Description
This traditional Punjabi Mango Pickle with mustard oil is a vibrant and tangy condiment made from raw green mangoes and a blend of aromatic spices. Sun-cured and soaked in pungent mustard oil, it develops complex, intense flavors perfect for accompanying Indian meals such as dal-rice, parathas, and pulao. The pickle matures over a week to mellow its initial bitterness, offering a spicy, salty, and tangy taste with a crunchy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Mangoes
- 1 kilogram raw green mangoes (about 7 to 7.5 cups chopped, unripe and green)
Spices
- ¼ cup (40 grams) mustard seeds (black, yellow, or split yellow mustard seeds)
- ¼ cup (45 grams) fenugreek seeds (or split fenugreek seeds)
- ¼ cup (30 grams) fennel seeds
- ¼ cup (30 grams) nigella seeds (kalonji)
- 3 tablespoons (15 grams) turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ¼ cup (25 grams) red chili powder (or cayenne pepper)
- ½ cup (125 grams) rock salt (edible and food-grade; can substitute with regular or pink salt as needed)
Oil
- 3 cups (approximately 720 ml) mustard oil (add more if required, unheated)
Instructions
- Prepare Spices and Mangoes: Place the spices and salt in small bowls and keep them under direct sunlight for 1 to 2 hours to remove any moisture. This step is optional but recommended.
- Grind Seeds: Use a dry spice grinder or jar to grind fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds coarsely.
- Dry Mangoes: Rinse raw mangoes thoroughly and wipe dry with a clean kitchen towel or let them air-dry naturally.
- Chop Mangoes: Peel off any flesh stuck to the mango stones and chop mangoes into 1.5-inch pieces. Do not remove the skin if mangoes are tender.
- Mix Spices with Mangoes: Place chopped mangoes in a large non-reactive mixing bowl. Add the coarse fenugreek-mustard seed mixture, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly with a steel or wooden spoon to evenly coat mango pieces. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- Add Initial Mustard Oil: Pour ½ cup mustard oil over the spiced mango mixture and mix well to combine.
- Jar the Pickle: Transfer the mixture to a clean ceramic or glass jar using a clean spoon.
- Sun Cure: Cover the jar with a lid and place it in direct, strong sunlight for 3 to 4 days. Each evening, stir gently with a clean spoon, mixing mangoes settled at the bottom upwards. After stirring, keep the jar in a cool, dry place overnight, then return it to sunlight the next day.
- Add Remaining Mustard Oil: After 3 to 4 days of sun curing, add the remaining 2.5 cups mustard oil. Mix well so the oil thoroughly surrounds mango pieces and reaches the jar’s bottom. The oil should float 2 to 3 inches above the pickle. Add extra oil if needed but do not heat the mustard oil.
- Seal and Mature: Seal the jar tightly and store in a cool, dry place for 4 days to let flavors mellow. Bitterness will reduce after 6 to 7 days.
- Storage: Keep the mango pickle at room temperature in a clean, sterilized glass or ceramic jar with an oil layer on top. Use a clean, dry spoon for serving and reseal tightly after use. Smaller portions can be refrigerated for regular use.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the mango pickle as a flavorful condiment with Indian meals such as dal-rice, khichdi, curd rice, parathas, theplas, pooris, steamed rice, vegetable pulao, stuffed parathas, upma, or Indian thalis.
Notes
- Mustard oil should not be heated before adding; use raw mustard oil for authentic flavor.
- Ensure the oil layer floats above the pickle by a few inches to preserve and prevent spoilage.
- Sunlight should be strong and direct during the curing days; avoid cloudy or dark environments.
- If bitterness persists after initial curing, allow pickle to mature longer for mellow flavor development.
- Use clean, dry utensils to avoid contamination and prolong shelf life.
- This pickle can be stored for over a year at room temperature if prepared and stored properly.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 1-2 hours optional sun-drying of spices
- Cook Time: 4 days (sun curing) plus 4 days maturation
- Category: Condiment
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Punjabi, Indian
Keywords: Mango pickle, Punjabi pickle, mustard oil pickle, Indian pickle, spicy mango pickle, sun cured pickle
