a vegetarian's chronicles about all things food :)

i am back home in Chennai (India) for a break – and boy am i loving it!  i get to eat my mum’s cooking every single day - after months of having to cook myself, this is a real treat!  and in the last couple of weeks i have been home, i have gotten to taste a variety of traditional dishes that i rarely make in my own kitchen – one of them being home-made pickles.

pickles are a staple in our household - pick any random day, and you will find atleast two or three varieties to choose from. while the major varieties of South Indian pickles revolve around the ingredients – from tiny raw mangoes to lemons to garlic - slight nuances in the proportion of salt and spices, and the method of cooking, can lead to interesting variations in flavour. however, since it usually entails a time-consuming process, the art of pickle-making has lost its appeal for many (me included). hence, i was a bit surprised when my mother announced one morning that she was planning to make mangai thokku or raw mango pickle - at home, from scratch. i had no idea of what was involved, but imagined it would take a whole day to complete. i was in for a pleasant surprise – the whole process took just about an hour! and the result was a flavourful, spicy pickle with a sour edge – perfect for a meal that involves rotis/rice and yoghurt! so, why not try making this at home some time? after all, the thrill of making your own can never be matched, right?

Ingredients:
5 medium-sized Green/Raw Mangoes
1-1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds
1-1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp Turmeric powder
A pinch of Asafoetida (Hing) powder
Chilli powder, to taste
Salt, to taste 
Gingelly/Sesame oil, as needed 

Making the Mangai Thokku:
Peel the raw mangoes and shred them. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds, cool slightly and then powder them. Heat about 2 tbsp of oil on medium heat, and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds start to splutter, add in the shredded raw mangoes and stir until it is evenly coated with oil (add more oil if needed). Cook the mango for a few minutes until it starts to become soft and comes together in a mass. Add the salt and chilli powders and stir well. If the mixture starts to become dry, add some oil. Add in the turmeric powder, fenugreek powder and asafoetida and stir well. Cook the mixture until the oil starts to seperate from the mixture and come to the sides of the pan. Once its ready, add enough oil to form a layer on top of the pickle, stir once and take it off heat. This layer of oil is necessary to keep the pickle from spoiling. Cool an store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 2 weeks.