Aam ka Achaar (Mango Pickle)
Raw mango pickle set in cold-pressed mustard oil. The pungency is the preservative, which is why the oil has to be the real thing.
Method
- 1
Wipe the mangoes bone dry and cut into pieces with the shell on. Any water left on them will spoil the jar.
- 2
Toss the pieces with the salt and turmeric, spread on a clean cloth and leave in the sun for two days, bringing them in at night.
- 3
Dry roast the fenugreek and fennel lightly, cool, and mix with the split mustard, chilli powder and asafoetida.
- 4
Heat the mustard oil until it just begins to smoke, then take it off and let it cool completely. This softens the raw bite.
- 5
Rub the spice mix through the dried mango pieces until every piece is coated.
- 6
Pack into a dry sterilised jar and pour over the cooled oil so the pieces sit fully submerged.
- 7
Cover the mouth with muslin and leave in the sun for 7 to 10 days, shaking the jar once a day. Seal and store.
Chef's tips
- ✦Everything that touches this pickle must be dry. One drop of water is how a jar grows mould.
- ✦The oil must cover the mango completely. Top up if the level drops as it matures.
- ✦Kachi ghani oil is pressed without heat, so it keeps the pungency that does the preserving here.
Made with
The exact ingredients used in this recipe, pure, traceable, lab-tested.
