I have been preparing aavakkai (or avakkai) every summer for the last 25 years. But I have never measured the ingredients. Everything is kannalavu( measured by eye). The measure of salt depends on the sourness of the mango. Here I am giving exact measures as told by my sister in law Padma. This is my entry for Sunita’s Think Spice, Think Mustard event.
How to pick mangoes for Aavakkai?
Selecting the mangoes for Aavakkai is as important as the preparation itself. Buy firm and sour mangoes. Orange sized mangoes would be ideal( though mangoes are not exacly round) for the pickle. Take a large plastic sheet or some old cloth to spread on the ground while the mango is being cut. Ensure the mangoes are washed and wiped dry before cutting. The inner shell should remain intact. All this will help you to make Aavakai that lasts long. Get the mangoes cut into 1 inch pieces.
Aavakkai with Oil on top for preserving. Oil riseson top after a couple of days. While serving oil should be drained.
Ingredients
- Raw mangoes – 1 kg
- Mustard seeds – 150 grams
- Red chilli powder – 150 grams(Everest tikkalal is good)
- Salt – 150 grams
- Sesame oil – 250 grams
- Kabuli channa – 100 grams(optional)
- Fenugreek (methi seeds) – 1 tablespoon.
Method
- Purchase and get the mangoes cut as per instructions mentioned above.
- Spread the cut mangoes on a plate, wipe each piece with a clean white cloth.
- Grind mustard to a fine powder. Mix salt, chilli powder and mustard powder.
- In a dry Tupperware or glass container, place some mango pieces and spread some mixed powder, channa and pour some oil.
- Repeat this with remaining ingredients. Mix with a large laddle.
- In two days the oil will rise up. While serving drain the oil. The pickle should always have a layer of oil floating at the top .
Guntur chilli powder gives the exact flavour and taste. You can also get the chillies freshly ground in a mill if you are making large quantities.
You can increase the chilli powder as per taste.
The pickle looks lovely…thanks for sending it over 🙂
yummy , spicy, tangy avakai.. yupee…:)
thanks a zillion for this recipe!!! i love avakkai but dunno how to make it..actly havent tried any pickle so far… 🙂
SLURPP!!! I am salivating!:))
We get the mango pickle bottles here, all soft and soggy. Fresh green mangoes,I can only dream!:))
Great entry L,have a great weekend.
I luv Mango avakkai. I can manage a meal only with this when I was a child. Thanks for the recipe. If I get mangoes I’ll love to try this
I love Aavvakai.
I too have started measuring things only since I started blogging;-)
My favourite pickle…..my mom has always given me a steady supply of this…so i haven’t tried making this myself.
Hi,
‘ve come here thru FBD…Lovely entry…Avakai with Toor dal and a drop of ghee leaves me at the footsteps of Heaven….Yummyyyy
waaw look at all that mango pieces folating in oil. My hubby’s side no one can live a day with out avakaya.
Love this pickle…. My mother makes it very spicy.
It looks yummy Latha. One doubt. Do they add Vedhayam? My mom used to add it. That’s why i asked. Viji
Last time when I went to India, I made some for myself and mom. I added 2 heads of peeled garlic cloves. They taste amazing.
Wow! nice recipe Latha. I love avakka pickle. My patti will do this nicely. While I came here I brought this for myself from patti and is over now. Will try soon. Thanks for sharing.
Lakshmi,I was just rounding up the sweets for RCI K and I am not sure if you sent your Mysoor Pak post for RCI K. I am just checking if I have forgotten to add or not.Confirm, if you have sent it.If not, ignore this!:))
have been looking for this recipe for ages! thanks, looks delicious
We make a similar pickle here in the Caribbean too. We call it achar 🙂 Some call it kuchela.
Mango in any form – am here.
Aavakkai ranks the top.
Yours looks lip-smacking. I am having curd rice now…wish I had this 🙂
love pickles!!
thanks for the recipe
anytime only if I cud get the sour mangoes in US like we did in India!!:(
[…] the last twenty five years, Latha has always eyeballed the ingredients while making avakai/raw mango pickle.This time, however, she has given accurate measurements for our benefit…thanks Lakshmi. […]
[…] and mashed lightly with some sesame oil. My fridge is usually home to many varieties of pickles – Avakkai, Vegetable Pickle, Tomato Pickle, Gooseberry (Nellikai) Pickle, Shallots Pickle, Gongura – […]
nice to read the avvakai recipe hope it tastes as well.
do we add turmeric powder or not to avakkai.
Good Blog.
Hi nice to have the avakai pickle recepie. Have had avakai pickle form a andraite friend in my childhood with kala channa, kabuli channa should also taste good. How do you use the channa for the pickle, do you have to pre soak before adding to the pickle.
SWATHI
hai its nice and very recipy and spicy.
What is kabuli channa?
kabuli channa is chickpeas.
[…] thanks, I have my dinner”. Amma had packed his favorite Chitranna(lemon rice), Curd rice and Aavakkai (Raw Mango Pickle, Andhra style). Subbu checked the bag containing his food once and when found it intact, he went to sleep again […]
thanks for the receipe..
It looks simple and easy..Can u please tell where we can get Guntur chilli in Chennai..
Hi…
I got a real pickle recipe…Thanks for this blog
superb pickle that i ever tasted before.
its really spicy with water falls in my mouth………………..
hi my avakkai pickle is taking more than two months to get soaked in pepper and soft so what shld i do to get a immediate avakkai
ok your preparation is good but my ?????
mmmmm awsome