Avakaya Pachadi Andhra Recipe | How to make Raw Mango Pickle | Avakai Recipe
Avakaya Pachadi is a traditional pickle variety from Andhra prepared with raw mango pieces, blended with oil, spices & marinated for the right amount of time.
Ingredients
- 3 Medium sized Raw Green Mangoes Cut into 1 inch pieces (around 3 cups)
- 1 Cup Mustard Seeds Powder Sun Dry & grind to a fine powder
- 1 Cup Red chili powder Sun dried and powdered (Kashmiri variety for less spicy or any variety used in pickling)
- 3/4 Cup Salt Dry roasted & powdered white crystal salt (kallu uppu)
- 1 tsp Fenugreek powder Dry roast fenugreek (methi seeds and grind to a fine powder)
- 1ΒΌ Cup Gingelly Oil
- 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 15 Garlic Pods Peeled (Increase or decrease quantity to suit your taste)
Instructions
- Wash and soak mangoes in water for an hour. In the mean time wash the pickle jars (aka jadis) and sun dry the jar. They should be completely dry with absolutely no moisture.
- Wipe the mangoes with a soft cotton cloth and cut them into pieces with the kernel intact. You really need to have sharp thick knife to cut into 1 inch thick mango wedges with the inner shell intact.
- Take a sharp knife and scrub the inner shell to remove a thin white layer over it.
- Now take a dry cloth and wipe the pieces from all the sides ensuring that they are cleaned and dried well.
- Clean the pieces with a soft cloth and spread them over a dry cloth while you work on the rest of the pickle preparation.
- When preparing large quantities, take a big bowl and mix the mustard seeds powder, red chilli powder, fenugreek powder and salt until everything is mixed well. Then add this spice mixture to the mango pieces and mix well.
- Apply the mixture all over the mango pieces with your hands. It is best to use your hands for this step rather than mixing it up with ladle.
- Add fenugreek seeds(methi) and garlic pods.
- Add 1 cup of oil to the spice coated mango pieces and mix well.
- Put the masala coated mango pieces and all the remaining masala in the sterilised jar. Add another 1/4 cup oil over it and cover it with lid and keep it aside for 2-3 days. You can also tie a cloth over the lid of the jar and keep it in a moisture free area.
- On day-1 check if some oil might have started to float over the pickle. Now taste the masala mixture in the pickle, it should be slightly salty as the pickle has to be yet marinated for a day or two until the sourness from the mangoes seeps into the masala mixture. But if you feel the salt is less add 1 or 2 teaspoons of salt to it and mix the contents well. I don't think it would be required, provided you followed the measurements accurately.
- Always mix with a clean and dry ladle all over and repeat the same process on day-3.
- On the day-3 if you see the oil is floating on the pickle it is perfect. Otherwise add extra sesame oil over the top until the oil floats on top.
- Marinate the pickles for 3 to 4 more days, mix it well and it is ready for consumption. Technically you can also start to use from the 2nd or 3rd day too.
- Store it in a clean airtight ceramic or glass container. This way your pickle stores for long with freshness in it and even the mango pieces do not get soft and also would not change the colour.
- Always remove small quantities of mango pickle into a small jar for everyday use.
- Avakaya Pachadi will keep for several months to a year without refrigeration.
Recipe Video
Notes
- 1. Use pickle variety mangoes that are sour and cut the the pieces with the inner shell intact.
- The thumb rule to get your pickle right is to take equal quantities of the three ingredients to make spice powder - red chilli powder, mustard powder and salt. But I always like to reduce a little bit of salt and add it on the 3rd day if required because it all depends on the sourness of the mangoes you use.
- If you are not using crystal salt but ordinary table salt, reduce 2 tablespoons of salt from the measure of salt.
- Oil should float on top. If you feel the pickle is dry, do feel free to add some gingelly oil to the pickle jar. The pickle stays good for a year.
- If you have any left over red chili powder or mustard powder, store them in a ziplock bag and tightly secure it and refrigerate. Whenever you want to make any pickle, you can use them.
- Use red chilli powder which is specially used for pickles as this variety gives a nice and bright red colour to the pickle and also it is not very spicy. The brand called 'Three Mangoes' is good for pickles. It is not very spicy and also gives a bright red color to pickle giving a fiery look.
- For daily use, transfer a small portion of pickle into a small jar and use a clean and dry spoon.
- Always ensure the lid is tightly secured and the pickle jar is kept in a moisture free zone.