Maagaya(sun dried mango pickle)

Bellam avakaya is a sweet variety of avakai made with jaggery.Most pickles are made in the summer as this is the peak time for availability of raw mangoes. Raw mangoes, hot oil, chillies and a variety of spices are key ingredients.The process of preparation,storage and serving of these pickles is almost considered to be same.. Andhra ( State in India) culture may be thought to be incomplete without aavakaaya, in their meal.

The mangoes are cut into medium sized pieces approximately 2cm x 2cm using strong and ultra sharp cutters/knives in swift strokes so as not to structurally damage the pieces. These pieces are wiped clean and dry with a well absorbing soft cloth .They are then pickled with powdered mustard seeds, red chilli powder (dried and powdered or sometimes dried, roasted and powdered), salt,Gingelly Oil and fenugreek (both in whole and powder form). Garlic is optional. Here goes my recipe..

Ingredients

• One raw mango(big size,sliced thinly after peeling the skin)
• Jaggery 1/2 lb or less than half lb
• Methi seeds or fenugreek seeds 1/2 tbspn
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tbspn
• Red chilli powder 1 1/2 tbspn
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tspn
• Sesame oil 2 tbspns

seasoning

• oil
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tbspn
• Red chillies(dry) 2 to 3
• Hing 1/2 tspn

 procedure:

• Take a bowl add the sliced mangoes,salt turmeric and grated jaggery.Mix it well and keep the bowl covered at least  2 days i.e 48 hours.keep in a dark corner.
• After 2 days you see lot of liquid in the bowl.Squeeze out the liquid into a separate container and  squeeze out mango slices in another plate.
• Sun dry the mango slices and the liquid obtained separately for 2 days.
•  I sun dried them for 8 hrs.(Here in florida we get sunlight like as in India) so i dried just one day.
• Roast methi seeds slightly just 1 min and keep methi seeds and mustard seeds aside.Then grind into powder.
• In a wide bowl add sun dried mango  slices, the sun dried liquid,red chilli powder,methi powder,mustard powder.
• Now heat oil in pan add little bit of hing,few mustard seeds,red chillies and mix it in the bellam or jaggary maagaya mixture.
• Have it with simple hot rice or curd rice.

Note :This pickle stays more than year and doesn't need any refrigeration.

           Use sour mangoes for better taste.
            Depending upon your place where you stay, dry the mangoes till they are completely dry.                    
 
     check out what my fellow bloggers are doing in BM# 40                                                                          Also linking this recipe to linky party which is being hosted by usha and pavani this week.