Here’s a Punjabi Mango Pickle that’s authentically our family heirloom recipe and brimming with robust flavors. Essentially a mango pickle recipe is made with tangy unripe green mangoes, spices, salt and oil. This Mango Pickle or Aam Ka Achar is a recipe which is sour and makes for the tastiest accompaniment with any Indian meal because of the choicest of spices that are used to make it. So, this summertime, pick the good green mangoes, prep up and go for this pickle recipe.
Table of Contents
India – The Pickle Nation
When one mentions India, one has to also mention about the plethora of pickles that the Indians are fond of. The Mango Pickle being one of the most loved ones, followed by Lemon Pickle, Amla Pickle, Red Chilli Pickle and other versions made with seasonal fruits and veggies.
Just like how curries or samosa is synonymous with India, so is pickles. In fact, an Indian thali (platter) is quite incomplete without a portion of pickle in it, and it can be rightly termed as one of the most favorite condiments here.
Pickles pan India are found under different monikers. For instance, ‘achaar’ in Hindi, ‘oorugai’ in Tamil, ‘loncha’ in Marathi, ‘athanu’ in Gujarati, etc. It is one of those foods that help in clearing the palate in between dishes and can elevate an otherwise boring meal.
Although the origin of the word pickle lies in the Dutch word ‘pekel’ meaning ‘brine,’ the ‘achaar’ has its origin in a Persian term meaning ‘fruits or vegetables which are salted/powdered and preserved in a solution of vinegar, salt, syrup or honey.’
About Mango Pickle Recipe
Besides being the most apt choice for parathas, dal-chawal or any other rich Indian gravy in a rice or bread combination, this Aam Ka Achar is well received not just by Indians, but also people around the world.
This is why this particular mango pickle is a sure shot hit!
- It is super easy to make. All you have to do is mix up the mango pieces with salt, spices and put it in lots of sunshine for 3 to 4 days.
- Next, you just douse good quality mustard oil and keep the jar safely in a cool, dry place for another 3 to 4 days.
- By this time, it’s ready for you to indulge in!
This Punjabi Mango Pickle recipe is my mother-in-law’s special. She had learnt it as it passed down from her mother-in-law. We Indians really take pride in such valuable recipes that are nothing less than a treasure.
There are numerous ways an Aam Ka Achar is made pan India with each pickle having a distinct flavor and method of preparation.
As you travel through our country’s length and breadth, you will find people pickling raw mangoes, in both sour and sweet versions and enjoying them with their everyday meals.
I am quite a pickle person and like to pair everything from dal, vegetable stir-fries, roti and paratha with a variety of pickles.
If you love pickles just as I do, I’m so sure that you are going to fall in love with this Mango Pickle.
How to make Mango Pickle Recipe
Prep Spices
1. Before you begin, take the spices and salt in small bowls and keep them in sunlight for 1 to 2 hours. This step is optional but does help in getting rid of any moisture from the spices and salt.
Spices added to this pickle recipe are:
- Fenugreek seeds – ¼ cup
- Fennel seeds – ¼ cup
- Mustard seeds (can use either black or yellow) – ¼ cup
- Nigella seeds (kalonji) – ¼ cup
- Turmeric powder (ground turmeric) – 3 tablespoons
- Red chili powder or cayenne pepper – ¼ cup
2. Later, take the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds in a dry grinder jar or a spice-grinder.
3. Grind to a coarse mixture. Do not make a fine powder.
Prep Mangoes
4. Rinse and wipe the raw mangoes well with a clean kitchen towel. You can even let the mangoes dry naturally.
In the photo you only see two mangoes as they were very large mangoes weighing 1 kilogram together.
5. Chop the mangoes into 1.5 inches pieces. Discard the stones but do peel off the flesh from the stones, if any.
No need to remove the outer skin of the mangoes if they are tender and soft. You will need 7 to 7.5 cups chopped mangoes.
6. Take the chopped mangoes in a large mixing bowl. Better to use a steel or a glass bowl as they are non-reactive.
Make Pickle Mixture
7. Now firstly, add the ground fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds.
8. Then, add the remaining spices – fennel seeds, nigella seeds, turmeric powder and red chili powder or cayenne pepper.
I have added two types of red chili powder – Kashmiri red chili powder (for color) and a spicy red chili powder.
You can use even just one type of red chili powder or even a mix of cayenne pepper and paprika.
9. Next, add salt.
10. With a steel or wooden spoon, mix very well so that the spices uniformly coat the mango pieces.
Check the taste of the pickle masala mixture or 1 to 2 mango pieces. The taste should be slightly salty. If not, then add more salt.
