Mango Pickle Maharashtrian Style

Ingredients:
Raw Mango - 6 nos
Mustard powder - 1 cup
Mustard seeds - 2 tbsp
Fenugreek powder - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Red Chilly powder - 1 cup
Asafodeita - 1 1/2 inch piece
Crystal salt - 1 1/2 cup
Gingely Oil - 2 cups

Method:
Wash and wipe mangoes. When dry cut them into small cubes. Heat the 2 cups of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and turmeric powder to it. When the mustard seeds splutter remove from flame and let it cool. Fry asafodeita in 1/2 tsp of oil and when cool grind it to a fine powder. (Instead 4 tbsp of powdered hing can also be used).

In a shallow bowl mix chilly powder, fenugreek powder and mustard powder. Add the cool oil and make a fine paste of it. Add the mango cubes to the paste. Roast the salt in dry pan and add it to the mango. Mix thoroughly.

Transfer the pickle to an air tight container. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of salt on it and seal it. This pickle can be used for about a month or two.

Care should be taken that clean spoon without any water should be used to serve it. Water will spoil the pickle.

Fenu Greek Powder for pickles

Ingredients:
Fenu Greek seeds - 100 gms
Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch
Asafodeita - 1 pinch
Salt - 1 pinch

Method:
Fry fenu greek powder in dry pan. Ensure it dont burn out or turn black. It have to be in golden colour. Remove from flame and grind it to a fine powder with asafodeita, salt and turmeric powder. Store it in an air tight container.

This can be used in any kind of pickles.

Mango Pickle Bengali style

This pickle is made using Panch Puran and Mustard oil. These two give the enhanced Bengali taste to this recipe. But if the taste of mustard oil is not liked then gingely oil can be used.

Ingredients:
Mangoes - 6 nos (raw)
Jaggery - 1/2 kg
Panch Pooran Powder - 1 tbsp
Red chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Oil - 1/2 cup
        or
Gingely Oil - 1/2 cup
If mustard oil is not used Mustard powder - 2 tbsp

Method:
Grate the mangoes. Powder the jaggery. Mix the grated mangoes, jaggery, turmeric powder and salt. Put the mixture in a shallow vessel and cover it with a thin cloth. Keep the vessel in sun for about 4 to 5 days. Tie the clotch with a thread below the rim of the vessel.

      Mix panch pooran powder, red chilly powder (and mustard powder) and keep the mixture again in sun for another 4 to 5 days.

      Before storing it add mustard oil or gingely oil and mix it thoroughly.

To soften dried up pickle

Heat 1/2 cup of gingely oil and let it cool and add it to the dried up pickle jar to make it soft and edible.

Amla Pickle recipe for hair growth

Amla is always very good for hair growth. This pickle recipe helps in increasing the immune system and also helps in increasing the hair volume.

Ingredients:
Amla - 1/2 kg
Fenugreek - 50gms
Red Chillies - 10 to 12
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Groundnut - 2 tbsp
Asafodeita - 1/2 inch piece
Gingely Oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 50 gms
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup
Chilly powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

Method:
Boil water in a pan along with some salt. Remove from flame, add Amla and close it with a lid. Let it cool. When cold remove the seeds from the amlas. Grind the amlas into a fine paste.

Dry roast fenugreek seeds, mustard, groundnut, curry leaves, asafodeita and dry chillies one by one and grind them to a fine powder along with turmeric powder.

Heat the gingely oil in a pan. Add mustard powder, cumin seeds when it splutters add the amla paste and saute it for sometime. Add the grounded powder and mix it well again. Keep sauteing till the oil comes out. Remove from flame and let it cool. Store in an airtight container.

This can be served as a side dish for Idly, Dosa or Chappatti or had with hot rice and ghee before starting every day's lunch.

Mint - Coriander Thokku - a side dish recipe for Idly, Dosa and Chappati

Had a bunch of coriander leaves and also a bunch of mint leaves. Not enough to make chutney but there is no other side dish at home for Idlies. So thought of making this thokku.

Ingredients:
Mint Leaves - 1 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1 cup
Ginger - 2 inch piece
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Asafodeita - a pinch
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind Paste -2 tbsp
Gingely Oil - 3 tbsp

Method to make Mint - Coriander thokku
Wash and drain mint leaves and coriander leaves separately. In a pan heat 1 tbsp of oil and add ginger, green chillies and mint leaves. Let it cool and grind it to a fine paste with coriander leaves, salt, asafodeita and tamrind paste.

