Seasoning Method:

Heat a pan and add oil. When oil is hot add fenugreek seeds and fry till seeds change color slightly. Then add mustard seeds and fry till they crackle. Then add asafoetida and red chili pieces and mix . add the prepared seasoning to the prepared pickle and mix well. The aroma of asafoetida fills the space. Take a dry ceramic jar and transfer the prepared pickle into it. Cover the jar with lid and store the pickle in a dry place. Serve this pickle with plain rice or as an accompaniment with dal rice, curd rice, idli, dosa, utappam or pesarattu.

Points to Remember:

Use dry hands, spoons and utensils to avoid spoiling of the pickle.

Use sour mangoes to make the pickle.

Salt may be adjusted depending upon the sourness of mangoes.

Sun drying the juice for longer time evaporates and nothing will be left. So depending upon the quantity of juice obtained, dry it for that long period.

While frying fenugreek seeds:

At times the heat will be more even when we are SIM frying. It is advisable removing the pan from heat in between to avoid burning of the fenugreek seeds. While frying the fenugreek seeds it is very important to stir continuously.

Do not sift the fenugreek seeds powder—the coarse fenugreek seeds powder adds texture to the pickle.

Take some oil and keep it aside for seasoning and then add the remaining oil to the pickle.

While frying the seasoning:

Add mustard seeds when the fenugreek seeds are slightly browned. Then fry the mustard seeds till they crackle fully. Half fried mustard seeds, spoils the seasoning. After that add asafoetida and red chili pieces and immediately transfer the seasoning on to the prepared pickle. Frying asafoetida for long time burns it and spoils the taste—similarly frying red chili pieces for long time changes their color to dark brown or even black (at times) spoils the taste of the seasoning. So it is advisable to switch off the flame after frying fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds and then add the asafoetida and red chili pieces. The heat of the oil will be sufficient to fry the asafoetida and red chili pieces.

Depending upon the sourness of mangoes salt may be adjusted. If the mangoes are too sour they ooze out more juice when mixed with salt. In such cases the juice may be dried in sun for a longer period.