Ingredients
Method
- Everything must be completely dry, including the jar. Moisture causes mould.
- Toss the mango with salt and turmeric and leave in a sterilised jar for 1 day, shaking now and then.
- Heat the mustard oil until it smokes, then let it cool to room temperature.
- Lightly roast the mustard and fenugreek and mix with the chilli, fennel, nigella and asafoetida.
- Mix the mango with the spices and pour over enough oil to cover completely.
- Leave the jar in a warm, sunny spot for 7 to 10 days, shaking daily, before eating. Always use a dry spoon.
Home pickling carries a risk of spoilage. Discard any pickle that smells off or shows mould.
The spices that matter
Black or brown mustard seeds start most South Indian, Gujarati and Maharashtrian tempering: they pop in hot oil before curry leaves and dals go in. G…
No mustard seed? Cumin seeds give a different but workable tempering. Yellow mustard seeds are milder.
A few seeds go into South Indian tempering, sambar powder and pickles. Soaked fenugreek helps idli and dosa batter ferment and adds softness.
No fenugreek seed? A pinch of mustard seed with a little maple syrup gives a rough approximation, but most recipes are fine without it.
Chewed after meals as a mouth freshener, ground into Kashmiri and Bengali dishes, and fried whole in pickles and panch phoron.
No fennel seed? Anise seed is the closest swap; use a little less.
Sprinkled on naan, used in panch phoron, pickles and Bengali vegetable dishes.
No nigella seeds? Black sesame plus a pinch of onion powder.
A pinch goes into almost every dal, sabzi and curry, usually with the onions or straight into the dal as it boils. Fresh turmeric root is pickled in …
No turmeric? There is no real substitute for flavour. For colour only, a tiny pinch of saffron or Kashmiri chilli changes the shade, but not the taste.
Adds heat to curries, dals, marinades and snacks. Most kitchens keep a hot powder for heat and Kashmiri chilli for colour.
No red chilli powder? Cayenne pepper is the closest swap. Mix with Kashmiri chilli or paprika to get colour with less heat.
Nice to have
Salt, oil or ghee, onions, ginger, garlic and fresh herbs are assumed. See how to make a tadka for the order to add whole spices.
Dishes with similar spices
Frequently asked questions
How long does mango pickle take to make?
About 30 minutes to prepare and 0 minutes to cook.
What spices are in mango pickle?
The essentials are mustard seed, fenugreek seed, fennel seed, nigella seeds, turmeric, red chilli powder. Nice to have: asafoetida.
Tips from travellers
Use Mango pickle differently at home? Share your tip. The first good one goes right here.