AAM KA ACHAAR /MANGO PICKLE

Preparation time: 1hour

Cooking time : 0

Serves: more than 100 

Ingredients:
1 kg cubed raw green mangoes (Ramkela variety is best for this pickle,this is small in size)
1tbsp +3 tbsp salt

15-20 dry red chilies
1 tsp red chili powder  (lal mirch)
1 tbsp turmeric (haldi)
3 tsp fennel seeds crushed(Saunf)
3 tsp fenugreek seeds (sabut mathi)
3 tsp nigella seeds/onion seeds/kalonji
2-3 cups mustard oil

1 tbsp white vinegar

Method:

1. Wash and dry the mangoes and cut in small cubes with skin.
2. Put the mango in a bowl and add with 1 tbsp salt and mix well.
3. Set aside for about 3-4 hour in a big plastic strainer. The mangoes will release water,discard the water.
4. Clean each piece of mango with  dry muslin cloth  and let it dry out preferably in sun light for 4-5 hours. Mango slices should be little dry but still moist. they will reduce in volume.
5. Take half of fennel seeds and half of fenugreek seeds and coarsely grind them in a grinder.
6. Add all the ground and whole spices and rest of the salt  and gently rub them with your hands with mango slices.
7. Heat oil till it start releasing smoke ,then keep it aside to get cool. When it is completely cool add 2 cup oil to mangoes.If required you can add more oil later on.
8. Take a transparent plastic jar or a glass jar and spread vinegar all over in the jar, drain out if some excess vinegar is left in the jar.The inner walls of the jar should be coated with vinegar that will protect the pickle from fungus. 
9. Keep the Mango pickle in jar with lid on in sunlight. If possible keep a muslin cloth between jar an lid for a week then you can remove this. This will absorb  moisture present in the pickle.Pickle should be ready in 4-7 days.
10. Do check the pickle regularly and press it downwards with a wooden spoon after a day or two during the first week.
11. Once it is ready it will last for years. Always use a dry spoon while taking out the pickle from the jar.