MANGO PICKLE/MANGO AVAKAI

 MANGO PICKLE/MANGO AVAKAYA/MANGO AVAKAI

Mango is known as " the king of fruits".Mango pickle is a traditional Indian condiment made up of different varieties of spices,oil.Mango pickle is a side dish of every meal in India.In India many varieties of pickles are very famous like Mango pickle,lemon pickle,gooseberry pickle  etc are raw fruits and green leafy vegetables pickles like Gongura(sorrel leaves), coriander pickle etc and some vegetables pickles like green chilli pickle, ginger pickle, garlic pickle, tomato pickle, bitter guard pickle,raw tamarind pickle, mixed vegetable pickle,ripened  chilli pickle etc.

MANGOES VARIETIES:-

Whenever the summer season starts,every Indians must prepare this Mango pickle.There are different varieties of mangoes are available in India from March to July,but some varieties of mangoes are perfect to prepare the Mango pickle.We make different types of recipes with raw mangoes like Mango pachadi(mango chutney- you can read this recipe in my blog),raw mango pulihora ( this recipe also read in my blog) ,Mango pickle etc.Some mangoes are only used for raw mango chutneys, pulihora and they are very sour taste and it is also used in dal ( pappu,green leafy vegetable dal instead of tamarind),this is very tasty.These mangoes are available in through out the year.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES :-

In my childhood days I had some fun moments  and I want to share you,I don't know many Indian people have the same feelings.while preparing the Mango pickle,my mother cutting the all mangoes into small pieces and dry it for one or two hours. In that one or two hours my brothers, sisters,cousins and I also take the raw mango pieces to eat.My mother gave us to eat the raw mangoes but we had eat only the cut mango pieces.My mother says" Eat all the raw mangoes ,today I don't prepare this raw mango pickle ,ok go ahead".Then we were realised and stop the eating of raw mangoes,waiting for mango pickle.

Another lovely moment in all of the south Indian families is that after completion of mango pickle my mother preserved in a ceramic jar.My mother prepares hot steamed rice and my grandmother take large plate or big bowl and serve more quantity of hot steamed rice,ghee,freshly prepared mango pickle,make (Annam mudhalu)rice balls and we are sitting around of my grand mother including my parents also.She serves to each and every family member this rice balls ,I don't know how much of rice we will eat.This is not a food preparation and also love,care on our nears and dears.The mango pickle is also distributed to neighbours,housemaids, workers etc.Why I share this moment is that every one know to cook food for our selves but we must know about how to serve the food to others with love and care if he/she is your family member or outer person.

BEST VARIETIES OF MANGOES FOR PICKLE:-

I will share a best indication to select the mangoes for pickle.

Chinna rasalu is one of the variety of mangoes and when it is in raw mango it has very sour and perfect to prepare the Mango pickle.At the same time when it is ripened it is very sweet, I think this chinna rasalu mango variety is the sweetest mango variety to compared with the all mango varieties.

Another mango variety is raw banginapalli mango variety,  most of the people prepared very sour mango varieties ,but this variety is sufficient sour not less or more.I prepared both varieties of mangoes like chinna rasalu, raw banginapalli but the measurements of the ingredients are slight variations.So you will try seasonal raw mangoes.

Raw mango pickle preparation is different from region to region,but today I share Andhra style traditional Mango pickle.I learnt this Mango pickle from my mother and I continue the traditional way of cooking.The ingredients are used as mustard powder, sesame oil, salt,garlic pods, Fenugreek powder etc and in some places they shall add  other spices.

The process of mango pickle is a different way of cutting the Mangoes and the cutting of mangoes are not easy ,sometimes I need to help my husband to cutting the big hard shell mangoes.Very important thing is that measurements and preservation.We cannot use any preservatives like citric acid, vinegar.We only preserved in glass jars or ceramic jars( jaadi- in telugu).

BENIFITS OF MANGOES:-

Mango is every one favourite fruit because of its sweet and aromatic taste.Raw mangoes  have many nutritional values such as follows

1.Rich antioxidant content:-

Raw mangoes pickles are freshly and without cooking  - antioxidants are protecting the body from oxidative damages.

2.Rich source of vitamin -C, K, fibre.

3.Good for hair and skin health because of vitamin - C.

4.Improve digestion- mangoes have fibre which helps healthy bowel movement,protect of stomach related issues.

5.Boost immunity.

6.Prevents dehydration .