11. Now, pour ½ cup mustard oil.
12. Mix very well.
13. Spoon the prepared pickle mixture in a clean ceramic jar or glass jar. Use a clean spoon.
Sun Dry Mango Pickle
14. Seal with a lid and keep in sunlight for 3 to 4 days. I used two jars. Note that the sunlight should be very good with strong sun rays falling on the pickle jar.
It should not be cloudy or dark. In the evening, get the jar inside and keep in a cool dry place. Next morning, keep in sunlight again.
15. Everyday after sun-drying in the evening, open the lid and give a gentle mix to the pickle with a clean spoon.
This is the pickle being mixed on the first day. Take the mango pieces settled at the bottom upwards in the jar and give a thorough mix. Basically, mixing and tossing needs to be done everyday.
16. The below photo is of the pickle on the third day. You can see the oil floating.
17. The pickle after mixing on the fourth day.
18. On the last day, pour 2.5 cups of mustard oil in the jar.
19. Again with a clean spoon give a thorough mix. The oil should seep inside and reach the bottom of the jar. All the mango pieces should be surrounded with some oil.
You do not need to heat the mustard oil. You can add more mustard oil if required. The mustard oil should float above the pickle by 2 to 3 inches. Always remember to keep the oil floating above the pickle.
Seal with a lid and keep in a cool dry place for 4 days until everything gets mellowed and pickled.
Initially, you may find a slight bitter taste in the pickle, but after 6 to 7 days, the bitterness will go away.
20. Enjoy the Mango Pickle or Aam ka Achar with any Indian meal. The pickle stays good for more than a year at room temperature without refrigeration. Keep the jar in a cool dry place.
Serving Suggestions
Remember to store the pickle jar in a cool dry place. To serve, I would suggest to take a small portion of the pickle for a week or 15 days in smaller jars or bowls. Keep this jar or bowl on your dining table, kitchen or in the fridge.
While taking the pickle from the jars, always use a clean dry spoon. Make sure there is no water or moisture on the spoon as this can spoil your pickle.
In North India, apart from the usual way of consuming the Mango Pickle with meals, it is also served with flatbreads like Aloo Paratha, Paneer Paratha or any other paratha for that matter.
One of the most favorite childhood memories of ours includes we taking parathas with Aam Ka Achar in our lunch box.
When speaking of being a side condiment, the Mango Pickle tastes excellent with some rice-lentils, Curd Rice or other curries with rice.
This Punjabi Mango Pickle can also easily elevate a simple meal of even chapati or roti with any vegetable dish. Otherwise, mix the pickle masala with steamed rice and enjoy a simple and comforting, yet heavenly meal.
And while you lose yourself to the awesomeness of the sour Mango Pickle, this Avakaya Pickle is another recipe that you must try till the mango season lasts.
Make Pickle Without Sunlight
While it is absolutely paramount to have sunlight to make any traditional pickle, I have worked on a Punjabi Mango Pickle recipe that can be made sans the sun too.
You simply have to mix everything and pour it in a jar. But, do these before:
- Heat mustard oil till it smokes, and then cool it to room temperature. Add to the spiced mango pieces mixture.
- Make it a practice to cover this pickle with 2 to 3 inches layer of mustard oil on top in the jar.
- Close the lid of the jars tightly. Keep the jars in a dry place for about 5 to 6 days or more until the mangoes soften and tenderize.
- Do remember to stir the pickle with a dry and clean spoon once every day. Cover the jar again with a lid and continue to store it in a dry place until the pickle is ready.
Expert Tips
- Get raw mangoes with tender skin and use without peeling the skin. In case the mangoes have tough skin, then peel and use.
- Make sure to always use fresh spices. Take them on a plate and then discard the husks and stones, if any.
- Grind the mustard and fenugreek seeds coarsely for this pickle. You can also use store-brought split mustard and fenugreek seeds.
- You can add more or less red chili powder depending upon the level of spiciness you want in the pickle.
- The jar used to store the mango pickle should be thoroughly sterilized, cleaned and dried. Preferably use a glass jar or ceramic jar. Do not use plastic jars.
- Keep in mind the hygiene and cleanliness while making any pickle, jam, sauce, preserve or for that matter any food.
- This Aam Ka Achar recipe can be scaled accordingly.
FAQs
I would suggest not to store this mango pickle in a plastic jar. Try to use a ceramic jar or a good sturdy glass jar.
This mango pickle will stay good for more than a year. Even if the pickle is not sun-dried or partially sun-dried, it stays good for more than a year. Cover the pickle with a generous layer of oil as well to keep it good.
One way to soften the mangoes is just heating through, but not boil. Once the pickle is hot, let it cool on its own and don’t cover with a lid. However, you can cover with a pan, cotton napkin or muslin cloth. Make sure the water doesn’t condense as this might spoil the pickle.
