This tempting pickle is so quick and easy that even a pickle first-timer will have a captivating side to brighten up any meal. This recipe works even if you can’t find a green mango!
Gather your ingredients and sterilize the container you will be storing your pickle in
Wash the mango and dry thoroughly because water contributes to the pickle spoiling. I chose to peel my mango, but you can leave the peel on if you prefer. Cut the mango in to 1/2-inch (1.27cm) pieces and salt with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. If using Diamond Crystal kosher salt, use 1 teaspoon. Set aside the mango for two to three hours, then discard any liquid that pools in the bottom of the bowl.
While the mango is resting, toast the fenugreek seeds in a small pan over medium-high heat. This will take a couple of minutes, or just until fragrant. Grind into a coarse powder either in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Sliver the garlic cloves and chop the green chilies, removing the seeds if you want to reduce the heat level.
Add the oil to a medium-sized sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, turn the heat down to medium and add the mustard seeds. As soon as they start to sizzle and pop add the garlic and chopped green chili. Sauté for 2 minutes and down off the heat.
Mix in the asafetida (hing), the ground fenugreek, coarsely ground red chili, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder. Add the drained mango and mix together well. Taste and adjust for more salt and ground chili and spoon into a sterilized jar.
This quantity of pickle yields about 2 cups and is good for two weeks without the extra oil. To preserve your pickle beyond two weeks, take another 1/4 cup of oil and heat on high until the oil shimmers. Pour over the pickle to cover all the mango pieces and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
SMALL BATCH: If you are new to pickling, or even if new to this recipe, I recommend that you start with a relatively small batch so you have the flexibility to make some changes on your next batches.
GREEN MANGOES: I wasn’t able to find the green mangoes this pickle is typically made with. However, I was able to find hard mangoes that were just beginning to change color. We found we liked the bit of sweetness the mango offered mixed with the spices and chilies, so we were quite happy with the final result. A truly green mango will add a good sour note to the mix, so find them if you can.
SALT: If using kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste. If you like the sulfurous funk of rock salt (kala namak), use it instead. For some good information on this salt head on over to Bianca’s blog elephantastic vegan.
OIL: To preserve your instant mango pickle beyond two weeks, take another 1/4 cup of oil and heat on high until the oil shimmers. Pour over the pickle to cover all the mango pieces and store in the refrigerator.
CHILIES: I did not have coarsely ground red chilies so I took my whole Kashmiri chiles, and broke them in half to remove the seeds. Then gave them a whirl in the spice grinder. Use the dried red chilies you have. I think Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) would work well here too.
CURRY LEAVES: If you love (and have) curry leaves, add 10 small, or 5 large chopped leaves, to the hot oil along with the garlic and green chilies.