Mango Pickle or Andhra Avakaya Recipe, is a spicy pickle made with mangoes. It is special to Andhra and Telangana as the taste and texture. Though other states too make it, but the taste and texture looks different. It is unique only to Telugu states.
Pickling is an art. When it comes to mango it is next level art. All other pickles like tomato, tamarind and lemon can be prepared by beginners too but when it comes to mango we have to have a special experience too. Chandra my co-sister is such an expert in making pickles specially mango. Every year I take her help and prepare it. We make different varieties of pickles like Magaya, Tipi Avakaya, turumudu pachadi and the list goes on. I will be sharing the recipes of all of them as and when we they are ready.
Preparation of pickles and handling them is also as important as preparing. While handling pickles we have to be very careful as they have to be used for year long time. We should always use clean and dry spoons to take them for serving. Keep the clean and dry bottles readily available to transfer the pickle.
All the rules for handling pickles applies particularly to mango pickle or Andhra Avakaya recipe.
Making of mango pickle or Andhra Avakaya Recipe is considered to be a big event during the summer season every year. This pickle stays for over a year. So, we have to prepare it in a clean and dry place. And, should handle it carefully.
Earlier, people used to prepare this pickle with more than 100 mangoes and use only freshly made ingredients. Nowadays, we get specially grounded ingredients in grocery stores.
For Mango pickle or Andhra Avakaya recipe we have choose mangoes carefully. They should be sour in taste and have lot of fiber. The mangoes should be stiff and hard. The flesh of the mangoes should be fibrous and sour. When we bite them for tasting, we should get some fiber with it. This makes the pickle last long and taste great.
While getting the mangoes is a task involving knack, cutting them is a herculean task. We use a special cutter for the mangoes that can cut the seed inside. The shell should not get separated while cutting, but the seed inside has to be taken off. The shell part should stay attached to the mango pieces to hold the ingredients to sink into the pieces — the process of osmosis.
Now, coming to making of the recipe, the above mentioned quantities must be followed. They may vary depending on two things — the sourness of the mangoes and the size of the mango. Usually, a mango can yield 8 to 12 pieces. Just in case, salt can be added after three days also. Here you go.
Store them in a clean and dry ceramic jars or Bharani or Jaadi (in Telugu) and then put the lid and cover it with a clean cloth and tie it to retain the aroma and taste for full year, intact. Keep them at a clean, dry place. The pickle may be collected in a small bottle or a bowl separately for daily consumption.
Key Ingredients for Mango Pickle:
- Mangoes: Choose green, sour mangoes. They should be hard and not ripen.
- Spices: Salt, red chilli powder and mustard powder, we should get them before hand.
- Salt: We normally get rock salt powdered. Always use only that. Some people use direct rock salt, but measurements may vary.
- Red Chilli Powder: Use best chilli powder available in your near stores. We can get it done too but we have to have special mills to make chilli powder.
- Rai Powder/Mustard Powder: This is also would be available in stores, get the best quality product. If you want to make it, sun dry equal portions of big and small mustard and blend them to make powder.
- Oil: Use only Sesame seed oil, We get a special oil for pickles.
- Garlic: Adding garlic is purely optional, some people don’t eat garlic at all so that they won’t add.
Procedure in Mango Pickle:
Follow the steps carefully while making the pickle.
- Wash the mangoes. Wipe them with a dry and clean cloth and cut the mangoes into pieces in the required size.
- Cut the mango pieces using a special cutters. Get it be done by the vendors as we do not have those cutters at home. Otherwise we have to have it at home.
- Remove the thin filmy layer on the seed attached to the hard shell of the pieces. Wipe the cut mango pieces with a dry clean cloth. Keep them aside.
- Take a deep,wide, clean and dry bowl/plastic tub and wash it, wipe with dry cloth. Sun dry it for sometime before using.
- Add turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds, salt, mustard seed powder into it, and then red chilli powder and mix all of them well.
- Add little oil (approx. 1/4 ltr). Mix it well so that it should hold on together.
- Add handful of mango pieces and combine them with the above masala.
- Once done, drop them along with the masala into the container.
- Ceramic Jaadi or bharani is always ideal and advisable to store any pickles.
- After adding two layers of mango pieces along with the masala into the container, pour little oil.
- Repeat the same with rest of the pieces. Lastly, add garlic (if adding them).
- Once done, cover it with a lid and tie it with a dry and clean cloth.
- On the third day, remix with clean and dry spoon. Add oil and salt if necessary and the pickle is ready to serve.
Check the recipe card below for a detailed recipe and tips to follow.
Mango Pickle | Andhra Avakaya Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Kg Mangoes or 8 Medium Sized Mangoes
- 3 Cups Salt
- 3 Cups Mustard Powder
- 4 Cups Red Chilli Powder
- 3 tbsp Asafoetida
- 1 tbsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 500 grams Garlic optional
- 4 ltrs Gingelly Oil
- 4 tbsp Mustard Oil
Instructions
- Wash the mangoes. Wipe them with a dry and clean cloth and cut the mangoes into pieces in the required size.
- Remove the thin filmy layer on the seed which is attached to the hard shell of the pieces. Keep them aside.
- Take a deep, wide, clean and dry stainless steel or plastic tub and wash it, wipe with dry cloth.
- Keep it under sun for sometime before using.
- Add turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds, salt, mustard seed powder into the tub, and then red chilli powder and mix all of them well.
- Add little oil (approx. 1/4 ltr). Mix it well so that it should hold on together.
- Add handful of mango pieces and combine them with the above masala.
- Once done, drop them along with the masala into the ceramic jar or bharani or jaadi or we can use Plastic bucket with a lid.
- Or else whatever the container that is used for storage.
- Ceramic Jaadi or bharani is always ideal and advisable to store any pickles.
- After adding two layers of mango pieces along with the masala into the container, cover them with little oil.
- Repeat the same with the rest of mango pieces. Lastly, add garlic.
- Once done, cover it with a lid and a clean cloth.
- Tie the container covering with a dry and clean cloth.
- Keep it aside for two days.
- On the third day, open it and mix it well with a dry and clean spoon.
- After mixing well, check the taste, and add salt if needed.
- Pour some more oil. The oil should float on the top of the pickle.
- Serve Mango pickle or Andhra Avakaya recipe with piping hot rice and a dash of ghee.