Summer means mangoes. I like mangoes of all kinds, all colours and all shapes from all states 😀 Although a ripe orange-yellow mango is the most sought after, the humble raw mango is no less in terms of taste and its contribution to the repertoire of finger-licking dishes. The beaches in Chennai are filled with push carts selling raw mangoes spiced with chilly powder and salt, which makes for a tasty time-pass snack. I personally love sweetish-sour raw mangoes which make for amazing additions to meals. One of such standout raw mango based dishes is this super easy pickle. This dish especially will fill your house with an amazing aroma that will surely make you hungry!
Ingredients:
- Raw mango, grated – 2 medium sized mangoes (pick the semi-sweet ones)
- Fenugreek seeds – 2 tsp
- Kashmiri lal mirch (red chilly powder) – 1 tsp
- Katti perungayam (Rock asafoetida) – pound with a mortar and pestle to make 1/2 tsp. The flavour is much more pronounced this way; alternatively you could use the usual powdered asafoetida of same quantity.
- Black mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Jaggery – 1 tsp, grated
- Oil – 3 tbsp
Recipe:
- Dry roast the fenugreek seeds in a pan until they release their aroma. Switch off the stove, and pound them to make a powder – its alright if it is a little coarse. Set aside.
- Pound the rock asafoetida until powdered. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Once oil is hot, add the black mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
- Add the pounded asafoetida, fenugreek powder and laal mirch to the hot oil. Switch off the stove immediately.
- Now add the grated raw mango to the spiced oil and quickly give a mix. This needs to be done immediately after switching off the stove, so that the hot oil steeped in spices coats the raw mango uniformly.
- Switch on the stove to medium flame and cook the raw mangoes in oil well. Keep mixing every two to three minutes so that they do not catch and burn. This also distributes the oil and ensures even cooking.
- Add salt at this stage, and the jaggery. Mix well until incorporated. Taste and adjust accordingly if you need more or less of any spices or seasoning.
- Once the oil separates from the mix, switch off the stove.
- Let the thokku cool down to room temperature.
Use a clean spoon to transfer the contents into a plastic airtight container. Always remember to use a clean plastic spoon to serve the pickle. This will keep it fresh in the fridge for upto one week. If it lasts that long, that is ! 😀
This is an excellent side to almost everything – rotis, rice, chapatis, dal etc. If you pick sweetish mangoes, it tastes sweet-sour-hot at the same time, amalgamating these tastes beautifully. Try it ! 🙂
a burst of flavor 