Heat remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the ground paste to it. Add mustard seeds and when it splutters add the ground paste and stir so that it doesnot settle at the bottom of the pan. Cook till the oil separates from the sides of the pan. When cool store it in an air tight container. When kept in fridge it can be used for a week.

Note:
If you are using tamrind instead of tamrind paste, use a medium lemon sized of tamrind and fry it in oil along with green chillies and ginger pieces.

Spicy Mango Pickle without oil

Ingredients:
Raw Mango - 2 nos
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 3 tbsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp
Asafodeita - 2 pinches

Method
Cut the mangoes into 1 inch big pieces. Spread the cut pieces in a plate. Sprinkle salt and 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder on top and ensure all the pieces are coated with it. Set aside for 3 to 4 hours. Spread the pieces in a drainer (colander)  and place it in sun for 2 to 3 hours to remove the excess water. Spread the pieces in a clean cloth. 



Transfer the pieces to a large bowl and sprinkle the rest of the ingredients together and toss well to mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Put the pieces in a clean jar and keep aside. Keep the jar in a dry place. Keep the jar in hot sun for 2 hours daily for a week and store again in cool dry place. Shake the jar regularly. 



After a week refreigerate the pickle jar.

Recipe for cut mango pickle

When I saw mangoes in the shop today (green ones), I simply grabbed them as I wanted to make pickle which is mine and my hubby's favourite. Easy to make pickle at home. It wont last long if it is not refrigerated. Even if refrigerated use it within a week.

Ingredients:
Raw Mangoes - 2 nos
Methi Powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Asafodeita - 2 pinches
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp

Method to make cut mango pickle:
Wash and cut mango into small cubes. Spread the pieces in a bowl. Sprinkle salt, Red Chilly powder, Hing and Methi powder and mix them throughly so that all the pieces are evenly coated. Heat gingely oil and pour it on to the mango pieces. Mix again thoroughly. Let it cool and transfer it to an airtight container.

Mango Pickle a different method

This can be used as a side dish for curd rice, chappati, dosa etc. Refrigerate it and use it within a week.

Ingredients:
Green Raw Mango - 1/2 Kg (Now the shops sell mangoes only in kgs). Around 3 medium sized or 2 big sized ones.
Onions - 2 (finely chopped)
Garlic - 6 Flakes chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece finely chopped
Red Chillies - 6 to 8 (depending upon its spiciness)
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - To taste
Jaggery - 1 tbspn
Oil - 4 tbspn
Water - 2 cups

Method:
Roast and grind the cumin seeds along with ginger and garlic (instead of cumin, fennel(sombu) can also be added). Heat oil in a pan and add onions to it, when it gets tender, add the ground mix and turmeric powder and mix thoroughly. Let it cook for a few seconds. Now add the mango pieces and jaggery. Add water and salt and cover it to cook. When it becomes thick, sim the stove and remove the lid. Saute till the entire water is absorbed.

If you are refrigerating it before serving, heat a little quantity and either microwave it or heat it in a kadai for a min or two.

Tomato Pickle

Ingredients:
Ripe Red Tomato - 1 kg
Red Chilly Powder - 2 tbspns
Salt - To taste
Fenu greek - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Gingelly Oil - 6 tbspns
Tamrind - a small gooseberry size(optional)
Turmeric Powder - A pinch

Method:
Cut the tomatoes into small pieces. In a pan add the oil and add mustard. When it splutters add the fenu greek, asafodeita. After a few seconds, add the cut tomatoes. Let it cook well. When it is cooked 3/4th add salt, turmeric powder and salt. Add chilly powder to it. Let everything cook untill it becomes a fine thick paste.

This can be used either as a side dish for curd rice, idly, dosa or you can add it with hot white rice.

Pickle Powder to make different kinds of South Indian pickles

  A combination of spices can be mixed and ground together to make the Pickle Masala Powder which can be stored and used any time to make South Indian Pickles.

Ingredients:
Fenugreek - 1/2 kg or 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 kg or 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 100 gms or 2 tbsp
Red Chillies - 2 kg or 2 cups

Method:
Spread all the ingredients in hot sun for about a day so that all the moisture goes off. (Alternatively, if the quantity is less the ingredients can be either roasted in a dry pan, or can be heated in microwave).

Large quantity can be ground in a flour mill. Small quantity can be ground in a mixer grinder to a fine powder. Store it an airtight container. This can be used for about 6 to 9 months.