Instant Mango Pickle from Thanjavur
Aparna TR shares an ‘instant’ recipe for mango pickle, a favourite of her grandmother’s — simple, utterly delicious, and impossible to get wrong.
Vendayam manga is the quickest of recipes I learnt from my paati, from the many varieties of raw mango pickles she would make every summer for her three childrens’ family. It’s a spicy mix of very simple ingredients — raw mango, red chilli powder, salt and fenugreek.
Each summer, both my aunts would distribute mangoes, freshly plucked from their backyard, to whole the family. Some mangoes were left to ripen while the others were handed over to paati to make pickle. Meanwhile, paati would do her own prep — scoring the largest Hajmola/eclairs plastic containers from the nearest grocery store. The more containers she managed to get her hands on, the wider and prouder her smile would be. She would use these to pack pickles for every member of the family.
I was fortunate to spend time during lockdown with paati, and I picked up some of her signature recipes. Today I understand why that pickle is so special. Not only does it offer delicious sides to curd rice all year long, but it is something to share with the larger family.
This is my favourite recipe because it is so simple, utterly delicious, and impossible to get wrong.
RECIPE FOR VENDAYAM MANGA
Ingredients
6 cups of cut raw mango
For dry mix:
1 cup of salt
1 cup of red chilli powder
1/2 tbsp of powdered roasted fenugreek (vendayam)
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
For tempering
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 cup of sesame oil
1/2 tsp asafoetida
Method
Cut raw mangoes into small pieces, leaving out the seed.
Try look for a sour variety as it best works for this pickle.
Dry roast the fenugreek seeds until they turn a dark brown and then grind them to a fine powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the cut mangoes and mix well. Set aside.
Heat the oil and add mustard seeds. As they splutter, add asafoetida to the mix (you can add more oil if you think your pickle is too dry).
Pour this oil into the dry mix, and mix well.
Enjoy with curd rice.
Aparna TR is a full time Quant Strategist who enjoys recording and trying family recipes whenever she gets to. She enjoys eating more than cooking, and photography. Follow her on Instagram
Related Reads: Raw mangoes make for delicious pickle: see here and here
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