Although there are many pickles, the king is the kadumanga. The saying 'one kadumanga for one kodamkanji' is from the old days. However, the time when shankhiri bharani (a Chinese jar that can be securely closed with a tight lid) filled with kadumanga took its place in the dark corners of the ancestral home is not far away.
This custom continues even today in some places. For the kadumanga pickle, which is a 'patent' only for Kerala, ripe kadumanga is required. Kadumanga is made from ripe kadumanga. In the past, kadumanga, which was easily available in home gardens, is now priced between Rs 30 and Rs 60 in the market.
Since there are many types of kadumanga, the most suitable one should be selected based on its smell and size. The mangoes that have been plucked without falling on the ground should be kept in the refrigerator for a while before being used for pickling.
Spicy Mango Achaar or pickle is a very popular spicy condiment to foods in South Asia and India. Spread on bread, eat with roti or any kind of parantha, and even rice. The raw mango is so closely associated with the indian cuisine,that almost every community has an array of recipes with an extra hot kick combining juicy mangoes with chillies and authentic spices.
Achar is a concentrate of flavor that explodes in your mouth at the first bite, an explosion of Indian taste. Living far from India, it is enough to open a jar to be transported back to the subcontinent. Indians are crazy about it and it is always present at the table, or in the travel bag with the food cleverly packaged by mothers before departure.
Mango achar, in addition to allowing the preservation of the precious seasonal fruit, adds tone to any dish, transforming a simple lunch based on chapati and vegetables into a gourmet dish.
Pickle is an intrinsic and very important part of Indian cuisine. Without pickle on the side, an essential piece will be missing from an Indian thali. You will find pickles in most popular thalis like Andhra thali, Gujarati thali, Rajasthani thali or Maharashtrian thali etc.
During summers, it is a practice in many Indian homes to prepare pickles in sufficient quantity to last for at least a year. Mango, lemon and chilli are the most common pickles and there are hundreds of varieties of pickles.
Every family has its own recipe to suit their taste buds. Pickles can be both sour and sweet and spicy. The popular version of spicy pickles is made in Telangana and Andhra cuisine. Every state in India has its own variation of making pickles.
Most pickles go very well as a condiment with simple Indian dishes like dal rice, curd rice, vegetable pulao and even roti sabzi.
They also come in handy while packing tiffin box for kids. In North India, it is common to pack Paratha with pickle.
There are different types of achar based on ingredients that vary depending on the region and taste. Ours is a simple recipe, but no less tasty. Here is how to make kadumanga pickle.
Ingredients:
5 raw mangoes
2 garlic pods
1 tsp ginger paste
2 green chillies
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp asafoetida
4 cups mustard oil
1 tbsp vinegar
5 sprigs curry leaves
1 cup water
Salt to taste
Recipe Method:
Dice the mangoes, discard the seeds and chop the mango into small pieces. Peel and finely chop the ginger, garlic and green chillies. Mix turmeric and red chilli powder in water to make a paste.
Heat the oil in a kadai/ wok, add mustard seeds and wait till all of it has spluttered. Add fenugreek seeds and let them splutter too, then add curry leaves. Add the chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic and saute and stir for few seconds.
Add the chilli powder and turmeric paste and let it cook for a minute or two. Turn off the heat and add asafoetida and mix well and add drained cut mango pieces. Mix well. Add vinegar and allow it to cool completely.
Keep this spiced mango mixture in sunlight for 5 days. Cover with a thin muslin.
After 5 days, add the mangoes to a jar. Pour mustard oil till it just about covers the mangoes. Stir and mix well.
Store the pickle in a dry and cool place for 5 days. Have the mango pickle with your favorite dish.
