Avakaya Pachadi Recipe | Andhra Mango Pickle | Avakai - Masalakorb (2024)

Avakaya Pachadi Andhra Recipe | Andhra Mango Pickle Recipe | How to make Raw Mango Pickle | Avakai Recipe – It’s a known fact that Andhra is synonymous with ‘Avakai/Avakaya’ or Mango Pickle. A traditional pickle variety prepared with raw mango pieces, blended with oil, spices & marinated for the right amount of time.

Editor’s note:This post was originally published in April 2016 and has been updated with Video and replaced with better edited pictures for comprehensiveness and freshness.

Summer time is mango time! And therefore, pickle time! It’s a known fact that Andhra is synonymous with ‘Avakaya Pachadi’ or RawMango Pickle, the king of pickles!! South Indians around the world prepareavakai during summer time, wherever green, unripe mangoes are available. This centuries-old culinary tradition has roots in Andhra Pradesh. I’m here today to share with you the traditional recipe for Avakaya Pachadi. The style and procedures of traditional pickle recipes have been passed down from my mother and grandmother, both experts in the family.It isn’t just about pickles it is about a tradition being passed on and I feel so blessed.

What is Avakaya Pachadi?

The glorious mix of ava (mustard) with kaya (raw mango) is a much awaited ceremony in the Telugu households. Any traditional bhojanam (meal) would ideally start with pickles likeAvakaya Pachadi or any other vegetable pachadi (chutney). Words really do not do justice to describe the avakaya taste…I think each one must experience the exquisite flavour of this culinary gem for themselves.

Selection & Cutting Mangoes:

Avakaya Pachadi is the result of painstaking efforts put in right from choosing the mangoes to serving them. The mangoes are supposed to be hand plucked and carefully brought off the tree without letting them fall on the ground. Even a small bruise to the mango is considered useless to make mango pickle. Absolutely firm, mature, fibrous, unblemished, sour mangoes are required.

Once the mangoes are plucked, they are to be used the same day to prepare the mango pickle. The fresh raw mangoes are soaked in water for an hour, wiped completely dry and cut carefully into average sized pieces in almost 2cmX2cm size using strong and particularly sharp cutters/knives in fast strokes so that there is no internal damage to the pieces. These pieces are them wiped clean and dry using a good absorbing soft cotton cloth.

It does take a special skill to cut the mangoes with the kernel intact and into uniform size pieces. The pith is discarded while the hard kernel is left intact and the wafer thin transparent layer lining the kernel is removed with a help of a spoon or knife. Each mango piece is then carefully cleaned with a soft cloth and laid out to be dried on a cloth for an hour or two before beginning the pickling process. If any of the pieces do not have the kernel or green skin, they are discarded. Following the pre-pickling steps meticulously is extremely crucial to achieve good results and that too for a pickle that will last a whole year.

Which Mango Variety is best to prepare Avakaya Pachadi?

The most preferred mango varieties to makeAvakaya Pachadi Recipe are Jalalu or Pedda Rasalu. This is back home but here in Germany I have no clue what these mangoes are called…I got them from the Indian store. They are sour but the kernel is not that hard because they are not that mature. That’s the reason I’m preparing small quantity!! I’m happy with the outcome!! Anyway I get my share for the whole year from India…this is just for my lovely readers to prepare at home.

Preparation of Spices:

The cut mango pieces are then pickled with fine ground mustard seeds, red chilli powder (dried and powdered), salt, cold pressed gingelly oil (unrefined sesame oil that is golden in colour aka nuvvu nune in telugu), fenugreek (both seed and powder) and optionally garlic.

The colour of the pickle will depend on the type of chilli powder and mustard powder used. We add fenugreek (methi) seeds and garlic cloves to the basicAvakaya Pachadi Recipe. Love the flavour of garlic in the pickle which when marinated gives a very nice taste to the pickle.I always hunt for garlic pods in thepickle as they taste awesome.

How to prepare Avakaya Pachadi ?

Red chilli powder, mustard powder and salt should be equal in quantities. The basic thumb rule is whatever measure you use for measuring your mango pieces, the same measure of the mixture of spice powders (red chilli powder, mustard powder and salt) should be used. In other words, if you use 1 cup of mango pieces, you need to mix it in 1 cup of spice mixture.

How to store Avakaya Pachadi ?

Once you prepare the pickle, transfer to a clean, dry, wide mouthed ceramic or glass jar with a non-corrosive lid. You need to place the lid, tie a cloth over the lid and keep the jar on the kitchen countertop where air circulates freely.

Within hours, mango pieces start to take in the avakaya spice mixture and oil. As a result, volume also reduces. Avakaya Pachadi keeps maturing with time and the mango pieces become from just sour to a potent combination of hot-salty-sour with mustard-methi pungency mixed in.

