AVAKKAI PICKLE(ANDHRA STYLE) - AVAKAAYA - AVAKKAI URUGAI

Avakkai Pickle is a Popular Andhra Pickle Recipe. No meals End without this Pickle in Andhra. Avakkaaya is made with Raw Mango,oil,spiced with mustard seeds powder,fenugreek and chilli powder. Avakkaaya is made during Summer Seasons,from April, which is a peak for availability of mangoes.Procedure is simple,but some instructions have to be followed.Now we learn to make avakkai pickle.

Ingredients

Raw Mango - 3.

Red chilli powder  -  3/4 cup
Salt -  1/3 cup
Mustard seeds -  1/2 cup

Fenugreek seeds  -    1 tbsp

Asafoetida -  1 tsp
Sesame oil  -   1 cup

Preparation

Select firm, soar  even sized Mangoes.Soak the Mangoes in water for half an hour. Then wash it well using your palms. Cut the stem of Mangoes, you can observe the mangoes oozes some fluid.  Then cut the Mangoes into cubes with seeds in tact.Then wipe it with a cloth. It is necesary to cut the Mangoes with seeds, so that pickle will be firm. Use butcher knife to cut the Mangoes.Make sure cubed Mangoes should not have even a drop of water in it.It should be completely dry.

  Method

• Dry roast the Mustard  seeds in a kadai for 2 minutes, till it is hot. When it cools completely grind it to a little coarse powder.

• Dry roast the Methi seeds in a kadai for 2 minutes, till it is hot. When it cools completely grind it  to a little coarse powder .
• Take a dry plate or vessel add ground mustard seeds,methi seeds,chilli powder and salt.Mix well. This is avakkai mixture.
• Take a big and deep  Glass bowl or Jar, add Mangoes, add  avakkai Mixture,asafoetida and Sesame oil.

• Mix it well using a dry spoon.
• Mix it once daily once a day using a dry spoon. Then serve after four days.

• After 2 days pickle oozes oota (Thin oily masala Mixute), at the top.It takes 2 more days, for Mango to become soft.Then serve with curd rice.

Notes

• Always cut the Mangoes with seeds in tact, so that pickle will be firm.
• Always use Glass or ceramic bowl or jar to mix and store the Mangoes.
• Use Dry spoon to mix Mangoes.
• It is necessary to mix the mangoes once daily for 4 days.
• Serve after 4 days, so that Mango will be soft.