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Mango pickle is a variety ofpickle prepared usingmango.[1] It is very popular inSouth andSoutheast Asia. These sour/spicy pickles are also available commercially.
Many varieties of vegetables are used in the making ofpickles. However, rawmango or tender mango is the most popular variety offruit used for pickling inSouth Asia. The pickling process inIndia differs from other regions mainly due to an additional spice mixture added to them after anaerobic fermentation.[citation needed] There are multiple varieties of mango pickles prepared depending on the region and the spices used but broadly there are two types: whole baby mango pickles and cut mango pickle. Whole baby mango pickle is a traditional variety very popular inSouth India and uses baby mangoes that are few weeks old.[citation needed] There are special varieties of mangoes specifically used just for pickling and they are never consumed as ripe fruit. Baby mangoes are pickled using salt, vegetable oil and a blend of hot spices, in a very careful process which ensures pickles are preserved for years.[2]
This is ideally prepared using a special variety of mango that can stay crisp for longer periods when pickled. This variety of mango is specially bred and grafted for use. However, most raw mango varieties can be pickled if quality is not a concern.[citation needed]
A tangycondiment made with mango pickle,amba or anba (Arabic:عنبة[a],Hebrew:עמבה[b]) was popularised byIraqi Jewish[3] merchants inBombay who brought it back toBaghdad upon their return. Amba bears a resemblance tochutneys fromSouth Asia. The spicy, sweet and sour sauce is typically made of pickled green mangoes,vinegar,salt,turmeric,chilies, andfenugreek.[4] It is enjoyed in variousMiddle Eastern countries, as well as in Europe and theUnited States.[5]
One of the most popular kind of mango pickles is called the "avakaya" (ఆవకాయ). A variety ofIndian pickle popular in South India, it is also known as "uragaya" (ఊరగాయ) and mango pickle.[6] Its origins can be traced to the Delta Districts ofAndhra Pradesh. Known for its spice and flavor, it is usually eaten with plain whiterice or on the side with other flavored rice items like a hot sauce and is a staple of meals in southern India, especially in the state of Andhra Pradesh.[citation needed]
The main ingredients are mangoes,āvapiṇḍi (ఆవపిండి; powdered mustard seeds) and a combination of other spices used for pickling. South Indians are known to have a deep attachment to these spicy pickles. A wide variety of pickles are available in these regions, using mango as their prime ingredient. Besides being made at home, the pickles are available commercially and are exported to the United States, Europe,Japan and many other countries.[7]
Avakaya pickles are usually made in the summer, this being the time for peak availability of green mangoes. Green mangoes, hot oil, chilies and a variety of spices are the key ingredients. The process of preparation, storage and serving is considered almost aritual.[citation needed]
The mangoes are cut into medium-sized pieces approximately 2 cm x 2 cm using strong and especially sharp cutters/knives in swift strokes so as not to structurally damage the pieces. These pieces are wiped clean and dry with a highly-absorbent soft cloth — usually an old sterilized cottonsari with noembroidery, stowed away for this purpose. They are then pickled with powdered mustard, red chili powder (dried and powdered or sometimes dried, roasted and powdered), salt,gingelly oil. The mixture matures for four to eight weeks, care being taken to mix the contents periodically to ensure a uniformmarinade.[8]
Hot rice is mixed with one or two pieces of avakaya andghee (clarified butter) orgroundnut oil, then made into bite-size balls. Avakaya is often eaten with rice anddahi (yogurt). Raw onion can be added which enhances the taste. Most people prefer to eat it along withmuddapappu (pigeon peadal) andneyyi (ghee/clarified butter). Some people prefer to eat it within 1–2 months from preparation, when it is calledKottāvakāya.[8]
This is a variation of mango pickle. This kind of pickle is made from tender mango.[9] The small mangoes are collected when the mangoes just start to grow. In this pickle the mango is not cut into pieces; the whole mango is prepared as a form of pickle.
This is a variation where mangoes are grated to produce achutney-like pickle.
The common urban legend is that it was invented in the late 19th century by members of the Baghdadi-born Sassoon family of Bombay, whose discovery of the mango led them to send barrels of it, coated in vinegar, to Basra port, thus confirming its role in the story of the Jewish culinary diaspora, with roots in Iraq.
