Mango Pickle
Mango pickle is a Indian pickle variety made with raw unripe green mangoes, pickling spices and oil. Aam chunda, Punjabi aam ka achar, Rajasthani aam ka achar, mavinakayi uppinakayi, Maagaya, Avakaya & Vadu mango pickle are some of the most well known mango pickle varieties made in India. Traditionally, chopped mangoes are pickled with the spices and oil in large ceramic pots known as bharani or barni. The ingredients ferment as the mango pickle ages and develops tons of flavor and deliciousness. Avakaya is one of the popular variety of pickle made in Andhra pradesh, a South Indian state which is immensely known for hot and spicy foods. This mango pickle is a similar but toned down version which is also simpler to make.
My Recipe
Though I have tried so many recipes, this recipe is special to me as it is very flavorful & easy to make. This can be made with any kind of raw sour green mangoes and can be consumed after 3 days of preparing it. I tested & retested this recipe countless number of times so I have updated lot of tips for better shelf-life. This mango pickle keeps good for a couple of months at room temperature if you take good care. It keeps good in the refrigerator for 6 to 7 months. If you plan to store it for an year then do check out this traditional recipe of Andhra avakaya here. You may like these pickle recipes,Andhra style tomato pickleCarrot pickleCauliflower pickleDrumstick pickleGarlic pickleGinger pickle
How to Make Mango Pickle (Stepwise Photos)
Preparation
1.This step is for better shelf-life. If you skip this step, you have to refrigerate the pickle right away after making it. To make mango pickle, firstly make sure all the following are completely dry and free from moisture. It is ideal to sun dry all of them for a few hours. If you do not have sunlight, then wipe with a clean dry cloth and keep them in a dry place the previous night.
1 mixing bowl2 large spoon1 small blender jar (or spice jar)1 chopping board2 knives (1 small & 1 large)work area (has to be super clean and dry)
- Dry roast half teaspoon methi seeds on a low flame till they begin to smell good. Transfer these to a plate. To the same hot pan, add 3 tablespoons oil and allow it to warm up. Set aside to cool completely. You can skip warming the oil if you intend to finish it with in 10 to 12 days. If using cold pressed oil, skip heating the oil.
- Powder 1 tablespoon mustard seeds and ½ teaspoon roasted methi seeds in a blender to a fine or coarse powder to suit your liking. A fine powder needs less oil for the pickle.
Cut the Mango
- Wash 1 large mango (or 2 medium) well under running water. I prefer to soak mango in salted water for 30 minutes, scrub it with additional salt and wash off. If you are using organic mango, you can just wash it well and use. Dry it thoroughly. Wipe off with an absorbent cloth or tissue.
- Chop them to slightly large cubes of 1 by 1 inch. Smaller pieces tend to turn very soft and mushy when stored for longer. Also I used up the left over pulp on the mango. I finely chopped it as well. They turn soft and add volume to the pickle gravy.
Optional – for extra shelf-life
You can skip this step if you are going to refrigerate the mango pickle right away after making it. If you prefer to store it for a few months at room temperature, then sun dry all the spice powders, garlic, salt and chopped mangoes for 4 to 5 hours. This has to be done in hot sun. If you do not have sunlight, then keep them in the oven set to 60 to 70 C (140 to 160 F) for 1 hour, with the oven door left ajar. Spread the spice powders in a plate. Then garlic & chopped mangoes in a separate tray. Place them under sun or in oven. (I don’t keep the salt in oven). Later cool them and follow the recipe steps.
Make the Mango Pickle
- To a large mixing bowl, add 1 ¼ cup mango cubes, 3 tablespoons red chili powder, mustard methi powder from the grinder, 1 ½ teaspoon salt and 4 lightly crushed garlic cloves.
- Add oil we warmed up earlier. Ensure it is cool before adding to the mixture.
- Mix everything well. The mixture looks dark and dry at this stage.
- Cover it and set aside in a dry place for 24 hours. Avoid keeping in the kitchen as it is usually a place filled with humidity due to cooking.
- After 24 to 28 hours, mango releases moisture or juices. Mix well with a dry spoon. Some kind of mangoes just don’t release any juices so it may still be dry after a day. Taste test and add more salt if needed. You will get to see this yummy hot spicy mango pickle ready. It may taste slightly pungent and bitter for a week or so. But as the pickle ages it will be just fine. Store mango pickle in a glass or ceramic jar. Do not use plastic jars for storing pickles, the taste of the pickle changes and it is unhealthy to use plastic containers for storing pickles. Serve with rice, paratha, idli , dosa and curd rice.
Pro Tips
Shelf-life: If you do not have sunlight in the place you live, then you can skip all the sun drying process you can skip the step but ensure you refrigerate the pickle after 24 hours. Alternately you can also heat them in the oven. This has worked out super good to me & my pickles stay at room temperature for several months. Red chilli powder: I have used fresh byadgi chili powder from India which gives a bright color. Kashmiri chili powder too works good. If you are using any other store bought powder that is hot, then you may need to cut down the quantity. Quantities: This mango pickle is more of a gravy like consistency rather than dry, since it is mostly relished with plain white rice. To make a pickle with lesser gravy, use half the amount of oil, chilli, mustard and methi powder. Related Recipes