Choose mangoes that are raw, firm and a dark green in color with a white-colored flesh. If the flesh is yellow, it means the mango is slightly ripe.
Store this pickle in a ceramic jar by putting a muslin cloth on the mouth, later securing it with a string and then putting the lid.
Use either. Both work well in this pickle recipe.
Moisture in the pickle will result in fungus. Avoid this by covering the pickle with a thick layer of oil and keeping it dry. Any mould or fungus means you have to discard the entire pickle and there is nothing you can do to rectify it.
You can prepare this pickle with sesame oil or sunflower oil.
Preferably, the pickle has to be sun-dried. If not, then it can be dried under the fan too. But this will reduce the shelf-life as otherwise sun rays kill microorganisms.
You needn’t discard the water as it gets evaporated while the pickle is sun-dried.
More Indian Pickle Recipes To Try!
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Mango Pickle | Punjabi Aam ka Achar Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram mangoes or 7 to 7.5 cups of chopped mangoes – unripe and green
- ¼ cup mustard seeds – 40 grams, black or yellow or 40 grams split yellow mustard seeds
- ¼ cup fenugreek seeds – 45 grams or 45 grams split fenugreek seeds
- ¼ cup fennel seeds – 30 grams
- ¼ cup nigella seeds (kalonji) – 30 grams
- 3 tablespoons turmeric powder (ground turmeric) – 15 grams
- ¼ cup red chili powder or cayenne pepper – 25 grams
- ½ cup rock salt (edible and food grade) – 125 grams or add as required – can also add regular salt or pink salt
- 3 cups mustard oil – add more if required
Instructions
Prep Spices and Mangoes
- Before you begin, take the spices and salt in small bowls and keep them in sunlight for 1 to 2 hours. This step is optional but does help in getting rid of any moisture from the spices and salt.
- Later, take the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds in a dry grinder jar or a spice-grinder and grind to a coarse mixture.
- Rinse and wipe the raw mangoes and let them dry naturally. You can even wipe them dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Making Mango Pickle
- Chop the mangoes into 1.5 inches pieces. and add them in a bowl. Discard the stones but do peel off the flesh from the stones, if any. No need to remove the outer skin of the mangoes if they are soft and tender.
- Take the chopped mangoes in a large non-reactive mixing bowl.
- Now begin by adding the ground fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds first.
- Then, add fennel seeds, nigella seeds or onion seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.
- With a steel or wooden spoon, mix very well so that the spices uniformly coat the mango pieces. Check the taste of the pickle masala mixture or 1 to 2 mango pieces. The taste should be slightly salty. If not, then add some more salt.
- Next pour ½ cup mustard oil.
- Mix very well.
- Spoon the prepared pickle mixture in a clean ceramic jar or glass jar. Use a clean spoon.
- Cover with a lid and keep in sunlight for 3 to 4 days. Note that the sunlight should be very good with the strong rays falling on the pickle jar. It should not be cloudy or dark.
- Everyday after sun-drying in the evening, open the lid and give a gentle mix to the pickle with a clean spoon. Take the mango pieces settled at the bottom upwards in the jar and give a thorough mix. Basically, mixing and tossing needs to be done everyday.
- In the evening, get the jar inside and keep in a cool dry place. Next morning, keep in the sunlight again.
- After keeping in sunlight for 3 to 4 days, add the remaining 2.5 cups mustard oil. Again with a clean spoon, mix very well. The oil should seep inside and reach the bottom of the jar. All the mango pieces should be surrounded with some oil.
- Note that you do not need to heat the mustard oil. You can add more mustard oil if required. Do keep in mind that the mustard oil should float above the pickle by 2 to 3 inches. Always remember to keep the oil floating above the pickle.
- Seal with a lid, keep in a cool dry place for 4 days till everything gets mellowed and pickled.
- Initially, you may find a slight bitter taste in the pickle, but after 6 to 7 days, the bitterness will go away. This Mango Pickle stays good for more than a year at room temperature without refrigeration.
- Enjoy this Punjabi Mango Pickle with any Indian meal.
Notes
- Make sure the spices are within their shelf period and have not gone rancid.
- Use good quality mustard oil and preferably cold pressed or wood pressed.
- Instead of mustard oil, you can use sesame oil (made from raw sesame seeds) and sunflower oil. But keep in mind that the taste and flavor of the mango pickle made with either of these oils will be different.
- Note that the approximate nutrition info is for the entire jar of Mango Pickle.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Mango Pickle recipe post from the archives first published on May 2012 has been updated and republished on April 2023.
So easy to follow and that nutrition information was so detailed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hi Dassana,
Thank you for the recipe. Looks interesting. What if we want a sweet verison of the same recipe using Gud? How can we do that? can the raw gud be added to the mixture?
