The short answer
Achaar is pieces of fruit or vegetable preserved in oil, salt and spices: pungent, tangy and long-lasting. Chutney is usually cooked down with sugar or fruit into a smoother, sweeter sauce, like mango, plum or imli chutney. Fresh chutneys (podina, dhaniya) are made daily and do not keep.
Side by side
| Achaar | Sweet chutney | Fresh chutney | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Oil, salt, spices | Sugar, fruit, vinegar | Herbs, yoghurt or lemon |
| Texture | Chunky pieces | Smooth or jammy | Loose paste |
| Taste | Spicy, sour, pungent | Sweet-sour | Fresh, green |
| Keeps | Months | Months, once opened refrigerate | A day or two |
| Examples | Mixed, lemon, hari mirch | Mango, plum, imli | Podina, dhaniya |
Which to reach for
Achaar for daal chawal, paratha and anything that needs a kick. Sweet chutney for samosas, chaat, kebabs and pulao, where you want sweetness to balance salt and spice.