Avakai | Avakaya: The Andhra Mango Pickle
This is the recipe for Avakai, the famous Andhra mango and mustard pickle. We wait for summers to make this mango pickle and savour the fresh batch that is known colloquially as Kotta Avakai.In this recipe, I have used weights as the measure for every ingredient so that you have a failproof recipe for Avakai.
Equipment
- Ceramic or Glass Jar with a Tight-fitting Lid of 4 kg
- Mixer-Grinder
- Spatula
- Large Vessel of 4 kg capacity
Ingredients
- 2 kgs Mango (Raw Mango Cut to pieces as described in the Notes below)
- 300 gms Mustard Seeds
- 300 gms Spicy Red Chilli Powder
- 175 gms Salt
- 2 tbsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 1.25 litres Sesame Oil (Cold-pressed oil preferred; Called Chekka Nuvvula Nune in Telugu)
- 50 gms Whole Bengal Gram (optional)
- 50 gms Garlic Cloves (optional)
Instructions
Getting the Jar Ready for Storage
- Wash and completely dry ceramic or glass jar of 4 kg or 4 litre capacity. Note: The jar must be bone dry so we normally sun-dry it for a couple of days.
Getting the Oil Ready
- Heat 1.25 litres of sesame oil and then let it cool completely to room temperature. Note: Once again, we do this about 2 hours before we start making the pickle to ensure that the oil is cold when we add it to the pickle. If the oil is warm, then condensation will form when you add it to the pickle and the pickle will spoil.
Getting the Mango Pieces Ready
- Clean each piece of mango with a clean, dry, soft cotton cloth.
- Spread the mango pieces on a dry cloth or paper for about 15 minutes to air-dry. Note: You can also dry them under the sun.
Getting the Mustard Powder Ready
- Grind 300 gms of mustard seeds to a coarse powder.
Making the Avakaya | Avakai
- In a large and absolutely dry vessel, mix the mustard powder, 300 gms spicy red chilli powder, 175 gms salt, 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds, and 50 gms bengal gram (kala chana) and/or 50 gms peeled garlic cloves.
- Using a dry spatula, mix all the spices well.
- Add the mango pieces to this dry spice mix and mix well.
- Gradually add 1/2 the sesame oil to the mango-spice mix.
- With an absolutely dry spatula, mix well till all the mango pieces are covered with the masala and the oil.
- Put the Avakai into the jar and pour the remaining oil onto the pickle.
- Close the jar and ensure it is air-tight.
- Store the jar in a dry location for at least 2 weeks.
- After two weeks, using an absolutely dry spatula, mix the Avakai with a gentle hand.
- Top with some more sesame oil, if required.
Using the Avakai
- Using an absolutely dry spatula, transfer the required amount of Avakai to a smaller bottle.
- Use the Avakai from this bottle.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve Avakai with hot rice and ghee, or as a side to Curd Rice.
Notes
- The Avakai mangoes should:
- be dark green, firm and not have a hard seed.
- be tangy/sour.
- not be juicy as the the pickle will spoil quickly.
- If you get juicy mangoes, dry the pieces for 3 to 4 hours under hot sun.
- Chopping the mangoes
- Since you need a heavy duty chopper to cut through the mango seed, I get my mangoes chopped from the person I buy them from; this service is available in most Indian markets that sell mangoes for pickles.
- Ensure that the mango pieces are chopped such that each piece has a part of the kernel. If you use pieces without the kernel, the Avakai will not preserve well.