Thank you
Indija
The sweet version is made differently and the proportions of the ingredients will be different. Raw jaggery can be added to this pickle too but the rest of the ingredient proportions will change. Hope this helps.
Hi Dassana, thank you for this recipe. I will definitely give it a try.
Can you tell me, in your method WITHOUT USING SUNLIGHT, after step 2, do I cover the jars with the lid and then store it in a dry place, or leave it uncovered during this time?
Thank you and regards
Ga
Welcome Gav. Firstly make sure the oil floats at least 2 to 3 inches above the top surface of the pickle. Close the jars tightly and keep them in a dry place for about 5 to 6 days or as needed until the mangoes soften and become tender. Do remember to stir the pickle with a clean, dry spoon once every day. Cover again with a lid and continue to store until the mangoes are tenderized.
I want to learn from good ,original people from India !
Indian food.
This is delicious and very healthy..
Thank you very much.
Hello ma’m…thanks for sharing. I love the mango pickle that is served in most restaurants. Pickle from Mother’s Recipe also has the same taste as restaurants. Could you share the recipe of that type of mango pickle please…
Welcome Priyangi. Yes I know. Even we are fond of that pickle. I have ever made that type of pickle. If in the mango season I make this type of pickle, then I will share the recipe.
Excellent demonstration of recipe
Thanks.
Can I add some Amchur (Dry Mango) since my mangoes are not very sour. They were a bit Pale yellow but not ripe when I cut it.
Yes you can add.
Awesome and easy to follow..made achar for the first time using your recipe..thanks for sharing and giving me confidence to make achar..
Great to know and thanks for sharing the lovely feedback.
I tried to make the pickle very first time and it turned out to be so amazing that people are actually ready to pay me for making the same pickle for them.
Thanks a lot for sharing this simple and perfect recipe.
I have been following your recipes since last 4-5 years. And they are delicious every single time
Lots of love.
That is good to know and thanks for sharing your experience. Thanks also for the feedback on the other recipes. Glad to know and thanks again.
Thank you very much Meenu for the feedback and the kind wishes. You too stay safe and take care.
I’ve often thought that the heat of the sun in India was key to making Indian pickles safe to eat. It seemed like the sun pasteurizes the pickles. Thank you for adding that insight into the process. In the USA, many people have crock-pots for slow cooking. I wonder if crock-pots could be used in place of the sun for making Indian pickles.
thanks tim and welcome. i am not sure about using crock-pots for making pickles, but i have dried vegetables and fruits in the oven and it worked so well. the results were similar to the vegetables or fruits dried in the sun. perhaps slow drying in oven for pickles can work too. though i have not tried drying pickles in the oven.
I love the recipes you’ve uploaded, it helped me a lot in difficult situations…..I m thankful to you specially for aam ka achar, kachori , dhokla etc.
Thank you and nice to know.
Hi
I have just made this mango pickle. You mention it lasts for a year when sun dried. How long does it last if not sun dried or only partially sun dried?
if not sun dried or partially sun dried then also it can last for a year. just make sure that the pickle is nicely covered with a layer of oil.
hi
I made this mango pickle I think two months ago. But I have to admit … I live in Holland and we have not very hot summers. So I did sun dry the mangoes but I guess that the mango’s did not completely dry. But I followed your procedure as good as I could (next time I will dry the mango’s in the oven I think).
But now when I taste the pickles, the taste is very good but the mango’s are still very hard, after two months. Why is this ? And is there something I can do to soften the mango’s. There is plenty of mustard oil in the bottle
jan, usually the mangoes do soften after pickling for a few months. i assume that the mangoes have got sun dried too much and thats why the hardness. usually the mangoes do not become hard. or it could be the quality of mangoes – like having less water content in them. one way is cooking the pickle. just heat through but do not boil. with this method the mangoes can soften a bit. once the the pickle has got hot, then let it cool down on its own. do not cover with a lid or you cover the pan with a cotton napkin or muslin. water should not condense as then the pickle can get spoiled.
ok Dassana. I will try.
But in India you have very hot days in summer, most of our summer days are 20-25 degrees celsius. So I think that I should forget to sun dry the mango’s and better dry them in the oven for 3-4 hours.
Would love to make some good pickles myself. I also did make your lemon pickle recipe without oil and nimbu ka achaar recipe. The lemon pickle without oil is great !!!
I made the nimbu ka achaar with limes (because our lemons have rather thick skin. And I think this pickle also has rather hard lime pieces ….
