Maa Vadu | Kanni Manga | Tender Mango Pickle

As the season of Mango comes, the first to hit the market is the Tender mangoes known in Tamil as Vadu Manga.

Pickling is the first activity that happens in the Mango season. Various types of pickles are made and it various as per the region. Pickling is an amazing technique passed to us by our ancestors to preserve a seasonal item and make it available in another form for the whole year.

Sharing with you an exotic pickle recipe using Tender Mangoes. 

Kadugu Manga | Kanni Manga (Malayalam)

Vadu Manga | Maa vadu (Tamizh)

Tender Mango Pickle (English).

The video recipe is below. Please click on it to view the video  :-

Thayir Molagai - Mor Molagai - Kondatam Molagu - Dry curd Chilly

Today I am Sharing with you a traditional recipe for Thayir Molagai / Mor Molagai / Kondatam Molagu / Dry Chilli.

The Chilli that is soaked in buttermilk and sundried adds a nice flavour and make it yummylicious and the best of the best accompaniment to the humble curd rice.

The store bought ones are just soaked in salt and dried. Hence they miss the flavour and taste of this home made version.

This recipe requires direct sunlight, Patience and Care. Patience is required as we need to slit or pierce each chilli and then the process of 14 days to complete making this. Direct sunlight is must to dry the chillies everyday till it is ready to fry. Care is to  mix them well for first four days after soaking and to dry them in sun and again at the end of the day, put them back into the remaining buttermilk. The outcome rewards you with excellent taste and worth all the appreciations you will receive.

I used the spicy variety of dark green chilli to make this. There is no need for any exact measurement except the consistency of the buttermilk.

I used the following for making one batch.  It takes upto 14 days to make one batch of this yummy chilli preparation.

1. Green Chillies - 1/4 kg
2. Lightly sour buttermilk - upto 1 litre
3. Salt to taste

I tried making a self shot video to explain the 1st stage preparation process. Hope it helps.

Wash the Green Chillies and pat them dry.

Pierce each chilly and or lightly slit them. This process is very essential to avoid exploding of the chillies when they are fried in oil in later stage during use and also to help it soak in the buttermilk and absorb the salt.

Put them in a vessel. I use a Kal Chatti (stone vessel).

Put salt and pour the buttermilk till the chillies are soaked well.

Soaking period - minimum 4 days (every day, remember to mix them atleast twice in a day)

If you notice, the green color is fading as it gets soaked in buttermilk each day.

On the 5th day, take them out of the buttermilk and spread on a sheet or a plate and sun dry them. Reserve the buttermilk. We will use it again and again for soaking till all the buttermilk is absorbed and becomes dry.

After sun drying them, at the end of the day, put them back in the remaining buttermilk.  

Repeat this process of sundrying during day time and putting them back in the remaining buttermilk to soak overnight , till all the buttermilk is absorbed.

Finally sun dry them for 2-3 days more till they are nice and crispy and store them in an air tight container.

Whenever you need them, shallow fry or deep fry them in Oil and serve with Curd Rice.

This chilli after fried, can also be crushed in curd / buttermilk and had as a side dish for Dosai.

Frying :- For frying, once is oil is hot (in medium flame), put the chillies and lower the heat immediately. once they are crisp and bubbles slows down. Drain them.

Storage of chillies :- Store in an air tight container. For the fried ones, put a tissue paper at the bottom of the storage container and then store them.

Suggestion : In the similar manner you can make other Vathals (soaked in curd and sun dried using Sundaikai [Thai brinjal / Turkey berry] and Manithakkali [Makoi / garden night shade]

Instant Mango pickle - with tempering

Here pre-monsoon showers have started so it is a sign that mango season is coming to an end. So purchased some raw mangoes as I was craving for some simple pickles.

Instant mango pickle or manga curry - earlier I shared the one without tempering. 

Now sharing the other method which uses tempering. This is the one I served you all along with greens gravy the other day :)

It has less shelf life hence after 1st use, store in refrigerator. The facility of instant pickle is that it can be prepared in small quantities at when required, quick & delicious.

Ingredients :- 

1. Raw mangoes - 2 Nos.
2. Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
3. Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Oil for tempering
7. Mustard seeds

Procedure:-

• Cut raw mangoes into small pieces
• Heat oil in a wok, add mustard seeds. After they crackle switch off the stove. remove the wok.
• Add Asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, salt, mix.
• add red chilli powder and mix well
• Add it to the cut raw mangoes
• Toungue tickling instant mango pickle is ready! 

Other Mango Recipies :-

1. Raw Mango Curry (Manga Kootan)
2. Raw Mango Rice
3. Mampazha Pulissery (A curry using Buttermilk and Ripe Mangoes)

easy mango curry - pickle (manga kari)

Sharing an easy pickle with you. It don't require any tempering and use few simple ingredients. It comes handy when you want an instant pickle for quick use.

It makes an excellent accompaniment for the curd rice & add twist in taste in feasts. One of my favourite. It tastes the best using coconut oil as it the important flavouring ingredient other than mango.

This is low shelf life. So refrigerate & consume within 3 days.

Ingredients :-

1. Raw Mango - 1 no (thothapuri / kilimooku mangai are the best)
2. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (or as per taste)
3. salt to taste
4. Coconut oil - 1.5 tbsp

Procedure :- 

• Cut the raw mango into small cubes
• Mix in salt, red chilli powder, coconut oil to it. 
• Easy simple pickle is ready to eat.

You can use other variety of raw mangoes too but Less sour ones suits best for this recipe.

You can even use the partially ripen mango as it tickles the toungue with a combination of the slight sweet taste.

Lemon Pickle

Lemon has such a nice citrus flavour which is soothing for the soul. It leaves us refreshed with the flavour and when pickled makes a wonderful combination with curd rice.

We always like the home made pickles, hence every season I buy the veg that is available in the market during that season and this time, it is lemon.

The process will take 12 to 15 days for the pickle to be ready to use. Oil, salt and spices act as preservative. This pickle will stand good for 7 days at room temperature. So you can store it in fridge for longer period  [mine is still running :-) ]or mix in 3 tsp of vinegar to store for longer periods. If you are planning to make it in bulk quantity, you can store the large quantity in freezer. Transfer it to a small container whenever required for use.

Ingridients :

1. Lemon - 14 Nos.
2. Salt     - 7 tsp (heaped)
3. Red chilli powder - 5 tbsp
4. Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
5. Methi seeds - 2 tsp
6. Sesame oil - 1 & 1/2 cup
7. mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
8. Hing powder - 1 tsp

Procedure :

• Sterilize the bottle you are going to store the pickle and dry, keep it ready.
• Wash lemon and wipe it with a clean cloth
• Chop a lemon into four. similarly keep all the lemons cut and ready.
• Sprinkle the salt over it and leave it to stand for 7 days, don't forget to mix them daily during those 7 days atleast twice a day.
• 8th day, Dry roast methi seeds, powder & keep ready.
• Heat oil, add mustard seeds, after they splutter, switch off the flame.
• Allow it to cool for a minute.
• Add hing powder (asafoetida) and allow it to cool for 5 minutes
• To the soaked (pickled) lemon pieces, add red chilli powder, Tumeric Powder and methi seeds powder, mix well. 
• Adjust the seasoning as per your taste (salt & red chilli powder)
• Add the oil with mustard seeds to it, mix well and store it in the clean container for another 7 days.
• Yummy flavourful lemon pickle is ready to accompany your dish to enhance the flavour & taste of the dish.