Avakai Pickle
Avalu in Telugu means 'mustard' and the key ingredients of this pickle are mustard and mango (mankai) and hence the pickle is named avakai. This is the best mango pickle southside. This pickle originated from Andhra region, but it is also prepared in the households of Tamilnadu. Let's see how to make this pickle.
Ingredients:
Raw Mango (avakai variety) : 4 to 5 depending on the size
Fenugreek seeds(methi/Vendhayam): 50g
Yellow Mustard seeds : 100g
Red chilli powder: 150g apprx
Salt : 150g apprx
Black chana (kala chana/karuppu kothu kadalai) : 100g
Asafoetida(hing/perungayam): 2 tbsp
Turmeric : 1.5 tsp
Seasame oil (til oil/nalla yennai): 500ml apprx
NOTE 1: Red chilli powder/salt/oil can be adjusted as required.
NOTE 2: There are two variants of yellow mustard seeds available, one is the broken/half mustard seeds and the other one is full/unbroken seeds. The broken/half mustard seeds is preferable. But if you get the full/unbroken variety then just grind it for a second or two in mixi jar (just to break it) and then use it for the preparation.
Method:
1. There are many varieties of raw mango available in market. But we get 'avakai' raw mango variety which is specially used for preparing this pickle. In this mango variety, the shell in which the seed resides is hard and thick. We need to remove the seed and cut the mango into big pieces along with the hard shell. It is very difficult to cut this mango due to its hard shell inside with the household knife, hence generally the shopkeeper cuts it with a special cutting equipment and sells it to the buyers.
2. Add turmeric and salt to the mango pieces and mix well and allow it to marinate for a day.
3. After one day, mix all the remaining ingredients (Black chana, fenugreek seeds, yellow mustard seeds, red chilli powder, asafoetida and oil) with the marinated mango pieces. If required adjust the oil quantity accordingly. If you like pickles spicy hot, then you can add little more red chilli powder also.
NOTE: Method to mix all ingredients - first mix black chana, fenugreek seeds, yellow mustard seeds, red chilli powder, asafoetida and oil. Take a dry vessel and put one layer of this oil-spice mixture. Then put the marinated mango pieces on top of it. Then again put the remaining oil-spice mixture on top of the mango pieces. You can make 3 layers or more like this. But the oil-spice mixture should form the bottom most and top most layer. This helps in better marination of the mango pieces. Leave it like this for one day. Then keep mixing it once in a day for the following 10-15 days.
4. Let it marinate for 10-15 days, but mix it well once in a day. While mixing, make sure the spatula or spoon you are using for mixing is totally dry, else if any moisture is present then that will reduce the shelf life of the pickle and it will spoil sooner. Also try to invert the spatula or spoon (i.e. hold it ulta) and then mix so that it doesn't mash the mango pieces. If you feel the oil has been absorbed, you can add some more oil accordingly.
Store this pickle in a big glass container or the traditional ceramic pickle jar. Adjust oil such that some oil floats on top of the pickle, this increases the shelf life of the pickle and stops it from spoiling soon. For daily use, rather than opening and closing this jar everyday, transfer some portion of it into a small dry container and use that small one for daily use. This again helps in increasing the shelf life of the pickle. This way it can be stored upto 6 months without refrigeration.
(avakai pickle)
(the full/unbroken yellow mustard)
(ingredients)
(the marinated mango pieces and others)
(all ingredients mixed)
Ingredients:
Raw Mango (avakai variety) : 4 to 5 depending on the size
Fenugreek seeds(methi/Vendhayam): 50g
Yellow Mustard seeds : 100g
Red chilli powder: 150g apprx
Salt : 150g apprx
Black chana (kala chana/karuppu kothu kadalai) : 100g
Asafoetida(hing/perungayam): 2 tbsp
Turmeric : 1.5 tsp
Seasame oil (til oil/nalla yennai): 500ml apprx
NOTE 1: Red chilli powder/salt/oil can be adjusted as required.
NOTE 2: There are two variants of yellow mustard seeds available, one is the broken/half mustard seeds and the other one is full/unbroken seeds. The broken/half mustard seeds is preferable. But if you get the full/unbroken variety then just grind it for a second or two in mixi jar (just to break it) and then use it for the preparation.
Method:
1. There are many varieties of raw mango available in market. But we get 'avakai' raw mango variety which is specially used for preparing this pickle. In this mango variety, the shell in which the seed resides is hard and thick. We need to remove the seed and cut the mango into big pieces along with the hard shell. It is very difficult to cut this mango due to its hard shell inside with the household knife, hence generally the shopkeeper cuts it with a special cutting equipment and sells it to the buyers.
2. Add turmeric and salt to the mango pieces and mix well and allow it to marinate for a day.
3. After one day, mix all the remaining ingredients (Black chana, fenugreek seeds, yellow mustard seeds, red chilli powder, asafoetida and oil) with the marinated mango pieces. If required adjust the oil quantity accordingly. If you like pickles spicy hot, then you can add little more red chilli powder also.
NOTE: Method to mix all ingredients - first mix black chana, fenugreek seeds, yellow mustard seeds, red chilli powder, asafoetida and oil. Take a dry vessel and put one layer of this oil-spice mixture. Then put the marinated mango pieces on top of it. Then again put the remaining oil-spice mixture on top of the mango pieces. You can make 3 layers or more like this. But the oil-spice mixture should form the bottom most and top most layer. This helps in better marination of the mango pieces. Leave it like this for one day. Then keep mixing it once in a day for the following 10-15 days.
4. Let it marinate for 10-15 days, but mix it well once in a day. While mixing, make sure the spatula or spoon you are using for mixing is totally dry, else if any moisture is present then that will reduce the shelf life of the pickle and it will spoil sooner. Also try to invert the spatula or spoon (i.e. hold it ulta) and then mix so that it doesn't mash the mango pieces. If you feel the oil has been absorbed, you can add some more oil accordingly.
Store this pickle in a big glass container or the traditional ceramic pickle jar. Adjust oil such that some oil floats on top of the pickle, this increases the shelf life of the pickle and stops it from spoiling soon. For daily use, rather than opening and closing this jar everyday, transfer some portion of it into a small dry container and use that small one for daily use. This again helps in increasing the shelf life of the pickle. This way it can be stored upto 6 months without refrigeration.
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