Mavinakayi Uppinakayi | No-Oil, Water-based Mango Pickle
Mavinakayi Uppinakayi is a traditional no-oil mango pickle from Karnataka. In fact, what I like about this pickle is that it is water-based (making it healthy) and yet it preserves well for a few months. It is similar to the Paniwala Aam ka Achar made in North India.
The best way to enjoy Mavinakayi Uppinakayi is with Dahi Chawal.
Equipment
- 1 Air-tight Glass or Ceramic Jar - 400 gms Capacity
- 1 dry spoon
- 1 Steel Vessel - 200 ml capacity
- Grinder
- Plate
- Small Wok
Ingredients
- 1 Large Raw Mango (300 gms)
Spices
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds (3 gms)
- 8 Red Chillies; ideally 4 Bydagi Chillies and 4 Guntur/Pandi Chillies (5 gms)
Other Ingredients
- 3 tsp Salt (15 gms)
- 3/4 Cup Water
Instructions
- Ensure you have a dry air-tight glass or ceramic jar of at least 400 ml capacity on hand.
- Ensure that the mango is dry. If required wipe with a dry cotton cloth and then air-dry it for 15 to 20 minutes.
Salting the Mango Pieces
- Cut a large unripe mango (mine was about 300 gms) into 1" pieces. After discarding the seeds, my pieces weighed 250 gms. This was 1.25 cups of pieces.
- Divide the mango pieces into 3 portions.
- Add one portion to the jar and add 1 tsp of salt on top of it.
- Now add another portion of mango pieces and add 1 tsp of salt.
- Finally add the third portion of mango pieces and 1 tsp of salt.
- Close the jar and shake a few times using a gentle motion so that the mango pieces and salt mix well.
- Set aside in a cool dark place for 3 days.
- Gently shake the bottle every day so that the mango pieces get covered in the juice that seeps out of the mango pieces.
Prepping the Spice Mix
- Dry roast 1 tsp of mustard seeds for a few seconds; just enough the warm them.
- Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Dry roast 8 dried red chillies for a few seconds; once again, just to warm them.
- Transfer to the plate to cool completely to room temperature.
Making the Mavinakayi Uppinakayi
- Ensure you have a large, dry soup strainer and a dry stainless steel vessel on hand.
- On day 3 after salting the mango pieces, using a dry soup strainer or colander, drain the juice from the mango pieces into a steel vessel. I got 1/4 cup of juice.
- Keep the jar aside "as is".
- If you have 1/4 cup of juice, add 3/4 cup of water to it. Add 3 times as much water as the juice you get.
- Over low heat simmer, the salted mango juice + water mix till it reduces to half.
- Let the reduced water cool completely to room temperature.
- Grind the cooled mustard and chillies together to a coarse powder.
- Add 1/2 the cooled water and grind to a coarse paste.
- Add the remaining water and pulse a couple of times so that the spices mix well with the water.
- Add the mango pieces back to the jar in which they were salted.
- Pour the spice mix into the jar.
- Seal the jar and gently shake it so that the mango pieces are covered in the masala.
- Set aside for 3-4 days before using the Mavinakayi Uppinakayi.
Serving Ideas
- Serve the Mavinakayi Uppinakayi as a side to curd rice or dal rice.
Notes
Some tips for using and storing Mavinakayi Uppinakayi
- After the Mavinakayi Uppinakayi has pickled, transfer as much as you need to a smaller jar and use.
- If you handle this pickle carefully, it will last for a few months.
- When in doubt, refrigerate the pickle and then it will preserve well for over an year.
Serving Ideas
Nutrition
Calories: 18 kcalCarbohydrates: 4 gProtein: 1 gFat: 1 gSaturated Fat: 1 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1 gMonounsaturated Fat: 1 gSodium: 583 mgPotassium: 52 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 4 gVitamin A: 381 IUVitamin C: 9 mgCalcium: 4 mgIron: 1 mg