Avakkai Pickle| Avakkai Mango Urugai Recipe | Andhra Avakaya Pachadi | Andhra Cut Mango Pickle

This recipe brings back tons of childhood memories. Almost everyone would beam with pride over the statement 'My mom makes the best comfort food and my grandma makes the best pickle'. And I'm no different. Even now I slurp over the mere thought of my grandma's (lost her 10 years ago) Avakai pickle. She used to make varieties of pickle like grated mango, cut mango, tomato and garlic during summer. There would also be vadams (that too variety flavoured ones like tomato, onion etc) and dried mango etc. 

My favourite of the lot used to be pickles and that too this avakai recipe. Unfortunately my mom didn't have the exact recipe to this pickle, so I had to resort to other blogs and finally found a close match to the taste of my grandma's pickle to Swasthi's recipe :) Now I too make this every year and Deeps too is a die hard fan of this pickle now :) My maternal grandma does not add garlic in this pickle but my paternal does. Me and my mom we both love to nibble to that garlic so I add them in my pickle too. The measurements mentioned here has never failed me, so I always stick to this one to the dot. If you haven't tried making this pickle at home do try once coz it's that simple and it will make you prepare at least one jar every summer :)

Makes: A 500 gm bottle

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 30 mins

I Used:

Cut Raw Mango pieces	-	1 - 1½ cup
Oil	-	½ cup (+ ¼ cup or so as needed)
Mustard powder	-	¼ cup
Fenugreek powder	-	½ tsp
Red Chilly powder	-	¼ cup (I use Kashmiri chilli powder)
Salt	-	¼ cup
Garlic	-	⅛ cup

The Way:

1. Heat a kadai. Add the mustard seeds and methi seeds (I take slightly less than ¼ cup of mustard seeds and ¼ tsp methi seeds to roast and grind. If you have the individual powder handy then skip this step) to them and dry roast on a low flame for 2-3 minutes till they turn warm. Switch off the flame and spread the mustard seeds on a plate and allow them to cool. Once cooled, grind them to a fine powder in a mixer/blender

2. Wash the mangoes with water and soak them in water for sometime (30-60 minutes) so that the dirt on them is removed. Then remove them from water and pat them dry using a kitchen towel and allow them to dry completely by spreading on a large piece of cloth. They should be completely moisture free and dry for the pickle to have a larger shelf life

3. The vessels, knife, cutting board and the area that you use for the pickle preparation - cutting mangoes and preparing pickle should also be dry and clean and completely devoid of moisture

4. Trim the edge of the mango where you have the stalk. Then cut each mango into half (lengthwise) keeping the pit (the hard shell at the centre of the mango that encloses the seed) intact. Use a really sharp knife and cut them with caution. If you feel that you are not getting a grip on the mango then use a cotton cloth or towel and wrap it around the mango and hold

5. Remove the seeds if any and keep the pit intact. If the pit gets separated then those mangoes/mango pieces are not used for the pickle as it changes the taste of the pickle by becoming soggy

6. Now after removing the seeds, you can see a thin seed covering on the pit that can be removed using a spoon or knife. I gently use a knife and remove that seed cover as well

7. Now cut each mango halves into 3-4 pieces

8. . And again cut each of those pieces to 3-4 pieces. Each piece have to be around 2-3 inches in length. Make sure that each piece has the pit/shell attached to them as well

9. Measure and keep the mango pieces in a plate. A medium sized mango yields about 1 cup of mango pieces cut as described above

10. Now peel the garlic cloves and keep aside



11. Now take the mustard and fenugreek (methi) powder, red chilly powder, garlic and salt in a bowl. Mix them well

12. In another bowl, measure and keep ¼ cup of the gingelly oil



13. Now take the mango pieces using a spoon/slotted spoon and dunk them in the oil. Then take them from the oil and add them to the spice mix. Coat them well with the spice mix and then add them to a bharani or the glass bottle where you intend to preserve the pickle

14. Repeat the above step until the entire mango pieces are pickled. If you run short of oil, then add the remaining ¼ cup into the bowl and continue pickling