I will let you know if cooking the mango pickle did work
fine jan. yes of course you can try doing the oven method. it will work. i will be sharing one more version of lemon pickle made in kerala style in some time. the nimbu achar which is posted and which i do make on occasions has soft lime pieces. i am wondering why the lemon or mango pieces are becoming hard. usually for most pickling recipes, i keep the pickle for 2 to 3 days in the sun and in the night i keep the pickle inside. you can also try the mango avakaya (spicy andhra mango pickle)which does not need heavy sunlight. the recipe i have shared is large in quantity and stays good for a year, but you can halve the recipe.
sure do let me know how the cooking goes about.
could you say something about how the mango’s should look like (or feel) and how you can see they are ok for making pickles ?
jan, the mangoes should be firm, feel hard and have a green to dark green color. the flesh should be firm and white colored. a pale yellow colored flesh indicates that the mango has ripened slightly.
hey dassana ..
Ur recipes are just wowww.
please help I have dried mangoes but because of monsoon there is no sunlight can I dry them under the fan it’s a second day and I have to kept it in the room what should I do please reply soon
thank you
radhika, you can dry them under the fan. no issues.
Hey i have dried the pickle in sun for 4- days and now have added oil but after 5 days it is still very hard n not softened a bit. I am very scared wht should i do ??
it will soften. don’t worry. keeping in the oil for a longer time, will soften it.
Please help i dried the mango with masala for 3 days as suggested in recipe even after adding mustard oil its been 7 days and the mangoes taste like amchoor rather than pickle . i have been making this pickle from past 3 years never had this problem as i used to dry only for a day instead of 3 the pickle used to be soft and juicy but now its become very hard what do i do
no worries. after soaking them in oil for some days, the mango pieces will soften. looks like the mango pieces have become too dry. if you keep the mango pieces in the jar for a few weeks, then they will soften. as the pickle matures, it will soften much more.
Just about to make the punjabi mango pickle Could u please tell me the exact quantity (measure) for salt? Last time I went wrong with the salt! Thank u
mini, 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt should be fine. just mix everything and taste the masala. if you feel salt is less, then you can a few teaspoons or tablespoons more of the salt.
Wow and super.
thank you vashu 🙂
Ma’am can you please post the recipe of green chilli pickle that stays good for 1year or so..
kannu have taken your request for green chili pickle recipe that will last for a year. but for now you can check this recipe of green chilli pickle, which stays good for some months – green chilli pickle
I have tried many recipes of yours like Dal tadka, Mango Dal, Palak Dal, Methi Dal and some Paneer recipes. Always everyone enjoyed it. Now I am attempting the Punjabi Aam ka Achar. In your recipe the spices are mentioned for 5-6 mangoes. What will be the approximate weight of these mangoes. Continue to add more recipes.
thank you geney. these mangoes were between small to medium sized. they were not big ones. the weight should be around 400 to 500 grams.
Hi there,
If I have a bharni jar with me, how can I cover them with the mixed mangoes in it? Do I need to tightly cover them or just close them as usual way? Because I have seen people tying a piece of plastic over the mouth of the jar and later covering the pot with the usual lid.
simi, put a piece of muslin cloth on the mouth of jar. it should be secured with a string and then keep the lid.
Dear dasana,
It has been 2 years and you have still remained my favourite recipe site. Your simplicity of ingredients and visual instructions are very very helpful. You are my go to person if I want to plan a meal. Even my mother has been impressed with my cooking and asked for recipes when I make some of your dishes. Hats off to you for taking the time and effort in sharing this wealth with us mere mortals.
thank you very much tanvi. your words means a lot to me. keep cooking and sharing the love with your family and friends.
Hi amit…
Can we dry it by pre heating the oven. Or any other method of sun drying without actually keeping it out in sun…
pooja, i have dried mango slices in the oven. so i think you can dry. have a look at this post of amchur powder, where in step by step pics you can see the mango slices being dried in the oven. you can use the same temperature as mentioned in this post. about the timing you will need to keep a check, so that the mangoes do not dry out too much. here is the link – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/amchur-powder-recipe-dry-mango-powder/
Thanks amit.. Can u put it in the oven with the masala or without it.. Also do I have to set the timing in the oven for 7hr after pre heating it.
you can put in the oven with the masala. yes you will need to set the timing. i would suggest to break the time. first dry for 3 to 4 hours. check and then again continue to dry for 3 more hours. do keep a check as it the mango pieces should not become like papads and break.
Hi,
Please share which mustard seeds to be taken. Yellow one or black one. And can I dry the mango pieces for a while before applying all the masalas to it?
either can be used. you can dry the mango pieces before applying all the masalas.
HI,
Even after following your post step by step, my achar caught fungus. Though i had kept it for 7 days in sunlight without oil. What could be the possible reason? 🙁
reason can be moisture in the pickle or cleanliness. the pickle should be dry. and also keep the pickle covered with oil. what you can do is now, remove the fungus part. the fungus will be only on the top. usually when pickles start getting fungus, they get it at the top first. so remove this part. cover the pickle jar’s mouth with a muslin cloth and keep it in the sun for 2 to 3 days. also cover the pickle with 1 or 2 inch oil floating above.
