AVAKAI REPOST

AVAKAI ORUGAI/MAMIDIKAYA THOKKU OR PACHADI

It is a ritual here when it comes to preparing mango pickle which is preserved whole yearlong.  The timing for making the pickle is alsoimportant.Usually we make before the amavasya of tamil vaigasi month--which isaround 20th May.This is ensured to avoid mangoes getting more ripe after May which isnot good for pickle.We choose an auspicious day and make thepickle. This requires some pre-arrangements assembling the ingredients andalso keeping the JAADI cleaned and kept ready.

Choosing the variety of mangoes is also important.The mangoes should be white in colour when cut and should be sour and with fibre. The mangoes are picked washed wiped and cut to pieces with TENKA MEANING OODU.These pieces are further wiped with dry cloth and the white fibre like thin layer removed from the TNAKA .By doing so the pickle will absorb less oil. Ofcourse the required quantity as per measure will be used to keep the pickle fresh year long and it will not allow the pickle to get spoiledThen comes making of masala for the pickle.The main ingredients are mirchi ipowder,mustard powder, salt, methi seeds and seasame oil.There are many varieties of pickles like

plain avakai, vellamangai, uppumangai, ingimangai, kobera mangai and engipoondu (ginger and gar

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING 10 (TEN) MANGOES PICKLE

MEDIUM SIZED MANGOES    10 NOS

MIRCHI POWDER

(THREE MANGOES BRAND)    400 GRMS

MUSTARD POWDER                  480 GRMS

SALT                                               400 GRMS

METHI POWDER                           50 GRMS

METHI SEEDS                                2 TSP

LG POWDER                                  2 TSP

HALDI                                            2 TSP

SEASAME OIL                            500 ML    TO 600 ML

MUSTARD OIL                             50 ML

KEEP ALL THE INGREDIENTS READY DULY MEASURED AS REQUIRED.

The pictures shown below are for five (5) manoges.

METHI SEEDS SHOULD BE CLEANED AND KEPT IN SUN LIGHT FOR SOME TIME. ROAST THE SEEDS IN HOT KADAI TILL THEY TURN LIGHT BROWN AND AROMA COMES. PUT OFF STOVE ADD HALDI POWDER WHILE IT IS HOT AND STIR WELL AND TRANSFER TO A PLATE. COOL AND THEN POWDER.

LG(ASOFOTIDA) WHICH IS IN SOLID FORM SHOULD BE USED. BREAK THEM TO PIECES AND POWDER THE REQUIRED QUANTITY AND KEEP READY. ONE SPOON OF THIS POWDER CAN BE FRIED IN SEASAME OIL AND COOLED AND KEPT READY.

 MANGOES SHOULD BE PICKED WASHED WIPED AND THEN CUT TO PIECES. WHEN ONE MANGO IS CUT YOU GET 16 PIECES. WIPE THE PIECES AGAIN AND REMOVE THE WHITE THIN SKINFROM THE TENKA/OODU AND SPREAD THE PIECES ON A WIDE PLATE AND KEEP. TAKE FEW DROPS OF MUSTARD OIL AND POUR ON THE MANGO PIECES. MIX THEM WITH HANDS TO COAT EVENLY ALL THE PIECES. THIS KEEPS THE MANGO CRISP AND ALLOWS THE POWDERS TO ABSORB. SINCE THIS IS 'AVAKAI' AVA MEANING MUSTARD THE FLAOUR OF MUSTARD WILL BE DOMINATING AND HENCE THE USE OF MUSTARD OIL TOO HELPS. 

I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION  A FEW WORDS REGARDING MUSTARD POWDER HERE:

IF YOU ARE USING READYMADE MUSTARD POWDER THE MASALA FOR PICKLE CAN BE PREPARED DIRECT BY ADDING ONE AFTER OTHER THE POWDERS IN A BIG BOWL.               ALTERNATIVELY MUSTARD SEEDS CAN POWDERED AFTER SUN DRYING THE SEEDS IN A PLATE. TAKE THE REQUIRED QUANTITY AND ADD THE MIRCHI POWDER AND SALT AS PER MEASURE AND POWDER TOGETHER IN THE MIXIE.GRINDER .THIS CAN BE DONE IN TWO TO THREE TIMES IN SMALL QUANTITIES AS THE MIXIE JAR MAY NOT HOLD THE WHOLE QUANTITY TOGETHER AT A TIME   BY DOING SO THE POWDERS BLEND TOGETHER WELL AND ALSO MUSTARD WHEN POWDERED  ALONG WITH OTHER INGREDIENTS WILL NOT LEAVE OIL WHILE POWDERING SEPERATELY. THE FRESHNESS OF THE MUSTARD CAN ALSO BE DERIVED.THEY CALL THIS "AVAPINDI".

 WHEN ONCE THE POWDERS ARE READY PUT THEM IN A BIG BOWL  ADD METHI POWDER ,METHI SEEDS AND THEN LG POWDER AND

ALSO THE LG FRIED IN OIL(ALONG WITH OIL SHOULD BE ADDED) AND MIX WELL.

 ADD OIL LITTLE BY LITTLE MIXING THE POWDER TILL THE DRY POWDER IS FULLY MIXED WITH OIL AND GIVES A CONSISTENCY OF MIXED CURD RICE. BALANCE OIL CAN BE RETAINED TO BE USED LATER. TAKE HANDFUL  OF CUT MANGOES AND ADD TO THIS MIX IN THE BOWL. COAT THE PIECES WITH THE POWDER GENTLY MIXING WITH THE HANDS AND REMOVE THE PIEICES WITH SOME PODI AND PUT IN THE  JADI/JAR KEPT READY. A LITTLE OIL SHOULD BE POURED IN THE EMPTY JADI/JAR FIRST TO KEEP THE BOTTOM GREESED. REPEAT THE PROCESS TILL ALL THE MANGO PIECES ARE COMPLETED. THE PODI AND MANGOES WILL BE MIXED EVENLY TILL THE END.POUR THE REMAINING OIL ON TOP AND CLOSE WITH THE LID AND TIE A WHITE CLOTH AND KEEP IT IN DRY PLACE. THE PICKLE SHOULD BE GIVEN A STIR ON THE THIRD DAY- THAT IS- AFTER 48 HOURS. MORE OIL CAN BE ADDED TO COVER THE PICKLE AND IT IS GOOD IF SOME OIL REMAINS  HALF TO ONE INCH ABOVE THE PICKLE LEVEL IN THE JADI/JAR. TWO MORE STIRS ARE REQUIRED AFTER THIS ON ALTERNATE DAYS. THEN THE PICKLE IS READY FOR USE. HAVE THIS WITH HOT RICE AND GHEE. THE PICKLE TASTE GOOD WHEN IT IS FRESH, THOUGH THE MANGO MIGHT NOT BE SOFT AS IT TAKES TIME FOR THE SOURNESS TO MINGLE IN POWDERS AND ALSO MANGO WILL ABSORB THE MASALA.