Punjabi Mango Pickle

As the summer season has already started and every one is busy making pickles(or they should be !) the yearly stock of mango pickle would be high on the to-do list. I have already posted the Marwari mango and chick pea pickle ,Aam ki laungi and Instant mango chutney so this year I want to share my mothers recipe of Punjabi mango pickle,which is a favourite in our family and relatives.we all love this delicious pickle made by her,so I noted down her recipe and made it according to her instructions .Hope you will surely loved this pickle.

The spice blend is slightly different from the regular mango pickle .The spices are slightly crushed,or you  can use whole seeds without grinding,the addition of kalonji(nigella seeds) and ajwain gives it a wonderful taste and flavour.
I like pickle with lots of masala/spice but if you don't like that much masala in your pickle then you can increase the quantity of mangoes and salt.

This pickle can be served as a side  with any meal ,but tasteS great with parathas and pooris,I usually  serve this with aloo paratha, Papad paratha ,Amritsari kulcha  and Punjabi Choley
* I have used mustard oil in the pickle but you can add any oil which you normally add in your pickles.

There are mainly 3 thing which you should be careful to ensure a long shelf life of your pickle-

1-first and foremost , you have to  wipe and dry the mangoes very thoroughly,even the slightest bit of water or moisture in magoes or in the storage jar is enough to form fungus and mold and ruin your pickle.
2-The amount of salt added should be exact as it act as a preservative for the pickle.
3-The pickle should be covered with a layer of oil all the time.
4-Occasionally keep the pickle jar in sunlight for few hours.


INGREDIENTS-

• Raw mangoes-3 kg
• Mango seeds,sliced-1 cup *
• Fenugreek seeds/Methi dana-250 gms
• Mustard seeds/Rai-150 gms
• Fennel seeds/Saunf-250 gms
• Nigella seeds/kalonji-4 tsp
• Ajwain/carom seeds-3 tsp
• Whole pepper corns-3 tbsp
• Chili powder-8 tbsp
• Turmeric powder-7 tsp
• Asafoetida-3 tsp
• Salt-300 gms
• Mustard oil- approx-1 litre *

PROCEDURE-

1. Dry the whole spices for a day in bright sunlight to remove the moisture.
2. Coarsely crush mustard ,fennel and fenugreek seeds.
3. Kalonji and ajwain should be added whole ,so no need to crush or grind them.
4. Wash and wipe mangoes with a cloth napkin.
5. Heat mustard oil to smoking point and then let it come to room temperature.
6. Chop raw mangoes into medium size pieces,add some sliced seeds also as they also taste good and are good for stomach aches.
7. In a big and wide bowl add the crushed spices and all the powdered spices in the chopped mango pieces.
8. Mix well and keep covered for a day.
9. Next day cover the bowl with a muslin cloth and keep in sunlight for few hours for a day.
10. Also keep the storage jar in sunlight for a day and dry it completely,now transfer the mango pickle in this jar after a day.
11. Add the mustard oil in the jar,the oil will be at least 1 inch above the pickle level.
12. Cover the jar with the lid and let it mature for a week before start using.
13. stays fresh till it lasts:)

Serving suggestions-serve as a acompaniment with any Indian meal