While drying itself, it caught fungus in between the mango prices.I had to throw off and again started preparing. Hoping this time it won’t catch fungus. And also I don’t get enough sunlight here. Can you pls suggest what to do exactly? Will be grateful. Thanks.
okay. the sunlight should be strong and a good one, like the sunlight we have in delhi and parts of north india or in maharashtra and gujarat. what you do is keep on giving sunlight at all the times. meaning keep on changing the position of the plate to where the sunlight falls in its maximum intensity. i would also suggest to cover the plate with a meshed lid or a fine muslin cloth, so that dust particles do not settle down on the pickle. use a large plate or bowl, so that the mango pieces are distributed evenly and have enough space. looks like sunlight is an issue where you live.
a friend of mine gita, her mum used to make this and living in amsterdam hot sunny days are few so she used to dry out the green mango in a low oven and the end result was always fantastic.
thankyou milton for sharing with us 🙂
I like my mango pickle dry(at least some of it)as it is easier to carry whilst travelling and less messy.I wonder if you can just keep drying this without oil addition.How woul it work?I once had oil less mango pickle with all the masala and it was wonderful.However the lady would not part with the recipe.Do you have any recipes for dry mango pickle?
in this recipe oil is essential. i do not have any recipe of a dry mango pickle. i will check with my family members if they know of such a pickle and can try the recipe during mango season.
Can I add vinegar before I add the mustard oil or along with it, and what would be the proportion
there is no vinegar added in this pickle recipe. there is no need. just cover the pickle with a layer of mustard oil.
thanks a lot for all your wonderful delicious recipes. I have tried out many. I just want to know that it is compulsory to put mustard oil in mango pickle. as i like dry pickle more.
and i want to try it soon..
welcome rashi. traditionally mustard oil is added. but you can add sesame oil or peanut oil.
really really good and yummy. i love this.
thanks nisha
hi…plz post lemon pickle as well. Your mango pickle looks awsome. Will try soon 🙂
thanks priya. i have noted down the recipe request and will try to add it soon.
Thanks you for posting such a fabulous recipe. I am in the drying process at the moment. I think the answer is obvious but I will ask anyway. I am up to the third day now and moisture is building up at the bottom of the containers that the mango pieces are drying in. Am I supposed to drain this liquid, discard it and keep drying out the mangoes?
welcome. for even drying do turn the mango pieces everyday with a clean spoon so that all of them ate dried evenly and uniformly. ideally you should not get moisture. i think the light is not reaching the bottom and hence the moisture. discard this liquid. better to dry in a large tray or plate. this way all the mango peices will get even sunlight. place all of them in a large tray or plate and keep in the sun for drying. you can easily dry upto a week also.
Easy to learn
hi, can i use olive oil instead of mustard oil? this recipe looks amazing!
muneet, you can use sesame oil or sunflower oil. i won’t suggest olive oil.
this is n nice recipie
thanks rudolf
this pickle look so nice, I would love to have more recipies . thanks a lot. rudi
welcome rudi
I want to product mango pickle for commercial purpose as cottage industry. so, kindly tell me about all machinary used for preparation mango pickle and also tell me from where i can purchase that all machinary .
sanjay, we don’t have any knowledge or experience in this field.
Hi, since the sky has been cloudy, cannot keep the mangoes i the sun, can i dry it under the fan??
savita, you have to preferably keep it in the sun. if there is no option then keep in a dry place or under fan. but shelf life might reduce. as sun rays kills microorganism.
other better option sis – just mix everything and pour the mixed mango-spice powders in a jar. in this case you heat the mustard oil till it start smoking and then when it become cool, you add it to the spiced mango pieces. cover with a 1 inch layer of mustard oil. always keep the mango pickle covered with a layer of mustard oil. store mango pickle in a dry place for 2-3 days. but there will be moisture in the mango pieces as they are not dried in sun.
Hi….I am liking the way u have made the aam ka achar but I don’t know why its getting fungus when I am keeping it in sun after adding masalas.I have tried it for the 2nd time.
if you keep in the sun, fungus should not come. the sunlight won’t allow the fungus to come. are the spices fresh and within their shelf life date. if the spices shelf life date is expired, then there might be issues of mould growing on the pickle.
I have made the pickle bt now I have tasted it and it has less salt.what should be done? if I add salt then it will drain water in the jar.
have you added the oil. if you have added the oil, then add the salt and stir very well with a clean spoon.