15. At the end, if there is any oil or spice mix remaining, then add them to the pickle

16. Cover the bharani/glass bottle with a lid. If needed you can use a extra covering of cotton cloth to tie it up

17. Keep it in a dry shelf for 3 days. After that open the lid and mix it up with a wooden spoon or laddle. Check if salt is sufficient. If not add more. Wait till next day to see if there is enough oil to cover the pickle. If not add a little more to cover it



After 3 days, the pickle is ready to eat. You can keep it in a dry place and use as needed. It stays good for an year without refrigeration

Notes:

• If you are using 1 cup of mango pieces, the yield of the gravy will be rich and more. But if you do not want more gravy then use 1 ½ cup of mango pieces for the remaining quantity of ingredients mentioned

• Do not go stingy on the oil or the salt, as they are the ingredients that preserve the pickle and give it a long shelf life

• Always use clean, dry spoons to take for the pickles. If you have made a large batch then I strongly suggest to use a small bottle for regular use. Opening the pickle frequently diminishes the flavour and quality of the pickle

Cheers,

Chitz

Lemon Pickle | Instant Lemon Pickle | Boiled Lemon Pickle | Elumichai Urugai | Instant Naranga Achar

I know many of you are not fan of lemon pickle. Even I am not. But the hubby devours this pickle. That is why I make this at least once a year. It is very simple and easy to make. Just make sure that you do not boil the lemons for a long time. Else it will start oozing out all juice and the pickle tends to become very sour. You need to boil just enough to make them soft so that the flavours sink in nicely :) And as far as possible do not use a plastic container to store the pickles. It tends to get spoilt very fast. So let's now see how to make this easy to make, instant lemon pickle, shall we?

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 10 minutes

Recipe source : Ma

Makes : A 300 gm bottle 

I Used:

Lemon	-	Around 10-12 normal sized ones
Salt	-	As Needed
Gingelly Oil	-	¼ Cup
Mustard	-	1 tsp
Asafoetida	-	2 tsp
Red Chilly Powder	-	1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	-	½ tsp
Mustard	-	2 tsp
Fenugreek	-	2 tsp
Mustard-Fenugreek powder	-	½ tbsp

The Way:

1. In a pan dry roast the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds for 4-5 minutes on low flame. Take care not to burn them. It starts giving a nice aroma and also the mustard will start spluttering. Then off the flame. Allow it to cool and powder them in a clean and dry mixer jar. You can grind this powder in bulk and use it for all of your pickles

2. Rinse the lemons nicely in water. Then pat it dry using a kitchen towel. Then cut the lemons into 4 pieces. Then take the cut pieces in a pan. Add required salt and give a mix. Then boil them in medium flame for 3-4 minutes till they become soft. Then switch off the flame

3. Take a pan and heat the gingelly oil (nallennai). Now reduce the flame. Splutter the mustard seeds

4. Then add asaoetida, don't go stingy here :) Add it liberally

5. Now add red chilly powder, turmeric powder and saute for a minute

6. Pour this tadka on to the boiled lemon pieces

7. Give a nice mix and then add the pickle powder - mustard and fenugreek powder and give a nice stir. Pickle is ready 

8. Store the pickle in a clean, dry, glass container. You should be able to see oil floating on the top of the container else chances of the pickle getting spoilt are very high. Leave in a clean place for a day or two for the flavours to soak in and then refrigerate it

Notes:

• Do not boil the lemon for a long time. It will ooze out all the juice and the pickle will become very sour. Just to make them a little soft is fine
• Store in a clean and dry glass container for longer shelf life
• Refrigerate if possible after a day of making the pickle for longer life
• Always use a clean dry spoon to take the pickle from the bottle
• Allow a layer of oil on top of the container for longer life and it prevents from mold formation on top of the pickle

Cheers,
Chitz

Instant Mango Pickle | Manga Achar | Manga Urukai | Raw Mango Pickle

I make this pickle almost every year. This year I made it twice :)  So you can understand how easy it is to make :)  During summer, I almost always have the pickle powder (mustard-feungreek powder) ground in bulk and stored. So it is a breeze to make the pickles as and when needed.. This pickle is the family favorite and is loved by all. Now who can say no to fiery, salty and sour lip smacking mango pickle na :) The more it sits the more darker and tastier it gets.. So shall we see now how to make this yummy and easy pickle?

