A pretty pickle – Mamidi Avakai Recipe

DECCAN CHRONICLE | PRIYANKA PRAVEEN

Continuing our love affair with mangoes, this week too we give you recipes that use raw mangoes — pickles to be specific.

Mamidi Avakai
Ingredients
3 medium raw mangoes
1 cup mustard seed powder
1 cup red chilli powder
¾ cup, powdered rock salt
1¼ cups of groundnut oil
1/3 cup of garlic cloves
1½ tbsp methi seeds
w Pickle jar (for storage)

Method
Wash and soak mangoes in water for an hour. Clean the mangoes with a cloth and cut them into eight pieces. Clean the pieces with a soft cloth and leave to dry. Grind the rock salt to a fine powder. Keep it aside. Peel the garlic and keep aside.

In a large bowl add red chilli powder, mustard powder and salt and mix well. Add methi seeds, garlic cloves and 3/4 cup oil and mix well. Add the mango pieces and mix well with your hands, coating the mango pieces with the mixture. Place the spice coated mango pieces in the jar. Pour ¼ cup oil on top and cover the pickle jar with the lid. Tie a cloth over the lid and keep it in a moisture free area. Let the pickle marinate for three-four days. After four days, mix the pickle carefully with a clean and dry ladle and add the rest of the oil.

Tips while making pickles
Always keep in mind that the mango pieces need to be wiped dry. After you wash the mango and cut it into pieces, wipe it dry with a cloth and let it dry for a while, or the pickle can get spoilt.

After the pickle is made, on the fourth or fifth day, place it into a wide vessel.
Mix well with a long ladle that is clean and dry. Also, add more oil so that it covers the entire pickle as it helps preserve it.

The best way to get a long-lasting and delicious pickle is to get the freshest ingredients. Whether it is the mangoes or even the chilli powder and the other ingredients, make sure everything is fresh.

Mamidi Turumu
Ingredients
1 green mango
2 tsp mustard seeds
1½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1½ red chilli powder
1½ tbsp salt  w 2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 red chillies
1 tsp asafoetida

Method
Wash and peel the mango. Grate it with a coconut scraper and keep aside.
Dry roast fenugreek seeds, let them cool and grind into powder. Grind mustard seeds into a powder. In a mixing bowl, add the ground powders, salt, red chilli powder and grated mango. Mix well and keep aside.
Heat oil and add dry red chillies, mustard seeds and asafoetida. Let it cool. Pour the cooled mixture over the grated mango-spice marination. Serve in a bowl.