PESARA AVAKAYA | MOONG DAL AVAKAYA - ANDHRA MANGO PICKLE with MOONG DAL POWDER

Its SUMMER time and so is the season for mangoes. While lots of mangoes are consumed directly as any other fruit, raw mangoes are pickled and preserved for consumption through the year. I usually get my stock of pickles from my MIL and since this year they are visiting us in this season , the entire week was spent in preparing various pickles based on mangoes. Yes, your guess is correct - you will see lots of varieties of mango pickle varieties in my blog from now on.

While I am not an expert in making pickles , with some help from my MIL, I tried making some last year which is posted on my blog . See the following posts - North Indian style Aam ka Achar and also Mukkala Pacchadi(Tiny mango pieces pickle).

This year we prepared, various varieties of Andhra's special pickles such as Avakay,Allam Avakay, Mukkala Pacchadi, Maagaya, Pesara Avakay, Nuvvu Avakay, Bellam Avakay, Verusenaga Avakay and North Indian style Aam ka Achar.Pickle varieties like Avakay, Allam Avakay, North Indian Aam achar, Maagaya and Bellam Avakaya stays for the entire year and also needs at least a week to ten days to age. We hence prepare other varieties like Mukkala pacchadi, Pesara avakay, Nuvvu avakay to start the mango season, which can be consumeed in just 2 days post its preparation, however its shelf life is just 10-15 days, so we prepare them in small portions.

Coming to today's post -Pesara avakay is quite distinct in taste compared to the regular avakay with a dominant flavor of moong dal. In this avakay moong dal powder is used instead of mustard powder and hence a different taste.Pesara avakay when mixed with hot rice and ghee is just awesome.
PESARA AVAKAYA RECIPE:
(makes approx 3 cups)
Shelf life: 15-20 days

Ingredients:
2- 2 1/2 cups Mango pieces of 2 medium mangoes (pickle variety,see the notes)
1/2 cup Moong dal
1/2 cup Red chili powder(see notes)
1/2 cup (minus 2 tbsp) Salt(use salt less than 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup Sesame oil

Method:

cleaning the mangoes:

• Wash and wipe the mangoes with a dry cloth.You really need to have sharp thick knife to cut into 1" thick mango wedges with the inner shell in tact as shown in the pictures.Here in India the shop keepers does this job during the mango season.
• If the inner shell is in tact this will increase the shelf life of pickle.Take a sharp knife and scrub the inner shell to remove a thin white layer over it.This is another important step you should keep in mind otherwise the pickle gets spoilt.
• Now take a dry cloth and wipe the pieces from all the sides ensuring that they are cleaned and dried well.
• Spread them over a dry cloth while you are preparing the spices for the pickle.

for making pickle:

• Keep ready the sterilized and sun dried jars ready before you start pickling.

• Dry roast moong dal until slight golden in color and cool it.Grind moong dal to a fine powder.
• Now take a big bowl and mix the moong dal powder,red chili powder and salt until everything is mixed well.

• Add the mango pieces to it and mix well and apply the mixture all over the mango pieces with your hands.Using your hands for this step is better than mixing it up with ladle.

• Add 1/4 cup oil to the spice coated mango pieces and mix well.
  
• Put the masala coated mango pieces and all the remaining masala in the sterilized jar add 1/4 cup oil over it and cover it with lid and keep it aside for 2-3 days.

• On day-1 check it some oil might have started floating over the pickle.Now taste the masala mixture in the pickle,it should be perfect and slightly salty as the pickle has to be yet marinated for a day or two before its usage.But if you feel the salt is less add a tsp or 2tsps of salt to it and mix well.I don't think it would be necessary if you follow the measurements accurate.
• Mix with a clean and dry ladle all over and repeat the same process on day-3.
• On the day-3 if you see the oil is floating on the pickle up to an 1/2" height then it is perfect.Otherwise add extra sesame oil over the top until the oil floats on top.
• Store it in a clean air-tight tupperware container or glass bottle.This way your pickle stores for long with freshness in it and even the mango pieces do not get soft.

Serve it with hot rice and ghee.
Notes:

• Use pickle variety mangoes which are sour and also cut them in to the pieces with the inner shell in tact.
• Use red chili powder which is specially used for pickles as this variety gives a nice and bright red color to the pickle and also it is not very spicy.
  
• Always transfer a small portion of pickle into a small jar and use a clean and dry spoon.
• Increase the amount of sesame oil as required in the recipe.The basic thumb rule is to make the oil float over the pickle after 3 days.So feel free to add extra sesame oil.
• This pickle stays good up to 15-20 days.It stays good for a month if refrigerated.
  
• You can easily double or triple the recipe,the basic rule is to use 4 cups of mango pieces with 1 leveled cup(1 cup-4 tbsp) salt,1 cup red chili powder and 1 cup moong dal powder.

Check out my earlier Mango pickle posts:

• North Indian style Aam ka Achar
• Maagaya/Sun dried Mango Pickle
• Bellam Avakaya(Jaggery Mango Pickle)
  
• Mukkala Pacchadi(Tiny mango pieces pickle)
• Pesara Avakaya(Mango pickle with Moong dal Powder)
• Palli Avakaya(Mango Pickle with Groundnut Powder)
• Avakaya/Andhra special Mango pickle
• Allam Avakay | Avakay with Ginger-Garlic paste
• Nuvvu Avakay (Mango pickle with Sesame powder)
• No oil Mango pickle(Water Mango pickle)