Andhra Avakaya Mango Pickle

Name: Andhra Avakaya Mango Pickle
Prep time: 1 h 28 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: South Indian
Ingredients: 2.2 lb (1000 g) hard, sour green mangoes, washed, dried thoroughly, then cut with skin on into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, white inner kernel discarded; 6 tbsp (100 g) coarse sea salt or pickling salt, dry, free of lumps; 1 cup (100 g) yellow or brown mustard powder, fine, fresh and dry; ¾ cup (100 g) hot red chili powder (Guntur style), fine, dry; 2 tbsp (20 g) fenugreek seeds (methi), dry-toasted until golden and ground to a fine powder; 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric; 1½ oz (40 g) garlic cloves, peeled, left whole, patted dry (optional); 1 cup (250 ml) cold-pressed sesame (gingelly) oil, heated until it just shimmers, then cooled completely to room temperature

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fiery, tangy, mustard-rich raw mango pickle from Andhra Pradesh. Firm green mango chunks are coated in a dry masala of chili, mustard and toasted fenugreek, sun-cured for three days, then matured under a layer of sesame oil.

Prep: 1 hr 28 min
Cook: 7 min
Wait: 10.1 days
Total: 10.2 days
Makes: About 1.3 kg (1 large 1.5-liter jar, roughly 24 servings of 2 tablespoons)

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Ingredients

24 servings

2¼ lb (1000 g) hard, sour green mangoes, washed, dried thoroughly, then cut with skin on into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, white inner kernel discarded
6 tbsp (100 g) coarse sea salt or pickling salt, dry, free of lumps
1 cup (100 g) yellow or brown mustard powder, fine, fresh and dry
¾ cup (100 g) hot red chili powder (Guntur style), fine, dry
2 tbsp (20 g) fenugreek seeds (methi), dry-toasted until golden and ground to a fine powder
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
1½ oz (40 g) garlic cloves, peeled, left whole, patted dry (optional)
1 cup (250 ml) cold-pressed sesame (gingelly) oil, heated until it just shimmers, then cooled completely to room temperature

Equipment (10)

1.5-liter (50 oz) wide-mouth glass or food-grade ceramic jar with a tight lid
Large dry stainless-steel or glass mixing bowl
Sharp, heavy knife or cleaver and a dry cutting board
Small saucepan (1-quart/1 L) for heating oil
Small dry skillet
Spice grinder or blender jar (dry)
Clean cotton cloth and rubber band or string
Kitchen scale and measuring spoons
Clean towels for drying mangoes
Dry long-handled spoon

Steps

Before you start

Everything that touches the pickle must be completely bone dry: jar, spoons, cutting board, knife, hands. Even a few drops of water can cause mold.
Choose very hard, sour, dark green mangoes (Totapuri or any pickling variety) with a firm, undeveloped seed. Ripe or sweet mangoes will turn mushy.
Wash the glass or ceramic jar in hot soapy water and dry it in the sun or in a 200°F (95°C) oven for 15 minutes, then cool fully.
Plan for about 10 days from start to first serving: 3 days of sun-curing plus about a week of maturing. The pickle tastes best after 2 weeks.
Wear gloves when handling the chili masala if you have sensitive skin.

