PALLI AVAKAYA | GROUNDNUT AVAKAY | RAW MANGO PICKLE with GROUNDNUT POWDER

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I am posting here another mango avakaya recipe.While we prepare lots of regular varieties every year as I had highlighted in my earlier post, this year we tried preparing a different type of pickle. Groundnut avakaya is not very common and is prepared in northern part of Andhra Pradesh. If you are a pickle lover, you must try this one for sure. The flavor and taste of groundnut powder in this pickle is truly amazing and we loved it to the core and in fact finished most of what we prepared in the first week itself. The only problem with this pickle is the shelf life which is less. When prepared carefully, it would stay for 15-20 days and for a month if refrigerated.I have lots of pickle recipes lined up and I promise to post one pickle recipe every week.

Palli Avakaya | Groundnut Avakay | Mango Pickle with Groundnut powder:

(makes approx 3 cups)
Shelf life: 15-20 days

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups Mango pieces(pickle variety,see the notes)
1/2 cup Groundnuts
1/2 cup Red chili powder(see notes)
1/2 cup (minus 1 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 spoil.
• 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 ground nuts until slight golden in color and cool it.Remove the skin and grind groundnuts to a fine powder.
• Now take a big bowl and mix the groundnut 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 a week.It stays good for 10-15 days 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 salt,1 cup red chili powder and 1 cup groundnut 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)