Instant Mango Pickle is a traditional South Indian mango pickle recipe made from cut raw mangoes, simple spice powders, oil and seasonings. It’s a staple in South Indian cuisine and is cherished for its bold and spicy taste.
This homemade cut mango pickle or aam ka achar is known for its irresistible combination of sour, spicy, and tangy notes, making it a perfect accompaniment to many dishes, especially creamy curd rice.
Jump to:
- Why the name Kalyana Maanga Pickle
- Why you’ll love this Instant Mango Pickle
- Ingredients used to make Quick Instant Mango Pickle
- How to make Instant Raw Mango Pickle
- Tips and Suggestions to make the best spicy mango pickle
- Serving Suggestions
- Frequently asked questions
- Other recipes you may like
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It’s summer time, and mango season is here. If there’s one thing that can instantly elevate a meal, it’s the tangy, spicy, and utterly delicious Instant Cut Mango Pickle, also known as the South Indian Kalyana Maanga Pickle or Vendhaya Mangai pickle.
This cut maanga oorugai is always a part of festival meals, celebrations and elaborate banana leaf feasts. No occasion is complete without the instant raw mango pickle. Since we get good raw mangoes during summer, this instant mango pickle is made in South Indian households during the summer months, too.
Growing up in a household filled with raw mango lovers, my grandmother and mother never failed to make this pickle with green mangoes throughout the summer season. Back home in Chennai, we used to get really good sour raw mangoes that were tangy and perfect for instant mango pickle. The spicy pickle made with chopped mangoes served alongwith cold curd rice on a summer day brings back such amazing memories.
Apart from this cut mango pickle with fenugreek powder, they made mango thokku with grated raw mango. I will share that recipe another day. Meanwhile, if you are a thokku lover, try my Tomato Thokku. You will love it.
Why the name Kalyana Maanga Pickle
The name “Kalyana Maanga Pickle” has its roots in South Indian culture and tradition. “Kalyana” refers to marriage or auspicious occasions, and “Maanga” translates to raw mango in Tamil, the predominant language in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This tender mango pickle recipe is usually made with Kili Mooku Maanga.
This spicy raw mango pickle is often associated with weddings and festive occasions like onam sadya and Tamil New Year’s Day in South India, where this tangy pickle is traditionally prepared in large quantities for guests.
Why you’ll love this Instant Mango Pickle
With this simple mango pickle recipe in hand and readily available ingredients, anyone can recreate this instant variety of pickles at home.
This easy and instant version of mango pickle can be made even at the last minute. It is a great option for travel and train journeys to be served with rice, idli, dosa or even rotis.
The easy pickle’s mix of tangy, spicy flavours creates a taste that’s hard to resist for people of all ages.
This homemade mango pickle holds a special place in South Indian culture. It is often passed down through generations, making it a cherished part of family tradition.
Making this instant mango pickle recipe at home allows for the customization of flavours and spices.
Ingredients used to make Quick Instant Mango Pickle
Raw Mango – Choose firm, unripe, green raw mangoes
Fenugreek seeds & Mustard Seeds – Dry roast these two ingredients to make a flavourful powder for the pickle
Salt, Turmeric Powder & Red Chilli Powder for taste and flavour
Sesame Oil – In South India, this is the most widely used oil for pickles. Use any other neutral-flavoured oil in its place if you prefer.
Mustard seeds & Asafoetida for tempering
How to make Instant Raw Mango Pickle
Wash the raw mangoes and wipe dry. Cut the raw mangoes into small, uniform pieces and place them in a clean, dry bowl. Add salt, red chilli powder, and turmeric powder to the cut raw mango pieces.
Heat a pan and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
Dry roast the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds on a low flame until the mustard fully splutters and both mustard and fenugreek turn aromatic. Allow them to cool.
Grind the roasted mustard and fenugreek seeds into a fine powder.
Add the mustard-fenugreek powder to the bowl of cut raw mango pieces. Mix well.
Heat the sesame oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds splutter, remove from heat.
Pour the tempering mixture over the spiced chopped mango pieces. Stir well to coat the mango pieces evenly.
Allow the mango achar to cool to room temperature before transferring it to a clean, dry, airtight container. Serve with a dry spoon and enjoy the spicy, tangy mango pickle.
Tips and Suggestions to make the best spicy mango pickle
Use fresh, firm, raw mangoes for the making the most delicious pickle.
Adjust the red chilli powder according to your spice preference.
While dry roasting mustard and fenugreek seeds, ensure you don’t fry them for too long. The mustard seeds should splutter and the fenugreek should give a nice aroma. Do not allow the fenugreek to turn too dark. This will end up making the mustard and fenugreek powder taste very bitter. Also, fry them only on a low flame.
Store the pickle in a clean and dry glass bottle. For a longer shelf life, ensure that all utensils and containers are thoroughly dry. This prevents spoilage.
For making a good mango pickle, let the pickle marinate for at least a few hours before consuming it to allow the flavours to meld together.
Serving Suggestions
Instant Raw Mango Pickle tastes best when served with creamy curd rice. It can also be served with South Indian favourite rice dishes like sambar rice and rasam rice.
Frequently asked questions
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and handled with clean, dry utensils, the pickle can stay fresh for up to 10 days.
Absolutely! Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of red chilli powder to suit your taste preferences.
While sesame oil / gingelly oil is the traditional choice, you can experiment with coconut oil, mustard oil or sunflower oil for a different flavour.
While this mustard fenugreek powder adds more flavour and taste to the mango pickle, you can absolutely skip it. Just add the spices, tempering and serve. Tastes so good!
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South Indian Instant Raw Mango Pickle
Ingredients
- 2 cups Cut Raw Mango approx 2 small raw mangoes
- ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- ½ tablespoon Red Chilli Powder adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt or as needed
For tempering
- 4 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- Asafoetida a big pinch
Instructions
- Wash the raw mangoes and wipe dry. Cut the raw mangoes into small, uniform pieces and place them in a clean, dry bowl.
- Add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder to the cut raw mangoes and mix well.
- In a pan, dry roast the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds on a low flame until the mustard fully splutters and both mustard and fenugreek turn aromatic. The fenugreek slightly changes in colour too. Allow them to cool.
- Grind the roasted mustard and fenugreek seeds into a fine powder.
- Add the mustard-fenugreek powder to the bowl of cut raw mango pieces mixed with spices. Mix well again.
- Heat the sesame oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds splutter, remove from heat.
- Pour the tempering mixture over the mango and spice mix. Stir well to coat the mango pieces evenly.
- Allow the pickle to cool to room temperature before transferring it to a clean, dry, airtight container.
- Serve with curd rice or your choice of main dish.