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 10 minutes

Recipe source : Ma

Makes : A 300 gm bottle 

I Used:

Raw Mango	-	3 medium sized ones (cut into small pieces)
Salt	-	As Needed
Gingelly Oil	-	¼ Cup
Mustard	-	1 tsp
Asafoetida	-	2 tsp
Red Chilly Powder	-	1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	-	½ tsp
Mustard	-	2 tsp
Fenugreek	-	2 tsp
Mustard-Fenugreek powder	-	½ tbsp

The Way:

1. In a pan dry roast the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds for 4-5 minutes on low flame. Take care not to burn them. It starts giving a nice aroma and also the mustard will start spluttering. Then off the flame. Allow it to cool and powder them in a clean and dry mixer jar. You can grind this powder in bulk and use it for all of your pickles

2. Rinse the mango nicely in water. Then pat it dry using a kitchen towel. Then cut the mango into small quarter inch pieces. You can remove the skin or keep it as per your wish. I always keep the skin and discard the seed. After cutting the mango into pieces, add required salt to it and mix well and keep aside in a clean and dry container. If you like, you can leave it like that for 3-4 days for the salt to nicely soak in. Else you can make the pickle instantly as well 

3. Take a pan and heat the gingelly oil (nallennai). Now reduce the flame. Splutter the mustard seeds

4. Then add asaoetida, don't go stingy here :) Add it liberally

5. Now add red chilly powder, turmeric powder and saute for a minute

6. Then add the mustard-fenugreek powder

7. Give a nice mix and then add the cut mango pieces and give a nice stir and switch off the flame 

8. Store the pickle in a clean, dry, glass container. You should be able to see oil floating on the top of the container else chances of the pickle getting spoilt are very high. Leave in a clean place for a day or two for the flavours to soak in and then refrigerate it

Notes:

• Store in a clean and dry glass container for longer shelf life
• Refrigerate if possible after a day of making the pickle for longer life
• Always use a clean dry spoon to take the pickle from the bottle
• Allow a layer of oil on top of the container for longer life and it prevents from mold formation on top of the pickle

Cheers,
Chitz

Pacha Manga Uppilitathu | Raw Mangoes in Brine | Brined Raw Mangoes | Uppilitta Manga

Mangoes are in season and I know many of you have your family or signature recipes that you make as soon as get hold of some raw or ripe mangoes na.. You know what I do when I get hold of some raw mangoes? Brine it.. Yes, that's what Deeps loves the most with raw mangoes :) And then comes the pickle of course ! But for me it's the Manga pachadi that my mom makes.. I'm yet to post that here.. Didn't get decent pics yet to make it here ;) So you may remember that I brined gooseberries when they were in season and so you must now have understood my family's love for brined veggies.. The process for the raw mangoes is also same as that for gooseberries.. Only thing that takes time here is cutting the mangoes..And since I had some time I took some extra pics and hence this page is spammed with them and I hope you don't mind.. So if you also love brined raw mangoes, go make some before they go out of season :)

Other recipes with Mango:

Pacha Manga Sadam | Raw Mango Rice
Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan
Unakka Chemmeen Maanga Curry | Kerala Style Dried Shrimp Raw Mango Curry
Chakkakuru Manga Curry

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

I Used:

Raw Mango (Salem/Totapuri)	-	1 big one
Green Chilly	-	2 nos
Salt	-	As needed
Water	-	1 ½ cup

The Way:

1. Rinse the raw mango well and allow them to dry. You can pat them dry using a kitchen towel

2. Then cut them into bite size pieces. The size of the mango is purely your choice. If you want the skin on all pieces, then cut them in half (through the seed) and then remove the seed and cut them into pieces.