Serving Avakaya Pachadi

You can also eat the Mango avakaya pickle within 2 days of making it, though it continues to mellow with time. The pungent-sweet aromas wafting out of the ceramic pickle-jars are both lip-smacking and tongue-tingling. And they can add flavour to even the most boring meals.

In fact, the combination of avakaya with rice and a nice dollop of ghee is an unforgettable melt-in-the-mouth experience. Mixing mudda pappu to this is another divine experience!! Experience the gastronomic wonder of Avakaya annamin just a morselful of rice. Want to try your hand at makingAvakaya Pachadi?

Off to the recipe forAvakaya Pachadi Recipe!!

Easy Steps to follow for

Avakaya Pachadi Recipe

• Wash and soak mangoes in water for an hour. In the mean time wash the pickle jars (aka jadis) and sun dry the jar. They should be completely dry with absolutely no moisture.
• Wipe the mangoes with a soft cotton cloth and cut them into pieces with the kernel intact. You really need to have sharp thick knife to cut into 1inch thick mango wedges with the inner shell intact. In India the shop keepers also do this job during the mango season.
• If the inner shell is intact it will increase the shelf life of pickle. Take a sharp knife and scrub the inner shell to remove a thin white layer over it. This is another important step to keep in mind to prevent the pickle from spoiling.
• Now take a dry cloth and wipe the pieces from all the sides. This is to ensure that they are all clean and dry.
• Clean the pieces with a soft cloth and spread them over a dry cloth while you work on the rest of the pickle preparation.

For making Avakaya Pachadi:

• Grind the sun dried mustard seeds to a fine powder using a blender. Set aside.

• Dry roast fenugreek seeds in a pan till the turn light brown or till you get the aroma.
• Now add the fenugreek seeds in a dry mixer and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.

• Grind the crystal salt to a fine powder. Set aside. If using regular salt reduce the quantity of salt by 2 tablespoons.
• Peel the garlic pods and set aside.

These are all what you will need:

• Use a big wide bowl if you are preparing large quantities. Mix the mustard seeds powder, red chilli powder, fenugreek powder and salt until everything mixes well. Then add it to the mango pieces and mix. (I have added the spices directly to the mango pieces since I’m making very little quantity).
• Add salt. red chilli powder, mustard seeds powder and fenugreek seeds powder to themango pieces and mix well.

• Apply the mixture all over the mango pieces with your hands. It is best to use your hands for this step rather than mixing it up with ladle.
• Add fenugreek seeds(methi) and mix well.
• Add peeled garlic pods and 1 cup of oil to the spice coated mango pieces and mix well.

• Put the masala coated mango pieces and all the remaining masala in the sterilised jar. Add another 1/4 cup oil over it and cover it with lid and keep it aside for 2-3 days. You can also tie a cloth over the lid of the jar and keep it in a moisture free area.

Day 1:

• On day-1 check if some oil might have started floating over the pickle. Now taste the masala mixture in the pickle, it should be slightly salty as the pickle has to be yet marinated for a day or two until the sourness from the mangoes seeps into the masala mixture. But if you feel the salt is less add 1 or 2 teaspoons of salt to it and mix the contents well. I don’t think you will need if you follow the measurements correctly.
• Always mix with a clean and dry ladle all over and repeat the same process on day-3.

Day 3:

• On the day-3 if you see the oil is floating on the pickle it is perfect. Otherwise add extra sesame oil over the top until the oil floats on top.
• Marinate the pickles for 3 to 4 more days, mix it well and it is ready for consumption. Technically you can also start to use from the 2nd or 3rd day too.
• Store it in a clean air-tight ceramic or glass container. This way your pickle stores for long with freshness in it and even the mango pieces do not get soft and also would not change the colour.
• Always remove small quantities of mango pickle into a small jars for everyday use.

Avakaya Pachadi will keep for several months to a year without refrigeration.

Serve kotha avakaiorAvakaya Pachadiwith hot steamed rice, mudda pappu (cooked tur dal) and ghee which is a classic combo. This with an omlette on the side can make my day!!

Do check out otherand otherChutney Recipesfrom blog!!

OTHER POPULAR PICKLE RECIPES ON BLOG:

• Mango Pickle
• Amla Pickle
• Chicken Pickle

Check out other Mango Recipes from blog:

• Raw mango rice
• Aam Panna
• Mango Lassi
• Strawberry Mango Breakfast smoothie
• Mango pomegranate Guacomole
• Mango Kesari
• Ugadi Pachadi

Many more to come!!…..STAY TUNED!!

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Happy Cooking

Cheers!!

Padma.