Kairi ka Achaar/Mango Pickle

Kisi hui kairi ka achar

This age old wisdom of pickling that the Indian culinary heritage has is so amazing and thoughtful! Our daadis-Naanis/Great grandmothers always stored up non perishables throughtout the year, pandemic or no pandemic. Because they were always ready to fight it all.
Pickling is a science of a different kind, we have pickles to suit the changing seasons. Pickles are a backup option when you run out of vegetables or don’t feel like cooking a lot! Just have roti/parantha to go with it and you’re sorted.
It’s only wonderful to find that without such scientific education by the book our ancestors were well versed with it. This rich heritage of making sumptuous pickles is truly to be treasured! I wish our generation too makes homemade pickles. I made mine, the very first attempt.

The aam ka achar that my Daadi made was absolute best! I still have the taste of it lingering on with so many fond memories. ❤
I remember Daadi and Mummy making achaar and filling those huge “martabaans” of it. Gosh! I am transported to that time.
How I wish my Daadi were alive today , because she’d be so proud to see me taking such keen interest and preserving our age-old traditions! ❤

This is my mom’s recipe, hence a keeper.
Sharing it with you all and hoping you make it too. 🙂

Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 kg raw mangoes
75 gms fennel seeds (saunf)
30 gms Fenugreek seeds (Methi dana)
60 gms Mustard seeds (rai)
40 gms Red chilli powder
30 gms Kashmiri Red chilli Powder
65 gms Salt
1 tbsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing) (I used the one with strong aroma)
10 gms Nigella seeds (Kalonji) (optional)
400 ml Oil (Groundnut oil/Mustard oil/Sunflower Oil)

Method:
Wash the raw mangoes very well, pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
Now you may cut the raw mangoes into small cubes like traditionally done or you may choose to peel the raw mangoes and grate them with a thick grater, like I did. Discard the seed.
Keep them aside in a big vessel.

Take all the spices , mix them together and just coarsely pulse them in a grinder.
Make sure not too grind the spices too fine unless you like them that way.
I like it to be coarse as it gives a good texture to the pickle.

Now mix the #AchaarMasala that you just prepared with the cut/grated raw mangoes. Give thema good mix.

Leave it covered overnight.

Heat up the oil the next morning and then let it cool down to room temprature.
Now pour this oil over the pickle and mix ver well.

In clean, dry glass jars (Barni/Martabaan) stock up your aam ka achaar absolutely good for an year till the next pickling season! 😛

NOTES:
-Make sure to use really firm and raw mangoes for making the pickle.
-Once the pickle is ready, use only dry and clean glass jars to store it.
-When you fill the jars with the pickle, make sure to let the oil keep floating at least half an inch above the pickle to ensure its longevity.
-Always keep this pickle in a cool area at room temperature.

Happy Pickling!
xoxo

Karonde Kairi ka Achar

If not for the pickles, what would the paranthas do?? 😛
Just saying! As far as this one is concerned, i can actually gobble up the entire bowl just like that with fingers all dipped in. Even if that looks not so nice to look at, trust me there’s no better way of having it unless you really lick your fingers!!

Summers are approaching here, although the dawns and dusks have a cool breeze flowing.
But we couldn’t wait for it to be hot summers to make this insant lipsmacking good pickle.

Karonde (raw cranberries) and raw mango make for an excellent combination because they compliment each other’s flavour. And then a bit of jaggery is added to the pickle to do away with its excessive tangy taste!

If you haven’t made it ever, you’ve got to try this awesome achar because you will love it, I know. 😀

So let’s get to the recipe now!

Recipe :

Ingredients :
250 gms karonde (Raw Cranberries)
2 small keri (Raw Mangoes, diced into small pieces)
1 tbsp oil
1/8 tsp hing (Asafoetida)
1 & ½ tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp Saunf (fennel seeds,coarsely ground)
½ tsp haldi (Turmeric Powder)
1 & 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 & 1/2 tsp salt (adjust as per taste)
80-100 gms jaggery

Method :
Wash karonde and towel dry them. Wash the raw manoges and dice them into small pieces.
Take a wok and heat oil, let the mustard seeds and fennel seeds splutter, also add asafoetida along. Put diced raw mangoes and karonde and stir, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Keep checking in between so that they do not stick to the bottom. Once you feel both the karonde and keri are cooked, i.e. they have softened add all the spices. Stir well again. Lastly grate the jaggery and add it to the pickle. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
And in no time this delicious pickle is ready!

What i love the most about this pickle is that it is instant and uses minimal oil unlike others. So why wait. as soon as you find these raw mangoes and karonde in the market, grab onto them and cook it up! 🙂

This can be stored well for a week in the refrigerator in a clean dry glass jar.

Hope you are going to like it.
Thank you for stopping by! ❤