3. Heat water in a saucepan. Allow it to come to boil and then cool it to room temperature

4. Now take the raw mango pieces in a glass bottle or container. Add slit green chillies and salt. Then pour the water into it. The water level should be above the raw mangoes. Check for salt. The water should be salty (slightly more than normal salty taste). If not sufficient, add accordingly

5. Rest it for a day or two and then you can refrigerate it. Leave it for at least a week before having it

Notes:

• No need to add vinegar or lemon juice as the mangoes itself will be very sour. As soon as you pluck them or buy them, brine it. If you keep it for a day or two the mangoes will start to sweeten up
• I allowed the raw mangoes to rest for a day in room temperature and then refrigerated it for a month and then used it
• Avoid using plastic containers to preserve this. I did once and also did not refrigerate them and they developed mold and had to discard them
• You can also use up the brine once the raw mangoes are over. Take about half glass of the brine, add some lemon juice and another half a glass of soda. Mix well and serve

Cheers,
Chitz

Easy Tomato Pickle | Tomato Thokku | Thakkali Thokku Recipe | Thakkali Urukkai

Tomatoes are getting cheaper now right? So why don't we pickle some? And if it can serve you as a relish or side for your idly, dosa, chapathi, curd rice, sambar rice or rasam rice. then isn't the recipe a winner? Yes, I am not joking. This is such a pickle, a versatile one ;) I enjoy it the most with curd rice and dosa.. It is also an ideal one to make and give for your loved ones travelling abroad! So let me stop the talking now and let the recipe and pics do the work for you :)

 

Preparation Time : 5 minutes

Cooking Time : 40 minutes

Recipe source : Ma

Makes : A 120 gm bottle 

I Used:

Tomatoes	-	4-5 medium ones (½ kg)
Tamarind	-	A small gooseberry sized
Chilly powder	-	2-3 tbsp
Oil	-	3 tbsp
Mustard		1 tsp
Asafoetida	-	1 tsp
Curry leaves	-	2-3 sprigs
Salt	-	As Needed
Turmeric powder	-	½ tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste	-	2 tbsp
Fenugreek-Mustard powder	-	2 tsp (Use 2 tsp each of mustard & fenugreek seeds)

The Way:

1. In a pan dry roast the mustard seeds (2 tsp) and fenugreek seeds (2 tsp) for 4-5 minutes on low flame. Take care not to burn them. It starts giving a nice aroma and also the mustard will start spluttering. Then off the flame. Allow it to cool and powder them in a clean and dry mixer jar. You can grind this powder in bulk and use it for all of your pickles

2. Grind together the tomatoes, tamarind and red chilly powder together to a smooth paste

3. In a wide pan, heat oil. Splutter mustard. Then turn the flame to low and add asafoetida. Make sure that they do not get burnt. Then add the curry leaves

4. Then slowly pour in the ground tomato paste. Take care while pouring, since the pan is hot they can splutter out on you

5. Then add in the required amount of salt, turmeric powder and ginger-garlic paste. Now turn in the heat to medium

6. Let the pulp cook in medium flame until the water gets evaporated and it slowly starts turning into a mass. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Keep stirring in between to avoid them getting burnt

7. When it gets to solidify check for salt and hotness. Add salt and red chilly powder if required as per your needs

8. Once it gets thick add the fenugreek-mustard powder and give a nice stir. Leave for about a minute or two and then switch off the flame

9. Store in a clean and dry glass jar or container. If making in large quantities then preserve them in fridge

Can serve with idly, dosa, chapathi, curd rice, rasam rice and sambar rice !

