Mango Pickles / Uppinakayi

Recently I figured out that I am very bad at managing time. Never in my life until now did I feel that there are fewer hours in a day than I actually need. Now a days, drafts lie in my inbox for weeks before seeing the light of the day, books pile on my work table still to be read and digested. My 'to-be-done' tray is filled to the brim and I need look into all those assorted papers before marking them as 'done' and of course the usual routine, vacuuming, cleaning and Sunny boy-sitting etc phew. I do not seem to have enough time at all. I am jealous of all the people who get might things done in like a matter of minutes!

Back to some more pickles. This time it is the universal favorite 'mango', the king of fruits. We manage to eat this fruit in a variety of ways- sweet, savory and tart dishes, which makes our palate jump up  in joy. I happen to adore this variety and this is how exactly my grandmother will make. In fact it is so good that some times I just pop a piece of pickled mango as a snack, and keep rolling it over my tongue. Heaven. I would not feel like eating anything else. Hey! that gives me an idea..heard of cookie diet, brownie diet, paleo,primal and what not..How about mango pickles diet? Pop a small piece of pickled mango and keep rolling it over your tongue and bingo! you get thinner? No thank you, I still need my rice, saaru, yogurt after everything :) By the way raw mangoes always reminds me of old Kannada movie cliche.. When a character is pregnant, she is shown craving for raw mangoes or she is shown eating then like she is just out of Somalia. Ha, prude movie makers and puritanical audience, now a days probably audience will not even get the point of such connotation.

We will need,

Green raw and firm Mangoes 3 cups chopped
Koshar Salt 1 cup
Byadagi chillies 20 (more if preferred spicy)
Mustard seeds 1.5 +0.5 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds 1.5 tsp
Hing
Peanut oil 1/4 cup

Method:

• Choose firm and fresh mangoes without any blemishes for pickling. Clean and wash the mangoes with plenty of water and wipe it dry using a kitchen towel. Air dry for a few hours.
• Chop the cleaned mangoes. Reserve the seeds and the flesh clinging to the seed for another use.(I usually make Mango Tokku with it;It can also be thrown in Mossoppu ).
• In a clean jar canister, place about two tablespoon of salt at the bottom. Start layering the chopped mangoes followed by tablespoons salt. Using up all the mangoes.
• Cover and set it aside in a cool place for a couple of days till the mango is shrunk and wilted all over.
• Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon and cure it for a couple more days.
• Toast the chillies and 1.5 tsp of mustard and fenugreek seeds on a medium hot skillet and allow it to cool. Once cool, grind the spices into a slightly coarse powder. 
• Open the canister of mangoes, toss in the spices and stir well using a wooden spoon. 
• Prepare the Oggarane. Heat the oil, throw in the remaining mustard and hing. Allow it to cool very well. Pour it on top of the pickled mangoes and stir again using a wooden spoon. If making a large batch, take out small batches of pickles and prepare small quantities of Oggarane. Oil in large batches of pickles will make the pickles smell rancid after a while.
• Cure the pickles for a few more days, stirring it using a wooden spoon every two three days.
• Serve it with any Indian meal or if you are like me, toss some cooked pasta, butter, a generous helping of mango pickles and some cilantro. Slurp! That is Sunny Boy's favorite way to eat pasta too..