Sweet and spicy mango pickle recipe

I am not a foodie and have never applied myself to trying out new recipes till recently. Immediately after my wedding, I used to see my new relatives rallying around my mother-in-law for samples of her various pickles. My husband has always been a connoisseur of the  sweet and spicy  mango pickle which he would eat with rotis, bread and rice. Or even cream crackers/biscuits.
Whether I was interested or not, I asked my mum-in-law for the recipe and wrote it down in my almost-unopened diary. It languished there until I decided to experiment with this recipe. My husband chipped in with the washing, cutting and stirring.Imagine my surprise when I found that my experiment turned out to be a success!  My daughter loves this pickle as much as her father does. This pickle requires quite a bit of  preparation time. Here is the recipe for the sweet and spicy mango pickle:

Ingredients required for the sweet and spicy mango pickle:

1.  Mangoes, large - 10 -15.
2.  Salt in the ratio mentioned below.
3.  Chilly powder as mentioned below.
4.  Asafoetida as required.
5.  Jaggery as mentioned below.
6.  Cloves - 15. 
7. Cinnamon,  5 cm pieces - 6. 
8. Mustard powder - 150 gms.

How to make spicy and sweet mango pickle:

Wash and dry the mangoes well, cut them into small cubes and add salt in the ratio: 1:6

For every six measures of mangoes, add one measure of salt.

Leave this overnight and drain out the water next day.

Place the salted mangoes in the sun for that day. It is best to wrap the mangoes in a thin cloth to avoid insects and birds from getting to them.

Make a jaggery syrup -- the mango-jaggery ratio is 1:1.Heat some water in a large pan, add the jaggery and allow to melt. Strain the liquid jaggery to remove all dirt.

Place the jaggery water on the stove and keep stirring till you get a good consistency syrup.

Meanwhile, add chilli powder in the ratio, 3/4 :6, (ie, for every 6 parts of mango add 3/4th chilly powder) along with the asafoetida and the  ground mustard powder and mix it well with the mangoes. Keep aside. This mixture should coat the mango cubes well. The final result should bring out the spice, heat and the sweetness. So, sufficient chilly powder should be added.

Powder cloves and cinnamon as finely as can be.

Once the syrup is ready, add the spiced mangoes to it and mix well. Keep cooking for another 20 - 30 minutes till it becomes a thick concoction. Add the ground clove- and-cinnamon powder to this and stir for another five minutes. Switch off stove and allow to cool.

Bottle and use. This pickle is a good accompaniment with bread, chappathis, rice, rotis and whatever we like to eat with it. You can store this pickle for a couple of years - yes, years - without refrigeration, if the syrup is of a sticky consistency.Watch out for more fun mango recipes from Anna-graph!