South India Mango Pickle
Su-Mei learned to cook as a child in Thailand. Her philosophy on cooking is "food for the mind, body and soul."
This recipe uses sun-dried mango strips. Be sure to allow a few days of preparation, including a day or two for drying the mango in hot sun.
Ingredients
To make sun-dried mangos
- 3 to 4 large green unripe mangos, skin intact, cut into long thick strips
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) sea salt, or as needed
For the seasoning paste
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) mustard seeds
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) fenugreek seeds
- 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) dried turmeric powder
- 355 ml (1½ cups) dried chili pods
- 15 garlic cloves
- 5 cloves
- 2.5 cm (1 inch) chunk ginger, peeled
For the pickles
- 237 ml (1 cup) olive oil
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) mustard seeds
- 15 cloves peeled garlic
- 237 ml (1 cup) curry leaves
- 10 whole green chilies, both ends cut off
- 118 ml (½ cup) water, used to rinse out the remaining seasoning left in the blender
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) asafoetida (also known as hing)
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) turmeric powder
- 828 ml (3½ cups) sun-dried mango pieces, the salt rinsed off and dried
- 74 to 81 ml (5 to 5½ tablespoons) salt
*The mango strips will need to dry in hot direct sun. Be sure to begin drying them at least two days ahead in hot sunny weather.
Preparation
- For the sun-dried mango strips: Dry thoroughly, rub with salt, and dry again in direct hot sun for a day or until the pieces are shriveled.
2. After the strips are dry, let them sit uncovered on a tray overnight. This will yield about 828 ml (3½ cups) of sun-dried mango. Before using, rinse the pieces in cool water and shake them dry.
3. For the seasoning paste: In a dry skillet, toast the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds until fragrant. Transfer to a blender and add the turmeric, chili pods, garlic, ginger and 237 ml (1 cup) water. Puree to make a smooth paste. Pour 118 ml (½ cup) water into the blender, blend for a moment, and add to the seasoning paste. This makes about 355 ml (1½ cups).
4. For the pickles: Place 118 ml (½ cup) of the olive oil into a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the mustard seeds and as they begin to pop, add the garlic cloves; stir until they start to turn color.
5. Add the curry leaves and stir and as they darken and begin to curl, add the whole green chilies and stir until their color is slightly deepened. Stir in the seasoning paste. As the mixture begins to bubble, stir in the hing and turmeric powder. Lower the heat and add the mango pieces. Stir until the liquid is almost evaporated. Add 59 ml (¼ cup) of the remaining oil and stir. The seasoning mixture should be fairly dry and cling to the mango pieces. Let cool completely.
6. Transfer the pickle into a sterilized jar. Drizzle the remaining 59 ml (¼ cup) oil over the pickle. Cover, and allow to rest for at least 3 days before serving. For storage, see note below.
From the editors of The Cook's Cook, a note about storage:
In her article about these pickles, the author describes how she first refrigerated the pickles, then was advised at the monastery to keep them at room temperature. At The Cook’s Cook, for reasons of safety, we advise following safe practices for storage of preserved foods, especially that of canning foods in sterilized jars for long-term storage.
Su-Mei Yu
Su-Mei Yu opened one of San Diego’s first authentic Thai restaurants, Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken, on India Street in Mission Hills over 25 years ago. She later added Saffron Noodles & Sate. Located next to each other, both restaurants became San Diego favorites featuring traditional Thai dishes made from recipes Su-Mei learned as a child in Thailand, prepared with her philosophy of “food for the mind, body and soul.” Su-Mei Yu is an accomplished chef and cooking instructor and has authored several Thai cookbooks, including Asian Grilling, Cracking the Coconut and The Elements of Life: A Contemporary Guide to Thai Recipes and Traditions for Healthier Living. She has been featured on numerous television programs including Martha Stewart, Good Morning America and The Today Show as well as in notable publications such as Food & Wine Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and The New York Times.
Courtesy photo
Read more from Su-Mei Yu