1
Wash and dry mangoes
- Rinse the mangoes under cold water, rubbing off any dirt.
- Wipe each one with a clean towel, then set them on a dry towel in a single layer for 30 minutes so all surface moisture evaporates.
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Ready when: Skins feel completely dry to the touch, with no beads of water near the stem
Tip: Moisture is the main cause of spoilage in pickles. Do not skip drying.
2
Heat and cool oil
- Pour the sesame oil into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes until it thins out, smells nutty and just starts to shimmer.
- Do not let it smoke.
- Remove from the heat, pour into a dry bowl or leave in the pan, and let it cool to room temperature while you cut the mangoes and dry them (about 2 hours).
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Ready when: Oil looks thinner and shimmers with a light nutty aroma, but is not smoking
Tip: Warm oil would cook the mustard and mango, so it must be fully cool before use.
3
Cut mango pieces
- Stand each mango on a dry board and cut it with a heavy knife into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes, cutting through the hard seed shell so that each piece has skin on one side.
- Discard the soft white inner kernel and any fibrous bits.
- You should have about 1 kg of pieces.
- Spread them on a dry towel in a single layer and let them air-dry for 2 hours, turning once, until the cut surfaces look matte and not wet.
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Ready when: Cut faces look dull and dry, not glossy or damp
Tip: Choose a stainless steel or ceramic knife; avoid carbon steel, which can discolor the mango.
4
Toast and grind fenugreek
- Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the fenugreek seeds and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the pan constantly, until they turn golden and smell nutty.
- Tip onto a plate and cool completely, then grind to a fine powder in a dry spice grinder.
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Ready when: Seeds are light golden and fragrant, not dark brown
Tip: Over-toasted fenugreek turns very bitter, so pull it as soon as it colors.
5
Mix the masala
- In a large dry bowl, whisk together the salt, mustard powder, chili powder, ground fenugreek and turmeric until the color is even and no lumps remain.
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Ready when: Masala is a uniform deep red with no pale streaks
Tip: Break up any salt or mustard clumps with the back of a dry spoon.
6
Coat mango with masala
- Add the dried mango pieces and the garlic, if using, to the masala.
- Pour in half of the cooled oil (about ½ cup / 125 ml).
- Toss with a dry spoon for 2 to 3 minutes until every piece is thickly coated in a paste-like masala.
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Ready when: No dry masala is left in the bottom of the bowl and each piece is evenly coated
Tip: Reserve the remaining oil for the top layer later.
7
Pack the jar
- Spoon the coated mango into the dry jar in layers, pressing gently with a dry spoon to remove air pockets.
- Scrape any masala from the bowl into the jar.
- Leave 2 inches (5 cm) of headspace.
- Cover the mouth with a clean cotton cloth secured by a rubber band, then set the lid loosely on top.
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Ready when: Jar is filled about three-quarters full with mango compacted and no big gaps
Tip: Leave headspace because the mango releases juice and the level rises.
8
Sun-cure for three days
- Set the jar in a sunny, dry spot (a sunny windowsill or balcony, bringing it in before dusk or if rain threatens) for 3 days.
- Once a day, stir thoroughly from the bottom with a dry spoon, about 5 minutes each time.
- The salt will draw juice out of the mango and the masala will become a loose, glossy red gravy.
- Keep the cloth on between stirrings.
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Ready when: Mango pieces have turned slightly olive and softened at the edges but still feel firm when pressed, and the gravy is syrupy
Tip: In cold or humid weather, cure on a warm shelf for 4 to 5 days instead.
9
Add oil layer
- Stir the pickle once more, then press the pieces down so they are submerged.
- Pour the remaining cooled oil (about ½ cup / 125 ml) over the top so there is a ½-inch (1 cm) layer of oil covering the mango.
- Wipe the rim with a dry paper towel and close the lid tightly.
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Ready when: All mango and masala are covered by a ½-inch (1 cm) layer of oil
Tip: If the oil is not covering the surface after a week, top up with extra cooled sesame oil.
10
Mature before serving
- Store the sealed jar in a cool, dark cupboard for 7 days, shaking or stirring gently with a dry spoon every 2 days.
- The mango will soften slightly and the flavors will meld.
- Serve with hot rice, ghee and curd, or with dosa and idli.
- Always use a dry spoon.
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Ready when: Mango is tender but not mushy, the oil has turned deep red, and the aroma is sharp, tangy and nutty
Tip: The pickle tastes best after 2 weeks.

Good to know

Tips

Use hard, sour mangoes with an undeveloped seed shell; soft or semi-ripe ones turn mushy.
Never use a wet spoon. Keep a dedicated dry spoon next to the jar.
If you see white fuzzy mold, discard the pickle. A little white salt crystal or cloudy oil is normal.
For a milder pickle, reduce the chili powder to ½ cup (65 g), but do not reduce the salt, which preserves the mango.

Make ahead

"Make during mango season (April to June) and mature for 2 weeks. The pickle keeps improving for several weeks and can be made months before it is needed."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 6 months in a cool, dark cupboard in a tightly sealed jar with the mango always covered by oil. Refrigerator: up to 12 months, though the oil may solidify, so let the jar sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. Freezer: not recommended. No reheating is needed; serve at room temperature using a dry spoon only."

Substitutions

cold-pressed sesame (gingelly) oil → cold-pressed groundnut (peanut) oil. Gives a milder, less nutty flavor; traditional Andhra versions use either.
hot red chili powder (Guntur style) → half Kashmiri chili powder and half hot chili powder. Keeps the bright red color with less heat.
yellow or brown mustard powder → whole mustard seeds, ground fine. Use the same weight (100 g); grind in a dry grinder in short bursts and cool before mixing.
coarse sea salt or pickling salt → fine non-iodized salt. Use about 20% less by volume (about 5 tbsp) because fine salt packs more densely.