Some cons also there like everyday eating of too much of pickle is not healthy habit why because mango pickle not only mango but also all the pickles have preserved with more salt ,salt means sodium chloride.So more salt intakes gives rise to blood pressure.Some people don't have time to prepare the Mango pickle, they will buy the mango pickle outside shops but the mango pickles or other pickles are preserved with chemicals in outside shops.So I recommend to you that, if you have one hour in your hand in weekend please make this mango pickle with your own hands.All ages of people like this mango pickle.

I used raw mangoes seasonally available, mustard powder, sesame oil, turmeric powder,salt,red chilli powder, Fenugreek powder.

PREPARATION OF MANGO PICKLE:-

I used 5 medium sizes mangoes,clean with water ,wipe with clean cotton cloth and leave it in sun light for fifteen minutes.Clean a big ceramic jar or glass jar and wipe with cloth , leave it for some time to dry.

INGREDIENTS:-

Raw mangoes - 5 (4 glasses of mango pieces.

• Red chilli powder - 1glass

• Turmeric powder - less than 1/4 th glass

• Salt - 3/4th glass

• Mustard powder - 2spoons

• Fenugreek powder - 1spoon

• Sesame oil - 1&1/2cup

• Garlic pods - 10

PREPARATION:-

1.First of all clean the raw mangoes with water and wipe with cotton cloth and leave it for one hour for dry.

2.Now cutting the Mangoes process,first remove the  part which is attached to stalk, while cutting the mangoes releases gum like material it is no need for pickle preparation.

3.Then cut the raw mangoes with the help of sharp knife,remove the inside seed.The mango seed is covered with hard shell,so we cut the mangoes with this shell ,so mango cutting is hard.So we must remove the stalk joint part, seed.

.4Cut the mangoes in midium size.

But today I am showing small pieces of mango pickle.

5.After cutting of mango pieces let them dry for one hour in a cloth. 

6.Take a ceramic jar (already clean, dry) add raw mango pieces,salt,red chilli powder, turmeric powder.

If you take  glass for measurements  only use the same glass for other ingredients to prepare mango pickle.For example I use chinna rasalu raw mango  for the pickle preparation the perfect measurements given below:

Mango pieces - 4 glasses

Red chilli powder - 1 glass

Turmeric powder - less than 1/4 th glass 

Salt - 3/4 th glass 

Mustard seeds and Fenugreek seeds powder - 1/4 th glass.

We will use 100grams of mustard seeds and 50 grams of Fenugreek seeds in a vessel and fry in a low flame after five minutes switch off the stove and keep it some time, grind the mustard seeds and Fenugreek seeds ,make a fine powder.So we must use half of the ratio like above measurements of mustard seeds and Fenugreek seeds.

We use Mustard seeds and Fenugreek seeds powder  is 1/4 th glass and if the powder is remaining ,keep in a box and we can use it in the other pickles also.If you take more Fenugreek seeds than mustard seeds the taste is not good So the measurements is very important for this mango pickle.

We mix the raw mangoes,red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt with clean big spatula and covered with lid ,leave it for one day.

Next day heat one and half glass sesame oil and let it cool for some time.

Peel the garlic pods.

Now add the garlic pods,mustard, Fenugreek powder,cool sesame oil into the raw mangoes and mix with clean spatula.

Oil ,salts prevents the  damage of mango pickle.Always pour oil above line of the mango pickle.

After three days ,take the small amount of mango pickle in a small jar for daily eating purpose.

If we will take  pickle in everyday from the jar ,it may be damage or fungus infected.So we will take in a small jar for daily eating purpose.

If I take raw banginapalli mango variety for the preparation of pickle,the measurements are slight different why because this mango variety is less sour compared with chinna rasalu.So the measurements are banginapalli mango pieces - 4 glasses 

Red chilli powder - 1 glass 

Turmeric powder -  less than 1/4 th glass 

Salt - 1/2glass ,less than 3/4 th glass ( less sour)

Mustard, Fenugreek powder - 1/4 th glass.

Sesame oil - 1&1/2 glass.

Some people use groundnut oil, sunflower oil,mustard oil.

TIPS:-

1. Before making the mango pickle dry the mango pieces.

2.Don't use wet spatula.

3.We can eat after two days.

4.Keep in dry ceramic jars or glass jars only otherwise steel,copper, aluminium utensils react with pickles.

5.I mentioned the measurements with a glass.

6.This is a perfect mango pickle recipe.

You can use any raw mango according to its sourness you will add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt etc.Every year my mother prepares different varieties of pickles and I learned some of those,and the time starts to continue our traditional Indian recipes for my children and my nears.Everyone try this delicious mango pickle and eat with hot steamed rice and ghee, there is no words to explain , yummy and mouth- watering mango pickle enjoy with your family.