Mango Ginger Pickle - Use the Season

மாங்காய் இஞ்சி (மா இஞ்சி ) தொக்கு - Mango Ginger Pickle

Mango ginger - botanical name - Curcuma amada (another name Curcuma mangga! Source: Wikipedia). doesnt that mangga sound familiar.. :)

looks like ginger or turmeric rhizome. this is an unique member of ginger family which has this distinct mango smell yet tastes like ginger. really wonder how a rhizome possess mango smell?! 

Mango ginger

just for that smell of mango, i use it in coconut thuvayal also instead of the regular ginger. the flavour of raw mango predominates in the thuvayal that even if real mango was added, it wouldn't have contributed that strong flavour. 

last season i tried this mango ginger pickle. it was awesome. the sourness of sweet tamarind, heat form chilli powder and strong mango flavour with a subtle ginger flavour behind all these... it was very unique! an amateur foodie will not be able to find out that this is mango ginger pickle. it was a good combination with idli/dosai/chapathi or any rice item. 

here is the recipe of the mango ginger pickle.

Ingredients:

• mango ginger (grated) - 1 and half cups
• chilli powder - 3 teaspoons
• turmeric powder - 3/4th teaspoon
• fenugreek powder - 1 teaspoon
• salt - as per taste
• tamarind extract from - 2 big gooseberry size
• jaggery -  1 teaspoon
• oil - 3 to 4 tablespoons
• mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• curry leaves -  one sprig
• asafoetida - few pinches

Procedure:

• wash and scrape off the outer skin of the mango ginger. grate it and keep aside. December and January seems to be the season.
• roast and powder some fenugreek seeds.
• heat the oil in a thick bottom pan and do the tempering  with mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. 
• now add the mango ginger gratings.
• add salt and saute till oil separates.
• add the chilli powder, fenugreek powder and turmeric powder. saute for few minutes.
• add the tamarind extract let it boil for some more time.
• let the pickle boil till oil separates and the whole content becomes thick with all water in it is lost.
• keep the stove in medium heat or even in low.
• when the pickle is ready, add the jaggery and give a final stir. 
• remove from heat and let it cool completely.
• transfer it to a clean and dry glass bottle. 
• i store this in fridge to be on the safe side.
• unlike other pickles this pickle doenst not have lot of salt, hence i dont take chance of storing it in room temperature.

i prefer this pickle to be balanced with  heat from chilli powder and sour and sweet. since grating this mango ginger is the task, i do not make pickle with more than 250 grams of mango ginger at a time.

Happy cooking !!