Template:Infobox prepared food Avakaya (also known as mango pickle[1]) is a variety of Indian pickle popular in South India with its origin in Delta Districts of Andhra Pradesh. The main ingredients are mangoes, Template:Transl (powdered mustard seeds) and a combination of other spices used for pickling. South Indians are known to have a deep attachment to these spicy pickles. A wide variety of pickles are available in these regions, using mango as their prime ingredient. Besides being made at home, the pickles are available commercially and are exported to the United States, Europe, Japan and many other countries.[2]
Preparation
Avakaya pickles are usually made in the summer, this being the time for peak availability of green mangoes. Green mangoes, hot oil, chilies and a variety of spices are the key ingredients. The process of preparation, storage and serving is considered almost a ritual.
The mangoes are cut into medium-sized pieces approximately 2 cm x 2 cm using strong and especially sharp cutters/knives in swift strokes so as not to structurally damage the pieces. These pieces are wiped clean and dry with a highly-absorbent soft cloth — usually an old sterilized cotton sari with no embroidery, stowed away for this purpose. They are then pickled with powdered mustard, red chili powder (dried and powdered or sometimes dried, roasted and powdered), salt, gingelly oil. The mixture matures for four to eight weeks, care being taken to mix the contents periodically to ensure a uniform marinade.[3]
Popularity
Avakaya (Telugu version) is prepared during the pre-summer seasons when mangoes are just about to ripen. The Telugu version, is spicier then the Tamil version and sometimes contains chickpeas as one of the primary ingredients. It is prepared in many households and eaten along with curd rice.
Varieties
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There are a wide variety of mango pickles,[3] these include:
- Template:Transl (The default one made with powdered mustard seed)
- Template:Transl (A spicy variety including ginger-garlic paste)
- Template:Transl (A sweet variant of Avakaya made with jaggery)
- Template:Transl (Mango replaced with a type of dosakaya) (bottle gourd)
- Template:Transl (Made with green, peeled, unstoned mango)
- Template:Transl or Template:Transl (Includes fenugreek)
- Template:Transl (Includes sesame)
- Template:Transl (Avakaya with yellow chillies rather than red ones which are usually used.)
- Template:Transl (Avakaya with Template:Transl (Telugu), called Chaunk in Hindi)
- Template:Transl (Avakaya with the addition of chickpeas or Bengal gram or chana)
- Template:Transl (Template:Transl with the mango peel included)
- Template:Transl (Template:Transl made with grated mango)
- Template:Transl (Template:Transl with boiled rather than raw mango)
- Template:Transl (Mango replaced with gooseberry)
- Template:Transl (Avakaya with addition of garlic)
- Template:Transl (Avakaya with pickled, dried mango cubes mildly sweetened with jaggery)
- Template:Transl (Avakaya made with coconut flavor)
Consumption
Hot rice is mixed with one or two pieces of avakaya and ghee (clarified butter) or groundnut oil, then made into bite-size balls. Avakaya is often eaten with rice and dahi (yogurt). Raw onion can be added which enhances the taste. Most people prefer to eat it along with Template:Transl (pigeon pea dal) and Template:Transl (ghee/clarified butter). Some people prefer to eat it within 1–2 months from preparation, when it is called Template:Transl.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ Ode to the humble garlic pickle. The New Indian Express(18 March 2019). Retrieved 1 September 2019.
- ↑ Usha's Pickle Digest: The Perfect Pickle Recipe Book. Mrs Usha R Prabakaran (1998) 347 pag. Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Pushpesh Pant. India: The Cookbook (2010) 960 pag, Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN