(Image source from: Whisk Affair)

If you are an Indian living abroad, you will be missing Indian food for sure and peculiarly summer special foods. Mango pickle or Aavakaaya is one among the foods prepared in summer in India since it is being the time for peak availability of green mangoes.

Aavakaaya or mango pickle is a variety of Indian pickle with its origin in Andhra Pradesh. The main ingredients used for preparing mango aavakaaya are mangoes, powdered mustard seeds or aavapindi and a combination of other spices used for pickling.

Here is the recipe of one of the best traditional culinary gems of Indian food that you can prepare by yourself even staying abroad:

Prepreparation for Mango Pickle/Aavakaaya

Before going to start preparing the pickle, the fresh green mangoes are soaked in water for an hour, wiped dry and with kid gloves cut with a special knife. After that, each mango piece is cleaned with the help of a soft cloth and laid out to be dried on a cloth for an hour or two before turning a hand to the pickling process. It has advisable that if any of the pieces do not have the kernel or green skin, they should be throwaway.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 pounds raw green mangoes (cut into 4 to 8 pieces each)
• 1 cup of sea salt
• 3 tablespoons aniseed (or fennel seeds)
• 4 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon kalonji/nigella seeds
• 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
• 5 tablespoon red chili powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
• 3 cups mustard oil

Steps to Prepare Mango Pickle/Aavakaaya

1.Gather the ingredients.

2.Sterilize and thoroughly dry a 1-quart glass pickling jar.

3.Put the mangoes in the jar and cover with salt. Mix well and cover the jar tightly.

4.Leave the jar out in the sun for 1 week so that the mangoes soften.

5.In a small bowl, mix the aniseed or fennel seeds, mustard seeds, kalonji/nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds, chili powder, and turmeric together.

6.Add this spice mix to the mangoes.

7.In a small skillet, heat the mustard oil until it smokes and then turn off the heat. Allow the oil to cool fully.

8.Pour this oil over the mangoes so that all the pieces are submerged. Mix well.

9.Put the tightly covered jar back in the sun for two weeks. Stir every day to mix well.

Serve and making your taste buds go yum-yum.

By Sowmya Sangam