It's almost impossible to think back to summer vacations without mangoes in many parts of India. In South India, these endearing memories are not just about fresh mangoes but also raw mangoes in different sizes that get tossed into pickles that outlast the summer months. I remember large porcelain jars of avakaya pickle would make their way to Chennai from my father's paternal village - Tadimalla in the heart of Andhra Pradesh's fertile West Godavari district. I relived those memories during a recent visit to the village as I sampled this spicy pickle; it's arguably the most popular pickle export from Andhra Pradesh. But that's not the only mango pickle you should try:
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Here're 4 South Indian Mango Pickles To Try:
Kalyana Pesara Manga pickle (or) Instant Raw Mango pickle - recipe
A recurring feature of wedding feasts across South India, this spiced raw mango pickle is one of the easiest pickles you can make. It's a favourite with curd rice and tastes particularly good with Kashmiri chili powder.
Ingredients:
2 medium sized Raw mangoes, finely chopped
3 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 tbsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tbsp Fenugreek seeds
1/4 tbsp Mustard Seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
1/2 cup Sesame oil
Method:
- Add the chopped raw mangoes to a bowl
- Sprinkle the chilli powder, turmeric and salt over the mango
- Heat the oil in a ladle, temper with mustard, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and pour it over the mango
- Mix well and transfer it to an air-tight glass jar
Manga Thokku - Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Raw Mango - Big Size/ 250 gm (The 'Kili Mooku' Mango works best)
3 tbsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Asafoetida
2 tbsp Salt As Needed
1/2 tsp Fenugreek Powder
1 tsp Grated Jaggery
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
5 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Method:
- Wash, peel and grate the mango.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds sputter, add the grated mango and stir well.
- Sprinkle the turmeric powder and mix well.
- Stir-fry for a minute. Add red chilli powder and salt; mix well.
- Add 3 more tablespoons of oil to the mixture and stir well.
- Allow the thokku to blend well with oil on a low flame low till the oil oozes out of the thokku.
- Add fenugreek powder, mix well and turn off the flame.
- Cool it down and store the pickle in an air-tight container.
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Mango thokku can be easily prepared at home.
Avakaya or Avakkai pickle
Andhra's best known mango pickle combines green mango with powdered mustard seeds and an assortment of spices. The unique process involves cutting mangoes into medium-sized pieces with special knives that don't damage the mango and the seed. You get unique pieces of mango attached with a hard layer on top (the seed). The pieces are wiped dry and then pickled. The version from my village in West Godavari district also featured chickpeas and garlic pods. The typical process involved maturing the mixture for about one or two months.
Vadu Mangai Pickle - recipe
This unique pickle is made with bite-sized, baby mangoes. These mangoes are becoming increasingly difficult to find during the summer.
Ingredients
250 gram Raw Mango (baby mangoes)
4-5 tsp Red Chilli powder
2 tsp Mustard seeds, coarsely pounded
3 tsp Rock Salt
Instructions
- Wash mangoes well and trim the long stems.
- Spread it on a cloth and air dry (The mangoes need to be moisture free).
- Dry wipe a large glass jar with a cloth - ensure there are no traces of moisture or dirt
- Add the mangoes in the jar along with salt, red chili powder and mustard. Stir to combine. Once mangoes are coated with the spices, seal the jar with the lid.
- The salt, chilli powder and the mustard will come together to form a gravy .
- The pickling process takes about 10 days. Do not open the jar or use a spoon to stir the mangoes at this point. Shake the jar gently twice every day just enough to combine the ingredients.
- The mangoes reduce in size and wrinkle with a brownish green skin after 10 days when you open the lid. This indicates that the pickle is ready to consume.