Indian-style mango pickle

This recipe for Indian-style mango pickle features asafoetid, a dried gum resin from a root plant of the fennel family. Frequently used in Indian cooking, it is sold as a yellow powder and has an unpleasant smell when uncooked.

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 large green mangos, seeded and cut into large cubes (preferably with lot of fibre and a woody seed shell)
• 10 level tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 level tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 level tbsp onion seeds (kalongi)
• 2 level tbsp mustard seeds
• 3 level tbsp whole dried chillies
• 3 level tbsp hot chilli powder
• 3 level tbsp turmeric powder
• 2 level tbsp asafoetida powder
• 10 level tbsp salt
• 3 level tsp sugar
• 500 ml (2 cups) mustard seed oil

You will need to begin this recipe 1 month ahead.

Instructions

Dry-roast the fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, onion seeds, mustard seeds and whole chillies in a pan, then blend coarsely in a spice blender. Mix ground spice with powdered spices, salt and sugar. Add the mango to the spices and put in a pre-sterilised ceramic jar. Cover and leave for 3 to 4 days.

Heat mustard seed oil to smoking point and then let it cool. When cold, add to the mango and spice mixture and make sure it covers all the ingredients.

Cover the jar and stir the contents at intervals of 5 to 6 days for a period of 1 month. The pickle will then be ready to serve with curries.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.