Appe midi uppinakayi (tender mango pickle)
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A prized pickle of whole baby mangoes cured in brine and mustard-chilli masala, made from fragrant wild mango varieties of the Malnad forests.
Region: Malnad and coastal Karnataka (Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada and nearby)Occasion: Made in early summer and eaten through the yearTime: 1 hour + 2 weeks curingServes: About 1 kgVegan
Ingredients
- 1 kg appe midi (tender baby mangoes) with a bit of stalk
- 250 g rock salt
- 4 cups water
- 100 g dried byadgi chillies
- ½ cup mustard seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp hing
- 2 tbsp groundnut or sesame oil (optional)
Method
- Wipe the baby mangoes clean and dry in the shade for a day.
- Boil the water with salt, cool completely and pour it over the mangoes in a clean, dry ceramic jar. Leave for about a week, shaking the jar daily, until the mangoes wrinkle.
- Take out the brine. Grind the chillies and mustard seeds with turmeric, using the brine instead of water, into a fine paste.
- Mix the paste and hing with the mangoes and pour the remaining brine over them.
- Close the jar and leave for at least another week before eating. Keep a clean dry spoon for serving.
- Optionally, pour a layer of oil on top to protect the pickle.
History
Appe midi refers to special tender mango varieties of the Western Ghats, gathered from trees near streams. Some varieties are prized for their strong, camphor-like aroma.
Significance
This pickle is a pride of Malnad homes, where it is eaten with curd rice and kept for a year or more. Efforts are under way to conserve its rare mango trees.