Notes:

• The amount of red chilly powder given here is what I used. It will vary depending on the sourness of the tomatoes. So adjust as per your needs
• Adding tamarind is purely optional. If your tomatoes are too sour, then omit them
• Ginger-garlic paste is also optional. If you do not need them, then go ahead and skip them
• Instead of grinding the tomatoes, you can also chop them into fine pieces and add them. In that case the skin of the tomatoes tend to come off separately and it is slightly difficult to get a smooth texture or the pickle
• Make sure that the water content from the tomato pulp completely dries off else your shelf life might get reduced
• Use a clean and dry spoon every time you use the pickle to ensure a longer shelf life

Cheers,

Chitz

Instant Gooseberry Pickle | Instant Nellikai Pickle | Amla Pickle | Easy Nellikka Achar

Is Amla something that you would like to eat raw? I don't.. I like it when brined or made into a pickle or maybe a chutney or something.. I think it's coz of it's bitter taste and many would agree with me on that.. But it's a very healthy berry loaded with Vitamin C and antioxidants and many other minerals and vitamins. I don't have to elaborate that it's widely used in Ayurvedic medicines and treatments.. They are also low in calories and fat and cholesterol free. 

I have heard that it doesn't lose it's medicinal properties much even after cooked or pickled.. Not sure if it's true.. But believe me when I say that this recipe is one of the best and can make any gooseberry hate eat some ;) There is jaggery added to balance the bitterness and that gives a lift to this pickle :) We love this pickle and make it whenever I find some gooseberries :) So let's see how to make this lip-smacking pickle!

 

Preparation Time : 5 minutes

Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Recipe source : Ma

Makes : A 300 gm bottle 

I Used:

Gooseberry/Nellikka	-	8 nos (1 cup after de-seeding)
Turmeric powder	-	½ tsp
Salt	-	As Needed
Gingelly Oil	-	¼ - ½ cup
Asafoetida	-	2 tsp
Red Chilly Powder	-	1 tbsp
Jaggery	-	½ cup
Lemon jucie/Vinegar	-	Juice of ½ a big lemon/ 3 tbsp vinegar
Mustard	-	2 tsp
Fenugreek	-	2 tsp
Mustard-Fenugreek powder	-	½ tbsp

The Way:

1. In a pan dry roast the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds for 4-5 minutes on low flame. Take care not to burn them. It starts giving a nice aroma and also the mustard will start spluttering. Then off the flame. Allow it to cool and powder them in a clean and dry mixer jar. You can grind this powder in bulk and use it for all of your pickles

2. Boil the gooseberries with salt and turmeric powder for 10-12 minutes or until cooked. Alternately you can pressure cook for 1 whistle

3. Once cooked, remove the seeds. The gooseberry will have natural cut marks on it. Gently use a knife to remove one wedge and then the remaining wedges can be removed gently using hands. Then remove the seeds and keep aside. If you want to make even smaller pieces, then go ahead and chop them

4. Now take a pan and heat the gingelly oil (nallennai). Now reduce the flame. Then add asaoetida, don't go stingy here :) Add it liberally

5. Then add red chilly powder and saute for a minute. Then add the boiled gooseberries

6. Now add the jaggery. I have used powdered organic jaggery. So added it directly. If using normal big roundels of jaggery, then scrape and take the required amount of jaggery in a pan. Add 2 tbsp water and heat it so that it dissolves completely. Allow it to cool and then filter off the impurities. Do not add more water as it can spoil the pickle. Now add the filtered jaggery syrup to the gooseberries

7. Give a nice mix and then bring it to a boil. Now switch off the flame and add the mustard-fenugreek powder and give a gentle nice stir

8. Then add lemon juice or vinegar. Not both, either one and mix gently

9. Store the pickle in a clean, dry, glass container. You should be able to see oil floating on the top of the container else chances of the pickle getting spoilt are very high. Leave in a clean place for a day or two for the flavours to soak in and then refrigerate it

Notes:

• If you do not like gooseberry bites in your pickle or want to mask it all together, after cooking the berries, mash them into a smooth paste 
• Add either lemon juice or vinegar. Don't add both. I would suggest to go for lemon juice
• Store in a clean and dry glass container for longer shelf life
• Refrigerate if possible after a day of making the pickle for longer life
• Always use a clean dry spoon to take the pickle from the bottle
• Allow a layer of oil on top of the container for longer life and it prevents from mold formation on top of the pickle

Cheers,
Chitz