Hi,
Thanks for your recipe. I did try it, but I think I over dried the mango and also the pickle has very less masala. Any suggestions how I can rectify it? Or would I need to discard it 🙁
welcome hazel. i don’t know that you can do now for over dried mangoes. if you want to spice it up little just add some chillii powder from top and mix well. don’t add any other spices because mustard and other spices they age and thats what gives flavor to the pickle.
after I prepared the pickle only, I realized that salt is not sufficient.. so can I add after oil is poured into the jar.. will it spoil the pickle??
you can add. it won’t spoil the pickle. just add the salt and shake the jar.
Hi!
your suggestions are awesome.
thanks lakshay
Don’t we need to add salt?
salt is added. already mentioned in the step by step and in the recipe details.
As a child I remember eating Aam da Achar that was dry & coated in masalas. I ate this hungrily with chapatis & or parathas & loved it. Will your version (with all the mustard oil) be dry as I remember it?
this mango pickle recipe is not the dry version. there will be the presence of mustard oil.
This achar must be very delicious and I would like to enjoy soon.
Hi
Can I use Steel Bowl for mixing the pickle and keeping it in the sun (till I pour it in the glass jar)?
Thnx!
Taruna
yes you can.
Hi,
I want to manufacture achar may you please give me some advices and recipes.
i always make achaar or pickle at home. so have no clue how achaar is made commercially and in huge quantities. so unfortunately unable to help you.
It’s tasty and good.
thanks swathi
Hi Dassana
Made this pickle today..I had cut the mangoes and dried them overnight as there is no sun here and the mangoes were right to make the pickle so I didnt wait anymore..anyhow..dried them overnight and mixed all masalas now.its now in a steel bowl covered with cling film trying to get daylight..do u think I shud immed transfer to glass bowl/barni? Will the pickle spoil?
you can transfer the pickle to a bharni or glass jar. the pickle won’t spoil. don’t use a clingfilm. better to use thin cotton or muslin napkin to cover the pickle. how did you dry it overnight?
Hi Dassana,
unfortunately we don’t get much sun here in Vancouver Canada. Is it possible to make this without the aid of the sun?
yes jas, you can make the mango pickle without sun. just mix everything and pour the mixed mango-spice powders in a jar. in this case you heat the mustard oil till it start smoking and then when it become cool, you add it to the spiced mango pieces. cover with a 1 inch layer of mustard oil. always keep the mango pickle covered with a layer of mustard oil. store mango pickle in a dry place for 2-3 days. but there will be moisture in the mango pieces as they are not dried in sun.
dear i forget to ask i kept the pickle mixture in the sun here in Doha its too hot and sometimes windy and dusty so i covered with cling sheet (food wrapper) i noticed watervapour on it
when i open to just stir the mixture the vapor forms water and drops into it.. In this case will my picke get spoil on a long run
its better to cover with fine muslin or a finely weaved cloth or napkin. since you have used cling film the vapor accumulated due to the slow sun cooking, cannot be released and hence its condensing on the surface. it can spoil the pickle. my suggestion would be to refrigerate the pickle as soon as its done.
dear i tried your mango pickle Punjabi type too good, but instead of adding whole methi, saunf and kalonji can i powder it and use as that irritates. secondly does eating of pickles causes harm to our bones. tks keep it up
you can easily powder the methi and saunf. keep the kalonji whole. i have heard about this bones thing but not sure.
Dassana, thanks for this recipe.. I made it this summer and it came out really good 🙂 i have also posted this on my blog.
thanks preeti. i will check your post soon.
Hi , dassana could you please tell me how can i make this acchar in rainy season b’coz i want to make it .but rainy season started! is it possible? plz reply me.
palchin, since rains have started it is little tricky. you need to put the acchar in sun. so if you feel that next few days its not going to rain then give it a try. but you have to be careful because if it rains then your pickle might get mouldy.
Thanks dassana.my mango pieces are during 2 days at sunlight.but i still didn’t added that masala and salt.can i add now?i suddenly found your blog.thanks again
you can add them now.
Hi dassana I tried your mango pickle but when I left the mangoes with the dried masala in the sun the mangoes left lot of water.The mangoes did not dried as u showed on the third day.So please suggest what should be done.
keep for some more days in the sun till the whole mixture dries.
Hello Dassana,
I had 2 queries regarding the recipe:
1) Should mustard seeds and methi seeds to be dry roasted before grinding?
2) Is it preferable to use fortune rice bran oil instead of mustard oil?
sarika, no need to dry roast the seeds before grinding. to get a authentic punjabi mango pickle taste you should preferably use mustard oil.
Hello Dassana,
I want to start making the mango pickles ASAP but have heard all sorts of stories about waiting for ‘right’ mangos and apparently the season doesn’t start till June? Is that true? Waiting anxiously for help to recognise the ‘right’ mangos
hi naveen. the raw mangoes start coming as early as march. having been in goa, where there are so many mango trees, i see raw mangoes flooding the market very early. actually i have heard the opposite and the other way around. one should not have mangoes when the rains begins. at least in india, the monsoon begins in june and so mangoes should not be consumed in june or later. i would suggest not to wait as may is the best time to get a really hot sun and clear days which is good for pickling and drying. mangoes are also also good in this month. so you can start with the preparations of the pickle.
looking awesome.
delicious pickle.
