Kalyana Manga

Recipe 5 minPreparation Time 5 minCooking Time

Kalyana Manga

5 minPreparation Time 5 min Cooking Time

About this Recipe

An invite to a summer South Indian wedding almost always means a taste of kalyana manga, an instant mango pickle. This tangy, earthy, spicy pickle is served at the end of the wedding feast with creamy curd rice. To brighten up the simplest of meals on a hot summer day, give this easy-to-make pickle a go.

The Benefits

Raw mangoes are rich in vitamins C, B6, and folate that are vital to the body’s healing processes and keep the immune and nervous system healthy. Vitamin C also helps improve the absorption of iron and stimulates collagen building.

Note: I use raw Totapuri mangoes for their tangy, aromatic flesh; you can make it with any unripe mango variety. I prefer to keep the green skin on for flavor, bite, and color.

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

9 oz (250 g) raw Totapuri or Ambi mango, cut into about 3/4-in (2 cm) cubes
2 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 green chile, chopped
2 tsp chile powder or cayenne pepper
A pinch of asafetida
A pinch of ground fenugreek seeds
1 tsp salt

Directions

Step 1

In a steel bowl or a saucepan, add the chopped mangoes.
Step 2

Heat the oil in a tadka (tempering) pan or small skillet on medium-low heat and sizzle the mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop and crackle, turn the heat to low, add the green chile, chile powder, asafetida, fenugreek, and salt in quick succession and immediately turn off the heat.
Step 3

Pour the mixture over the chopped green mangoes and mix well. Let the pickle sit for half an hour. Serve with rice or roti.

Level Up: A dash of lime or lemon juice rounds off the spicy flavors, and those citrusy notes jibe beautifully with the nutty sesame oil.

Try It With: Add a spoonful of this pickle with your salsa mix for some zing.

Zero Waste: Mango seeds are edible. Remove the outer covering over the kernel, chop the seed, and add to your lentil curries.

Explore Recipe Ingredients

Ingredient

Mango

About the author

Sudha G Tilak

Sudha G Tilak is a journalist who has reported from India, Sri Lanka and the UK. She is based out of Gurgaon and is a writer, translator, editor of books on food and travel, and a vegetarian. She is committed to building culinary connections and initiating healthy conversations around the history and traditional wisdom around food.

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