It is a spicy & tasty famous  chutney(pickle) in Andhra. Normally its preparation starts in the summer months of April/May.

Ingredients:

Raw mango  extra sour – 50 ( medium small)
Sesame oil - 1½ litre
Fenugreek seeds-75 gms
Musterd seeds - ½kg
Red chilli powder - ½kg
Salt not iodised  - ½kg
Dark brown  peeled chick peas - 40 gms(small)(optional)
Turmeric powder - 1tbsp

METHOD:

1. Remove all mangoes heads (stem part) and let them take rest in a cold water tub.

2. Meanwhile sieve the chilli powder, salt.

3. Check musterd seeds are fresh without having any stones or dust. Slightly roast for 2 minutes and cool them, grind them to a fine powder and sieve it.

4. Now takeout all mangoes from the water tub and dry them with a muslin cloth until they are free of any  moisture.

5. Now cut them into big chunks, discard the seed or stone inside of mangoes. Again clean them with the muslin cloth and remove the onion type layer. Make sure that there is no moisture in the mango bits.

6. Take a big plastic tub to mix the pickle, mix all sieved powders, turmerica and  methi (fenugreek seeds) and chick peas. Stir well.

7. Now slowly add ½ amount of oil to the above mixture.Mix thoroughly.

8. Finally add all mango chunks to the above mixture, and check all pieces have the spices applied properly.

9. Add  the remaining ½ amount of oil to them and stir well again.

10. Store it in a ceramic jar with air tight lid.

11. Leave it for 3 days. On the third day stir again, pour some more oil if needed.

Notes:

• For mango pickle (specially aavakaaya) we need similar variety.

• Cleanliness - otherwise the whole pickle will be spoiled (gets fungus)

• Ingredients must be of best quality and clean.

• For aavakaaya use  groundnut oil or preferably gingely oil (husked) for good taste & flavour.

• Never use steel spoons to stir the pickle. Try to use wooden spoons.

• Try to avoid to mix with hands. If you have a little moisture in your hands pickle will be spoiled.

• It is better to pour  extra oil to the level of the pickle, (2 cms above the pickle level)

• After 6th or 8th day the mango chunks will get softer and will give fine aroma.

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