Summer Pickles

The heat and all the associated discomfort of summer is offset - for me at least - by the luscious, mouthwatering green mango. I just cannot get enough of it. I eat it as chutney, as sorbet, and in the off season, as pickles. Oh yum yum!!!



Since I devour pickles by the kilo (literally), I make my own pickles as home. Buying them from the store would solidly put me on the road towards bankruptcy.

Ranak obligingly bought the fresh mango from the local bazaar.


The ingredients were lined up for two kind of pickles. The sweet 'Kashmiri Pickle" for Ranak, and the "Hot and Sour Pickle" for yours truly. The mangoes were first washed and drained, and then sliced.


The recipies are given below in case anyone is interested.

Kashmiri Pickle

Ingredients:
Mango, white vinegar, sugar, dried red chili, ginger, and salt.



Wash and peel mango. Slice into wedges. Sprinkle salt over wedges. Leave aside for 3 hours.
Wash salt off and drain well. Leave aside for the pieces to dry completely.
Finely slice dried red chili (I use a pair of scissors). Thinly slice ginger.
In a saucepan on medium heat, pour the vinegar, add mango pieces, chili, sugar and ginger.(Mango pieces should not be submerged in vinegar. The amount of sugar depends on how sweet you want the pickle.)
Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until mango pieces start to soften. Let it cool completely. Put in jars, seal and place jars in the sun for a few days.

Hot and Sour Pickle

Ingredients:
Mango, mustard oil, dried red chili, garlic, mustard, five spice mix, salt and sugar (if necessary).

Wash and peel mango. Quarter and then cut each quarter piece into half (one mango should yield 8 pieces). Sprinkle salt over pieces. Leave aside overnight. Wash salt off and drain well. Leave aside for the pieces to dry completely.
Make dried red chili paste, mustard paste and garlic paste.
Marinate the mango pieces in the chili, mustard and garlic paste, adding mustard oil as necessary. A bit of turmeric powder or paste can also be added to the mix.
Sun dry for two days, making sure both sides get the sun.

Pan fry the Five Spice Mix. Grind. Make some more dried red chili paste and garlic paste. Cut some dried red chili into half (garnish).
In a saucepan on medium heat, pour mustard oil. Add the chili and garlic paste. When oil starts to froth, add the sun-dried mango pieces. Mango pieces should be submerged in oil.
Sprinkle the five spice mix over mango pieces. Add the sliced red chili.
A bit of sugar can be added to take off the very sour edge.

Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until mango pieces start to soften. Let it cool completely. Put in jars, making sure the mango pieces are completely submerged in oil. Seal and place jars in the sun for a few days.

Please note that all home-made pickles that don't have preservatives added should be allowed some sun periodically.

Bon appetit!