VADU MANGAI / VADU MANGAI PICKLE

INGREDIENTS:

Vadumangoes        - 1 kg
Red chilli powder  - 1 cup
Mustard seeds        - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1 tsp
Gingelly oil           - 4 to 5 tsp
Rock salt               - 2 handful / 1 cup


HOW TO MAKE:


Cut the mangoes stem and wash throughly.  Drain the water and spread the mangoes on the dried cloth.  Wipe all the mangoes with clean cloth and keep aside.

Separate all the mangoes in a batchwise.  In a peengan or in a glass jar place one batch of mangoes and pour 1 tsp of gingelly oil.  Like wise put all the mangoes and pour the gingelly oil.  Add 2 handful of sea salt (Kal Uppu) and shake the jar well.  The oil should get applied in all the mangoes.  Do not worry about the salt since the salt will get soak with the mangoes later.  Shake well and cover the jar with the wet cloth.  Keep aside for three to 4 days.

Daily twice morning and in the evening just shake the jar well.  The pic below shows you the 4 days of soaked mangoes.  In that 4 days time the mangoes will get shrink and the salt will starts to leave the water.  The next pic shows 6 days of soaked mangoes.

On 7th day grind red chilli powder, turmeric powder and mustard seeds and make a fine paste.  Just add a little bit of water not too much.  Pour the chilli paste on the soaked mangoes and shake well to mix the paste together with all the mangoes.  Cover the jar with the dried and clean cloth keep aside.  Soak it for 4 to 5 more days and make sure to shake the jar daily.  Soak atleast 2 weeks to get the pickle to be ready.

The pic below is 12 days of soaked mangoes and the VADU MANGA is ready... :-)

TIPS:

Fenugreek seeds also can be added and just fry the seeds before you make a powder.

Castor oil / Velakkennai also can be used instead of gingelly oil.  If you use Castor oil then do not use fenugreek seeds.  Both of them are little bitter and the pickles will get more bitter.

The pickles need not to be refrigerated the pickle will stay longer even if you keep outside.  But be sure just shake the jar at least once in daily.  You can keep the pickle in outside in sunny days if you are making large quantity.