Main Ingredients:
Ingredients
- Raw green mangoes - 3 medium size, each cut into 6-8 pieces approx 4 cups
- Mustard seeds powder - 1 cup (sun dry a little less than 1 cup mustard seeds, grind to a fine pwd)
- Red chili powder - 1 cup
- Salt - 3/4 cup powdered white crystal salt
- Gingelly oil - 1 1/4 cups
- Garlic cloves - 1/3 cup
- Methi seeds - 1 1/2 tsps
Method
- Wash and soak mangoes in water for an hour. Wash the pickle jars and sun dry the jar till completely dry with absolutely no moisture.
- Wipe the mangoes with a cloth and cut them into pieces with the kernel intact.
- Clean the pieces with a soft cloth and spread them over a dry cloth while you work on the rest of the pickle preparation. .
- Grind the sun dried mustard seeds to a fine powder. Set aside.
- Grind the crystal salt to a fine powder. Set aside.
- Peel the garlic and set aside.
- Take a large wide vessel or bowl and add red chili powder, mustard powder and salt and mix well with clean, dry hand. Add methi seeds, garlic cloves and 3/4 cup oil and mix well. When you take a fistful of this mixture and close your fist, it should be able to take shape. Its alright even if it crumbles slightly.
- Add the mango pieces and mix well with your hands such that the mixture coats the mango pieces.
- Place the spice coated mango pieces along with some of the spice mixture and add to the jar. Any remaining spice powder should be added to the jar. Pour 1/4 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.
- On the 4th day, open the pickle jar and use a clean dry ladle and mix the contents carefully. Taste the mixture and check if its salty. If required add 1-2 tbsps. Pour 1/4 cup oil on top as the pickle needs to be covered in thin layer of oil. Cover the jar with lid and tie a cloth over it. Let the pickle marinate for another 4 days.
- After 4 days (i.e 8th day from the day the pickle was prepared) mix the pickle carefully with a clean and dry ladle. The mango pickle is ready for consumption.
- Remove a small quantity of mango pickle into a small bharani or pickle jar for everyday use.
- Serve kotha avakai with hot steamed rice, mudda pappu (cooked tur dal) and ghee.
