Rajapuri Mango Pickle

Can you believe these pictures are from 2-3 yrs ago. When I had returned from BLR and was so excited to do all the things seasonally typical of Mumbai. We had bought 5 kgs of Rajapuri Mangoes at APMC and had to pay Rs.5 per kg for dicing service. 

Rajapuri Mangoes are large about 4 -5 inches in size and are fleshy and not much of fibers. This makes them wonderful for pickles and chunda.

The sun has gone but raw Rajapuri mangoes are still on the market and even if you make this pickle indoors it still turns out good without suncooking it. Try a small batch if you haven't yet made your pickles this season.

Ingredients

5 kgs Rajapuri Raw Mangoes diced

1/4 kg red chili powder/ lal mirchi powder

4 cups salt

100 gms asafoetida / hing

1/4 cup fenugreek seeds / methi seeds

400 gms turmeric

1.25 kgs mustard seeds split / rai dal

1.5 liter oil

1.  Wash, drain and dry each diced piece of raw mango with a napkin. This is important as we got the mango diced at the market in unwashed condition. Washing it after cutting and bringing it home removes the grit from the dices. Wiping dry the diced cubes helps remove the excess water and ensures that the pickle will be well preserved.
2. Apply turmeric and some salt to the diced raw mango and allow it to drain on the mesh overnight.
3. Next morning. Toast the methi seeds and powder coarsely.
4.  In a large Parat or large deep dish remove the salt, red chili powder, split Mustard seeds, methi powder and hing. Arrange all these in concentric circles with hing in the center. 
5. Heat oil till smoking point. Let it cool for 10 mins. Then pour half of it over the spices.
6. Mix all the spices. 
7. Fill 2 five liter jars with the salted and turmeric treated diced pieces of mangoes.
8. Now add the spice mix over the diced mangoes and give a shake to the jar to ensure every piece of the mango is coated with the spice.
9. Pour the remaining half of the still hot oil over the diced spiced raw mango. Ensure there is enough oil covering the mango pieces so as to seal the mango pieces from fungal infection. 
10. Let the pickle mature for atleast 15 days before you start eating it. This pickle lasts well for a year and if you maintain enough oil above the mango pieces by topping with heated and cooled oil it last well into the second year too. 

I cannot do without a pickle when I eat rice and dal or even parathas and theplas. What about you? Are you the kind that likes an array of chutneys and pickles on the dinning table?