Saturday, February 26

How to prepare Kannimanga Achar, Kerala style?



This Kannimanga pickles / Achar uses small tender mangoes  which are the tender ones of the usual sour mangoes and not of the small variety of mangoes.


Ingredients needed for the Kannimanga Achar
1 kilo Small green tender mangoes ( Kanni manga)
3/4 cup mustard
50 grams red chilli powder
1/4 cup mustard oil
1/2 tsp Asafoetida Powder
1 cup salt

How to prepare Kannimanga Achar:
Wash and clean the small, tender mangoes /  kanni manga with its stem.
Drain the water completely and wipe with a towel. Remove the stems from the mangoes. Keep the small mangoes whole.
Mix salt and the mangoes together in a bottle or a Bharani ( Ceramic jar ) and cover it nicely with a cloth and tie it up.
Leave it like that for about 15 days.
In between open the bharani on the 3rd, 4th ,6th and 8th days, shake the Bharani  well, to toss the mangoes or stir well with a clean, dry wooden ladle. The mangoes shrink as the water starts oozing out  and they also lose the green colour and turn to a pale yellow, with aging.
Now when you open the Bharani or the bottle after 15 days,  you will be able to see the water with the mangoes.  The mangoes should look wrinkled but they will be crispy to eat.
Take a little water from that and use to grind mustard to a smooth paste.
Add the red chilli powder  to the mustard paste and bring it to a smooth paste.
Mix the paste with the mangoes nicely. If you like you can add little boiled and cooled salted water.
Place in an airtight container like Bharani (should be tied up with a cloth over the lid) or glass bottle.
Keep the jar in  a dark place. After three months open it and mix it well.
Serve the pickle with curd rice or any bland pulao or fried rice.

Points To Note: 
If you like you can add a little water boiled and cooled, just enough to immerse the salty mangoes if you need more of the gravy. But adding water will decrease the shelf life of the pickles. It would be better for you not to add water and use just the brine.
When ever you make Kanni Manga Achar, please do remember to fill the bottle or the bharani with mangoes, then cover with a muslin cloth so that the air does not get in and tie it up. If there is any empty space,  there is every chance that air will get in and spoil the pickle / Achar.
Always when you take some pickle out of the bottle, use clean and dry spoon. Otherwise fungus will form and the pickle will get spoilt.

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