I’ve just tried this recipe but was able to keep the achar in the sun for just two days as its been cloudy since then. It smells great though. I’m waiting for it to become tender. Thanks.
hi usha. if its not raining and just cloudy, you can still keep pickle in the daylight.
Its really tempting,one thing i want to ask u if i mix the mixture of spice and oil on the same day and cover the jar up (keep in sunlight), then the pickle will be spoil or not?
actually the water or liquids should get dried before adding the oil. hence we keep the pickle mixture in the sun. if there is moisture in the pickle, then the pickle spoils.
Hi Dassana,
I’ve watched my dad make pickles all the time and recently i’ve started to make them as well. The taste is just better and fresher when you make it yourself. I’ve never seen a punjabi version of this pickle as I’ve grown accustomed to the Gujarati version which I use DIY ingredients with corn oil (never used mustard oil before but interesting)
I must say that I want to try this out. So, two quick questions
1) Is nigella seeds/kalonji same as black sesame seeds?
2) When you mix your spices with the raw mango cubes, what do you do with the water that drains from the mango due to salt? I usually throw it away but just curious.
homemade pickles are better than outside ones. mustard oil gives a strong pungent flavor to the pickle.
1: nigella seeds are different from black sesame seeds. though they do look similar, the taste, flavor and texture is totally different.
2: i never throw away the water. since i sun dry the mixture, the water gets evaporated.
Two questions really. 1) What role does the sun play in making of the pickle ? 2) Is Mustard Oil a must, as I am in a small village where olive oil is easily available, and sun rarely shines.
dear van, first of all the sun gently cooks the pickle over a period of time. secondly along with drying the mango pieces as well as the pickle masala mixture it also kills the micro organisms that might be harboring on the pickle. all these factors help in sustaining the shelf life of the pickle.
in india we make a lot of sun dried pickles, both sweet and sour. in the months of april-may the sun it at its peak here and it is very hot. the temperature varies between 35 to 45 degree C in different parts of india.
mustard oil is one of the essential ingredient, if you want to make the authentic punjabi mango pickle 🙂 it has a strong pungent flavor and taste that blends well with the pickle. i would not suggest using olive oil as i don’t know how the taste & aroma of olive oil would blend with the pickle. i would suggest to use a non aromatic oil like sunflower or canola oil.
you can make this pickle even without the sun. just heat the oil and when it cools down add it to the pickle mixture.
hope all these info helps you.
can i make this achar without the sun in thid rainy season or put it on stove or microwave loved the recipe
yes zarina, you can make the achaar without sun. just mix everything and pour the mixed mango-spice powders in a jar. in this case you heat the mustard oil and then when it cools you add it to the spiced mango pieces. cover with a 1 inch layer of mustard oil. always keep the achaar covered with a layer of mustard oil. store in a dry & dark place for 2-3 days.
I hardly use to prepare pickles at home till late when I tried my hands on the mix veg pickles, my mom prepares the mango pickles the same way as yours. I get mango pickles always from mom & mom in law :). Loved the clicks as always!
Mouthwatering pickle… I love the flavour of mustard oil in pickles…
Gorgeous clicks! Would love to have this jar at home! Don’t know how long it would last though. I love pickles with roti, dal-chawal or simply plain.
i have started the process of making the pickle..m grinding the masala for it..will surely let u know the outcome soon..here its too hot..my mango pickle will not take too long to tenderise.
since it is so hot there you can keep just for 2 days. sure, do let me know…..
Looks heavenly!! I used to eat pickle everyday with stuff like vegan curd rice and chapathi, but somehow that habit got broken and now pickles are a once in a while thing for me. Now, when I do eat them, it’s straight out of the jar. Pick up a piece and pop it in my mouth. :op
That pickle/paratha photo you’ve posted is killing me!! I’m craving it so badly right now. LOL And it brings back beautiful memories from school. The Marwaris used to bring the best paratas and pickles ever!! The rest of us used to grab for their lunch boxes. Haha
even i had some marwari friends in school and i would love to eat from their tiffin, especially their pickles and parathas 🙂
Dassana, the mangoes look so fresh and I am sure they taste the best. Also, pickle looks fabulous Unfortunately, the raw mangoes we get here are mostly sweet in taste and slightly sour.
Love the wick basket and the plate in the pics.
thanks family cook
I adore pickles for the mustard oil. Cant get good mangoes here. This recipe is just the way I make green chilli pickle also. Love it.