Mango pickle recipe, avakai or avakaya, Andhra’s culinary satisfaction

Mango pickle – Avakai

Its a recognized undeniable fact that Andhra is synonymous with ‘avakai’ or mango pickle. Andhra mango pickle goes by the title avakai or avakaya. The principle elements of avakai are ‘ava’ which suggests mustard and ‘kai’ or ‘kaya’ that means uncooked fruit. There are quite a few widespread variations of avakai like bellam avakai or candy mango pickle, endu avakai (solar dried), allam avakai (ginger), nuvvu avakai (sesame seeds), pesara avakaya (moong dal), mamidikaya menthi pachadi and plenty of extra. However the king of pickles, avakai, is unbeatable in taste. Among the best conventional culinary gems of Indian meals.

Andhra meal – steamed rice, mudda pappu, kotha avakai, ghee, thotakura vepudu, charu, do-it-yourself pelalu vadiyalu & majiga mirapakayalu

It goes with out saying that no Andhra meal is full with out avakaya. We, telugu folks, take satisfaction in serving our company a comforting Andhra meal consisting of sizzling steamed white rice, mudda pappu (mashed tur dal), kotha avakaya (freshly made mango pickle) with a dollop of ghee (clarified butter) together with a vegetable stir fry or curry, charu (rasam), appadam, perugu (yogurt) and majiga mirapakayalu (solar dried chilies).

The great a part of summer time in our a part of the world in Andhra is the arrival of the king of fruits, inexperienced mangoes and kotha avakai (freshly made mango pickle). Yearly, come summer time, mango pickling is a culinary custom that’s adopted with utmost reverence, pleasure, care and love. It’s a enjoyable course of the place the entire household, together with prolonged members of the family pitch in to make avakai and fill massive jaadis (ceramic pickle jars or bharanis) with ready avakai.

As kids, we’d go to our mango farm with my grandfather to observe the mangoes plucked off the tree to make mango pickle. The mangoes are presupposed to be hand plucked and thoroughly introduced off the tree with out letting them fall on the bottom. Even a small bruise to the mango is rendered ineffective to make mango pickle. Completely agency, mature, fiborous, unblemished, bitter mangoes are required.

As soon as the mangoes are plucked, they’re for use the identical day to organize the mango pickle. The contemporary uncooked mangoes are soaked in water for an hour, wiped dry and thoroughly minimize with a particular knife. It does take a particular ability to chop the mangoes with the kernel (tenkai or outer core) intact and into uniform measurement items. The pith is discarded whereas the laborious kernel is left intact and the wafer skinny clear layer lining the kernel is eliminated with a assist of a spoon or knife. Every mango piece is then fastidiously cleaned with a tender material and laid out to be dried on a material for an hour or two earlier than starting the pickling course of. If any of the items don’t have the kernel or inexperienced pores and skin, they’re discarded. Following the pre-pickling steps meticulously is extraordinarily essential to realize good outcomes and a pickle that can final an entire yr.

Mangoes minimize into items ~ elements for mango pickle

The opposite essential parts of mango pickle recipe is the usage of freshly floor mustard powder, pink chilli powder used for making pickles, crystal salt (powdered) and chilly pressed gingelly oil (unrefined sesame oil that’s golden in colour additionally referred to as pappu nune/nuvvu nune) in telugu). Often Bandar mirapakaayalu (a wide range of pink chilis), Ballari (or Bellary) or Kashmiri pink chilis are used to make mango pickle. The pink chilis are solar dried and floor to a high-quality powder. Now a days, good high quality pink chili powder used for pickles is accessible in most tremendous markets. I’d suggest utilizing ‘Three Mangoes’ model of pink chili powder if utilizing retailer purchased chili powder.

Black mustard seeds are solar dried and freshly floor on the day of pickling in order that the pickle retains the contemporary taste of mustard. You should utilize retailer purchased mustard powder (used for pickles). Use of uncooked gingelly oil is crucial to realize the genuine, actual taste of avakai and the aroma of mango pickle is dependent upon the kind of oil used to make it. Please don’t compromise on the usage of gingelly oil. Second finest oil could be groundnut oil.

Avakai spice powder combination – garlic and methi seeds added to the spice combination

We make massive amount of avakai at house however for the advantage of my readers, I’m sharing the recipe to make a small batch utilizing 3 medium sized mangoes. It’s not straightforward to put in writing the recipe of avakai however I’ll make a humble try that can assist you perceive the pickling course of. One of the best technique is weighing the primary elements. Pink chili powder, mustard powder and salt must be equal in weight, i.e 100 gms pink chili powder+100 gms mustard powder+100 gms salt. The thumb rule is no matter measure you employ for measuring your mango items, the identical measure of the combination of spice powders (pink chili powder, mustard powder and salt) must be used. In different phrases, should you use 1 cup of mango items, it’s essential combine it in 1 cup of spice combination.

For newcomers or these new to creating avakai, I’d counsel you’re taking a bowl and add 1 cup pink chili powder, 1 cup mustard powder and rather less than 3/4 cup powdered crystal salt and blend it. Add this combination to a large bowl such that it’s stuffed to the brim. This broad bowl can be your measuring bowl to your mango items too. For the above portions of spice combination and mangoes, you will have 1 1/4 cups oil, 1 1/2 tsps methi seeds and 1/3 cup garlic cloves.

The colour of the pickle will depend upon the kind of chili powder and mustard powder used. For those who use Kashmiri or Bandar chili powder, you’ll get a beautiful shiny orange pink shade. In our house, we add methi seeds and garlic cloves to the fundamental avakai recipe. Love the flavour of marinated garlic within the pickle. You should utilize black chick peas rather than garlic.

Avakai spice combination, gingelly oil and mango items blended and added to pickle jar

As soon as the pickle is ready and saved in a jar, it’s essential place the lid, tie a material over the lid and don’t open the jar for not less than 3 days.

avakai on 4th day earlier than and after including oil

On the fourth or fifth day, take away the mango pickle into a large vessel. Combine properly with an extended ladle that’s clear and dry (solar dry the ladle for a couple of minutes). Add extra oil such that it nearly covers the pickle because it helps protect the pickle. Since we make massive portions, we take away the pickle from the jar and blend. In case you are making small amount, you needn’t take away the pickle from the jar. Combine the contents within the jar with an extended ladle and pour oil on high and place lid.

I’ve earlier blogged Dosavakaya (yellow cucumber pickle) and essential tricks to comply with for making pickle. These ideas can be helpful for newcomers.

Mango pickle – andhra avakaya

As I write immediately’s put up, I can not assist however reminisce my childhood days when my grandmother would lovingly feed us ‘annam muddalu’ (rice balls consisting of steamed rice, mudda pappu, ghee and kotha avakai oota). Its pure, comforting, divine meals. The custom of creating avakai is adopted in our house religiously and am proud that we’re preserving our culinary heritage. Annadata Sukhbava!

Discover ways to make mango pickle recipe or avakai aka avakaya