A sealed jar of pickle keeps for months, and the label on each NE Origins jar gives its shelf life. Most problems start after the jar is opened, when moisture, a used spoon or heat gets in. The steps below apply to the oil, vinegar and brine pickles in our range.
Use a clean, dry spoon
Water and food left on a spoon are the most common reasons a pickle grows mould. Take each serving with a spoon that is completely dry and has not touched other food. Do not put a spoon back in the jar after it has been in your mouth.
Close the lid after each use
Air carries moisture, especially in the monsoon. Close the lid tightly as soon as you have taken what you need, and wipe the rim if pickle or oil has run down it.
Keep the jar cool, dry and out of sunlight
Store the jar in a cupboard away from the stove, the sink and windows. Heat and direct sun change the colour and flavour of chilli pickles over time. In hot, humid weather an opened jar can go in the refrigerator.
Keep the contents covered
In an oil pickle, the chillies or vegetables should stay under a layer of oil. Press them down with a dry spoon if they rise. The same applies to Dalle Chilli in Vinegar and Dalle Chilli in Salt Brine, where the chillies should stay under the liquid. Pieces left exposed to air spoil first.
Leave the pickle in its glass jar
Glass does not react with oil, vinegar or salt, and it does not hold smells. If you move pickle into another container, use clean, dry glass or ceramic rather than plastic or metal.
Signs that a pickle has gone off
Throw the jar away if you see mould, if the smell has turned sour or rotten in a way it was not before, or if the lid bulges. Fermented foods such as Kinema have a strong smell by nature, so judge by any change from when the jar was first opened. When in doubt, do not eat it.
If a jar arrives damaged
We pack every jar for transit. If one arrives broken, leaking or with the seal open, write to support@neorigins.com or message us on WhatsApp within 3 days of delivery with a photo, and we will replace it or refund you. The details are in our Refund and Returns Policy.
Not sure which jar to try first? See our guide to Northeast Indian pickles.
