need a starter culture to help the fermentation process. I use water kefir or kombucha, but you could use something like a ginger bug that would be cool and add some extra ginger zing!

My Mushroom Achar Recipe

Ingredients (for 1kg of mushrooms):

Toasted & ground:

  • 1 tsp cumin seeds

  • 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns

  • 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds

  • 1 tsp wild mustard seeds (optional)

Toasted separately:

  • 2–3 tsp sesame seeds

Spices & aromatics:

  • 2 tsp ground turmeric

  • 3–4 garlic cloves, crushed

  • 2-inch chunk of fresh ginger, grated

  • 1 tsp fenugreek

  • ½ tsp ground black pepper

  • 2 tsp chili flakes

  • 2 tsp onion seeds

  • 20g sea salt

  • 1 heaped tsp miso paste

  • 1–2 tbsp olive oil

Starter culture (if mushrooms are cooked):

  • 1 tbsp kombucha or water kefir

🥄 Method:

  1. Prep the Mushrooms
    Clean mushrooms by wiping them with a damp cloth. Steam them for ~10 minutes using as little water as possible. Keep any leftover water – it’s full of flavour. Let the mushrooms cool.

  2. Chop or Pulse
    If you like chunky achar, roughly chop the mushrooms. I prefer a finer texture, so I give them a few pulses in the food processor – small chunks, not a mush.

  3. Mix it Up
    Combine all your spices, garlic, ginger, salt, miso, and your starter culture (if needed). Mix thoroughly with your mushrooms. You can add a tbsp of the mushroom water for extra umami (use the rest in a soup, stew or noodle broth).

  4. Pack & Ferment
    Pack the mixture tightly into a clean kilner jar with minimal headspace (oxygen is the enemy). Eliminate air pockets. Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on top to protect the surface. 

  5. Ferment
    Pop the lid on and leave on the counter to ferment for 7–14 days. Taste around day 7 (day 5 in warmer weather)  – it should be tangy and bold but not overpowering.

  6. Store
    Once it hits that sweet (sour!!!) spot, transfer to the fridge. I like to decant into smaller jars. It’ll happily keep for up to 6 months refrigerated.

🥢 How to Serve

Before serving, I mix in a few drops of toasted sesame oil for that extra nutty note. Try it alongside dal, rice, or even as a bold topping for toast or grilled veggies. Trust me – it’s addictive.

Curious to try fermenting something else? Check out my other recipes in this blog.
Should I post the green lentil dal next? Let me know in the comments 💬

Back to blog