Making perfect mango pickles

While we all combat the scorching heat of May, the sight of juicy mangoes flooding the market is bound to make one smile. And while there is joy in having the fruit whole and ripe, there is perhaps equal happiness in smearing the flesh of raw mangoes with salt, turmeric and spices and making a batch of one’s own homemade pickle to be enjoyed for months to come. Home cooks Poonam Malik and Alpa Modi from the city share simple and delightful recipes.

Punjabi Masala Mango Pickle

Ingredients:

• 1 kg raw mangoes, washed, dried and cut into medium-sized pieces
• 100 gm salt  
• 100 gm fennel seeds
• 25 gm, fenugreek
• 10 gm kalonji
• 10 gm black pepper-
• 10 gm, ajwain
• 50 gm yellow mustard powder 

Dry masalas:

• 20 gm turmeric
• 50 gm red chilli powder
• 2 tsps hing
• 250 gm mustard oil
• 100 gms salt
• 25gm turmeric powder

Punjabi Masala Mango Pickle

Method:

• Wash, dry and cut mangoes into medium-sized cubes. Add the marination (salt and turmeric) and keep it overnight.
• Next morning, strain the mango pieces and keep in the sun for two hours.
• Dry roast fennel seeds, fenugreek, kalonji, black pepper and ajwain on a slow flame, and make a coarse mixture.
• Heat the mustard oil till smoky and then turn off the flame. Let it cool down.
• Add the ground masala and the dried mango pieces. Add salt, turmeric, hing and red chillies.
• Mix well and fill it in a dry, clean glass jar. Keep it in the sun for four days.
• After four days, now pour raw mustard oil till the pickle is covered entirely.

Tip: Store in an airtight glass jar. This will last for an entire season

Methia nu Achar

Ingredients

• 1 kg raw mangoes, washed, dried and cut into small cubes
• 100 gm sea salt
• 25 gm turmeric powder

Dry masalas

• 150 gm yellow mustard powder
• 50 gms fenugreek seeds
• 100 gms red chilli powder
• 25 gms turmeric powder
• 10 gms black pepper whole
• 10 garlic cloves
• 2 tsps hing  
• 100 gm salt
• 250 gm sesame oil

Method

• Wash, dry and cut the raw mangoes in small cubes. Add 100 gms of sea salt, 25 gms of turmeric powder and keep it overnight.
• Next morning, strain and keep in the sun for two hours.
• Mix all the masalas together. Add 100 gms of heated and cooled sesame oil. Mix it well with the mango pieces.
• Fill it in a clean and dry airtight glass jar.
• Now keep this for four days.
• On the fourth day, heat the remaining sesame oil and cool it, then pour it in the jar and mix well.

— Poonam Malik

Spicy Mango Pickle

Ingredients

• 1 kg raw mangoes
• ¼ cup salt
• ½ tsp turmeric powder

Spice Mix

• 1 cup methi seeds/kuriya
• 1 cup rai kuriya  (split de-skinned mustard seeds)
• 3 cup kashmiri red chilli powder
• ½ cup salt  
• 1 tbsp hing
• Groundnut oil/ sesame oil  as needed

Spicy Mango Pickle

Method

• Wash and dry raw mangoes. Deseed and cut into small pieces.
• Rub the mangoes evenly with the salt and turmeric powder.
• Fill the pieces in a jar or bottle and keep it overnight.
• After a day, strain raw mango pieces. (Store the tangy water in an airtight jar. It will stay good for 4-5 months if you stir it every two days. You can use it to make a variety of other pickles such as salty garmar (tuberous roots) pickle).
• Combine all spices in a large bowl.
• Add 1½ tbsp groundnut oil and ½ cup of the tangy water and mix it well with spices.
• Add spices with raw mango pieces and store in a jar for a day.
• The next day, pour groundnut oil in the jar (don’t mix) till all the pieces are soaked and submerged in the oil. A layer of oil should form on the top.
• Seal the jar. Start consuming after two days.

Chundo/ Chunda

Ingredients

• 1 kg raw mango
• 1½ kg sugar
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 tsp hing

Preparation
Wash and dry the raw mangos. Once dry grate them. Blend the sugar into fine powder.

Chundo/ Chunda

Method

• In a large mixing bowl, add the grated mangos, salt and turmeric and mix well. Cover it and keep it aside for half an hour. Then add sugar and mix well. Cover it again and keep it inside the house  for three-five days. Make sure to stir it in intervals at least four-five times a days.
• After that keep it in the sunlight for three-four days. Remember to bring it inside in the evening and keep it again in the sunlight next day. After that add hing and Kashmiri red chilli powder and mix well. Cover and keep it in the sunlight for the next three-four hours. Mix it well and let it come down to room temperature and store it in a airtight container.

TIP: Chunda will last for months and can be served with roti, paratha, thepla or spicy puris

— Alpa Modi