There are a lot of mango pickle recipes however this is the traditional mango pickle recipe made by the east Indians. It is easy and has a pungent flavor with a burst of spices
This is a spicy pickle with a long shelf life of over a year if kept properly. In fact, the longer the mango macerate in the spices and oil the more tender it becomes. The pickles become tastier over time.
If I remember correctly my mom would keep the pickles for 3 months before she served them. She'd fill the pickle in sterilized jars, steam them in a stockpot to seal, then cover them with a cloth before she stored them for macerating.
Also, take note that this is not a sweet pickle it is sour, tangy, and spicy. Once macerated the oil in the pickle is so flavorful you will enjoy eating the oil over steamed rice and other dishes. The sourness from the raw mangoes makes is where it gets that tangy sour taste. If you like it sweeter try my mango chunda pickle instead.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Mangoes - you must use raw mangoes for this recipe. Ripe mangoes will not make a long-lasting pickle like this.
- Spices - as you can see the spices are a generous portion. It is a spicy pickle after all.
- Salt - pickles are known to be salt and that's because salt acts as a preservative.
- Oil - is also a preservative. In fact, if you use less oil in the pickle it can cause the pickle to get ruined.
- Spices - the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds add a slightly bitter taste to the pickle which works wonderfully in combination with the spicy yet sour mangoes.
This pickle is a very simple and easy recipe and yet if not done correctly can get ruined. Three things to ensure are
- Use sufficient salt,
- Dry the mangoes well and
- Use sufficient oil.
Tips for Success
- All excess moisture must be drained off from the mangoes Sun-dry or oven-dry the mango pieces so the excess moisture is dried out.
- Use sterilized jars - that have been washed, dried as well as sun-dried or oven-dried
- Use sealable jars that will prevent any air from getting into the jars.
- Make sure there is enough oil in the bottle on the top to prevent mold formation.
- You can also divide the above recipe and make a smaller batch and store it in the fridge. That way you can omit the sun-dry or oven-drying process completely.
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Equipment /Tools
- Cutting Board
- Kitchen Knife
- Suate pan
- Mason jars
Ingredients
Makes 3 x 250 grams jars
- 500 grams (17 ⅔ oz) Mangoes (raw) green - cut into 2-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoon Salt
- 1½ cup (354 ml) Cooking oil
- 2 tablespoon Mustard seeds rai
- 1 tablespoon Fenugreek seeds methi dana
- ½ teaspoon Asafetida powder hing
- 2 tablespoon Chili powder or Cayenne
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder haldi
Instructions
- Mangoes - Wash, dry, and cut the mangoes into 2-inch cubes. Discard the seeds. Place the mangoes in a stainless or glass bowl (do not use aluminum). Generously season them with salt. Let macerate for 3 to 4 hours.500 grams Mangoes (raw), 4 tablespoon Salt
- Dry - Then drain all the juices and sun-dry the mangoes for 2 days. This will drain the excess moisture. Pro tip - if you can't dry the mangoes in the sun, oven-dry them for an hour at 60 to 70 C or 140 to 160 F
- Combine - In a large mixing bowl add the mango pieces. Add the turmeric powder, chili powder, asafetida (hing) powdered, fenugreek(methi) seeds, and mustard seeds. Combine well so each and every mango piece is coated with spices.2 tablespoon Mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon Fenugreek seeds, ½ teaspoon Asafetida powder, 2 tablespoon Chili powder, 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- Oil - In a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat bring the oil to an almost boil. Turn the heat off and let it cool to room temperature.1½ cup Cooking oil
- Assemble - Transfer the mango mixture into a jar or a few jars making sure to leave space for the oil. Gradually pour the oil over the mangoes making sure it comes above the mango pieces. Pro tip - we want each and every piece of mango submerged in the oil. If the oil is less it will cause the mangoes to go bad by attracting fungus.
- Macerate - Leave the jars to mature for at least 10 to 15 days before you eat the pickle. The longer the pickle will mature the better it will taste.
Recipe Notes
Drying the mangoes
- Drying the mangoes before making the pickle is important.
- If you do not dry the mangoes well moisture in the mangoes will reduce the shelf-life of the pickle.
- An alternate method to drying mangoes if you can't put them in the sun is to air dry .them in the fridge. Place them on the tray open in the fridge. This will take a few days.
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Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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