MAAGAI (SLICED MANGO PICKLE)

  

Another famous pickle from Andhra made with mangoes is maagai (sliced mangoes pickle). While Aavakai is made with mustard powder maagai is made with fenugreek powder.

INGREDIENTS

• Mangoes(small)                        25
• Salt                                          1 kg
• Red chilly powder                    1/2 kg
• Paprika                                    1/4 kg
• Fenugreek seeds                     150 gms
• Turmeric                                  5 Tsp
• Mustard seeds                         3Tsp
• Asafetida                                 1tsp
• Sesame oil                               1kg
• dry red chilies                          25

PROCEDURE
Wash the mangoes, pat them dry and slice the into pieces of 2 inch long pieces. Add salt and turmeric , mix well and store in a dry jar. Let marinate for 2 days.
On the third day open the jar containing mango slices, squeeze the juice and put  the pieces in hot sun and dry the pieces (see that the pieces don't become hard). If the sun is very hot dry the pieces for about 5 hours or else 7 hours.
Roast the fenugreek seeds on a slow flame until u feel the nice aroma ,let them cool and then grind to fine powder. Sieve the powder if required.
Combine the chilly powder, fenugreek powder, squeezed out juice of mangoes, dried out mango pieces. Heat oil in the pan on a slow flame add the mustard seeds , red chilies and once smoking point is reached add hing. Cool the oil completely and pour into the mango  mixture. Mix well and check for salt. Now the pickle is ready to serve.
TIPS

• The mangoes should be sour so that they ooze out more juice.
• The oil should be completely cooled before poring into the mango pieces.
• Go for non iodized salt so that pickle has longer shelf life.
• When you are in hurry and don't have time to prepare curry for roti or chapathi add a spoonful of maagai ,1 cup curd and finely chopped onions and ur chutney is ready for roti.