Methi Mango Pickle
With my last post on raw Mango I mentioned how difficult it was to find these little raw Mangoes. How wrong was I, they are plentiful at the moment. Walk into any Asian Green grocer in London and I am confident they will carry a box or two of these Mangoes. A scene not likely 25 years ago.
My Mum makes her own Pickle and when I moved to the UK, many years ago, I craved for her Pickle. I found out Pickles were sold in Asian supermarkets. Excitedly, bought a jar of Methi Mango Pickle. Oh my disappointment, when I opened the jar and looked inside. Before this moment, I had never seen so much spice coating on the fruit and hardly any Mango and to disappoint me further the size of the Mango pieces, even my finger nails were bigger!
After that moment, I have always refused to buy Pickles, I am sure a lot of Brands have changed things, but the memory does not leave me. If I do not have this Condiment in the house; we do without, until Pickle is made.
This pickle is not difficult to make as long as you get the right size mangoes (that is the really tiny green mangoes), and when cut in half, knife goes straight through (soft centred seed), then they are perfect.
I bought enough mangoes to fit 2 small jam jars, around 400g in weight. Cut the Mangoes lengthways into quarters and either half each ‘quarter’ or into 3 pieces, no smaller. Place the pieces in a bowl and sprinkle a tablespoon of sea salt and half a teaspoon of Turmeric powder. Mix well and allow to draw out water from the Mango pieces. This should take no more then two hour. Remove Mango pieces from this liquid and lay them out flat on a paper towel lined tray until you notice the pieces are ‘dry’. ( I left mine, at room temperature, overnight).
Make the spice mix.
Take 2 tablespoon of crushed Fenugreek seed and a teaspoon of crushed Mustard Seed. Place in a non reactive bowl with 3 tablespoon of rock sea salt. To this I added 3 tablespoons of Cayenne Chilli Powder, (add more if you like the pickle hotter), with 1 tablespoon of Turmeric powder, not to forget 1 teaspoon of Asafoetida. Mix the spices well before adding 2 tablespoons of Sunflower oil, to bind the spices well.
Slowly add to the mango pieces, 1 tablespoon at a time until all the mango pieces are coated well.
Remember any spice mix left unused can be bottled and stored and will keep for 6 to 8 months in a cool dark cupboard.
Start ‘layering’ the spice coated mango in a sterlised jar. Fill the jar in 3 layers. Each layer press down a little, now top with sunflower oil, repeat with the next layer. As for the last layer, top with the spice mix before topping with a little oil.
Now allow Pickle to marinate, for a week, in a cool dark cupboard, at the least before using the pickle. Once opened, store in the refrigerator.
