Authentic Mithila Pickles: Kathal, Oal & More

Our Kathal (jackfruit) and Oal (yam) pickles aren't just sides; they’re meals in themselves. Unlike factory-made versions, we steam and sun-dry the chunks for over 10 days to let the mustard oil truly seep in. When you open a jar, you’ll find texture, not pulp—real, fibrous pieces that hold onto the masala just the way our nani-dadi taught us.

Making pickles from ingredients like Kathal and Oal requires a level of patience that commercial brands rarely afford. These aren’t vegetables you can just toss in oil. For our Kathal Achar, we carefully steam the pieces until they reach the perfect consistency, ensuring they remain firm yet soft, and then marinate them in our signature house-ground spice mix. The sun-drying process—lasting 10 to 15 days—is where the magic happens, curing the pickle and developing that deep, pungent kick of Kacchi Ghani mustard oil.

Oal, or Suran, is a winter treasure in Mithila, but it’s notoriously tricky to process because of the itchiness it can sometimes cause. We follow traditional methods—often incorporating a touch of lemon juice or specific sun-drying techniques—to neutralize this, resulting in a clean, earthy pickle that’s a staple in our winter feasts. Whether it's the fibrous, meat-like texture of our Kathal or the grounded, rustic nature of our Grated Oal, these pickles are designed to transform a simple dal-chawal or khichdi into a proper Mithila meal. Because we make these in small batches, the flavors change slightly with the season, just as nature intended. No preservatives, no vinegar, just the honest taste of Bihar.