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Avakaya recipe | Pickle to preserve for an year

By swasthi , on July 18, 2019, 91 Comments, Jump to Recipe

Mango pickle is one of the most commonly made condiment in Indian homes. Each region has a different recipe, style or way of making it. AVAKAYA is a popular pickle variety from ANDHRA CUISINE, a cuisine well-known for its hot & spicy foods.

avakaya

Avakaya is one of the regularly used condiment to accompany rice, ghee and plain dal in most Telugu speaking homes. I had a few requests last summer for avakaya recipe but could not share it.

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I did share this simple Instant mango pickle recipe which I make at home here in Singapore.

Making Andhra mango pickle is not difficult, using the right proportion of ingredients and then bringing them together in a Bharani or a jaadi is all that is needed.

It is super simple to make but avakaya is mostly not made in small portions hence it becomes a tedious task.

It has a good shelf life of a year without refrigeration if the entire process is followed carefully. My mum used to make this pickle with 75 to 100 mangoes every summer.

For years I have carried away a portion of that each time I traveled back from India. For the past few years, I stopped carrying since I am not very good at handling them when I travel alone with 2 kids.

Last week I thought of making it myself and got this recipe from my mum and tried it with just few mangoes.

andhra mango pickle

The pickle recipe I am sharing is a standard and traditional one. It is the same in almost all the homes with minor changes depending on the community or region.

For more pickle recipes, you can check
Carrot pickle
Andhra tomato pickle

Preparation to make 1 to 2 days ahead

1. Wash ceramic jars called as Bharani or jaadi or glass bottles thoroughly with diluted dishwashing soap. Make sure no dirt, grease or grim exists. Rinse thoroughly a few times.

Sundry them well until jaadi or bharani are hot. In case using glass bottle, make sure they are at least warm. Exposing them to hot sun for very long may also crack them.

After taking away from the sun, allow it to cool down completely. Cover and then set aside in a clean and dry shelf.

2. Clean and then sun dry mustard seeds, crystal salt, methi seeds and red chili powder for few hours. This is done to ensure they are moist free. Transfer them to clean and dry jars. Set them in a dry place.

3. Wash thoroughly mixie jars, 2 large utensils, a measuring cup, few spoons, a bowl and 2 large and 2 small cotton clothes. Dry them very well to make sure they are free from moisture. Store these in a dry place.

4. The pickle variety mangoes are very hard and tough to cut them correctly. In most homes men cut these with the help of a special traditional cutter.

Since I do not have this, my husband cut it with a large sharp knife. You will have to wash and sun dry the cutter or knife as well.

Note: Keep your nails trimmed, no polish, and no rings on your fingers for hygiene purpose. You will need to use clean and dry hands to mix the spice powders.

Using a ladle or a spoon may not be appropriate, especially if you make in large quantities.

How to choose mangoes for pickle

1. Choose fresh, sour, hard and mature raw mangoes. Special pickle variety mangoes are available in the market. They come in medium size and are dark green in color.

2. Mangoes that have fallen off the trees or the ones with bruises are not suitable to make avakaya.

3. You can also make this mango pickle using any other good sour variety mangoes that are pulpy, but I guess the taste may change after 4 to 6 months.

andhra avakaya

Andhra avakaya

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avakaya pachadi

Avakaya pachadi

Andhra style avakaya recipe made the traditional way in most telugu speaking homes. This andhra pickle keeps good for an year or more if made correctly. Please do read each instruction carefully and understand before you attempt to make it.
Pin Recipe Print Recipe

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time2 hours
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Servings50 people
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

  • 4 to 6 cups cut mango pieces (refer notes)
  • 2 cups oil
  • 1 cup mustard powder
  • 1 cup red chili powder
  • ¾ cup crystal salt plus 2 tbsp
  • 1.5 tsp Methi powder or methi seeds (refer notes)
  • ½ cup garlic or about 70 grams (refer notes)
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Instructions

Preparation for avakaya pachadi

  • Wash mangoes thoroughly and soak in a large wide pail or bucket for 1 hour. This is done to remove any dirt deposited on them.
  • Remove them from water and allow to dry.
  • Wipe them with a cloth and spread them on a large cotton cloth. They must be completely moisture free and dry.

Preparing the work area

  • The place where you intend to make the pickle has to be absolutely clean, dry and free from moisture.
  • Move the mangoes to this work area and all the preparation has to be done here to prevent spoilage. Get all the other things we prepared the previous day to this place .
  • Remove any portions of stems still on the mangoes. Cut each mango to half, with the shell and kernel intact. Mango can also be wrapped in a cotton cloth and then halved to prevent slipping or injury. If the shell or the covering of the kernel gets separated from the pieces, then they are not used for pickle since they turn soggy and the taste of the entire pickle changes.
  • With the help of a spoon, remove the kernel and discard. You can also see a thin layer in between the kernel and the inner portion of the shell. Remove that as well. Use a spoon to remove that completely. Wipe off with a clean dry cloth.
  • Cut each halved mango to 2 (quarters) and then further to 3 pieces each. This way a medium sized mango gets about 12 pieces. Make sure each piece also has a shell part on it.
  • Measure & place these cut pieces on a cloth or utensil.
  • Peel the garlic cloves. Set them aside. We also crush lightly 10 garlic cloves. This is optional. If the garlic cloves turn green, do not use them.
  • Powder the mustard seeds. Measure 1 cup and add it to a large dry utensil. Set aside the left over.
  • Powder the methi seeds if using. Add this to the same utensil along with mustard powder.
  • Powder the crystal salt. Measure ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp powdered salt and add it to the utensil. Also measure and add red chili powder, garlic. Mix all these.

Making avakaya or avakkai

  • Pour 1½ cups oil to another dry utensil. Dunk the mango pieces in the oil a handful at one time. Take them off from the oil with a deep frying spatula or slotted spoon. Add them to the spice mix. Coat them well with spice powder and add it to the bharani/ glass jar.
  • Repeat this process of dunking a handful of them in oil and then in the spice mix. Then to the bharani/ jaadi. Once you are done, there will no spice mix left. You may be short of oil for the last few batches. Then use up the rest of the half cup.
  • When you are done with this, if you are left with oil or any spice powder, just add the spice powder and then pour the oil to the jar.
  • Cover with a lid. Place a cotton cloth and then tie up with a cloth ribbon or a thin long piece of cloth.
  • Keep this in a dry shelf for 3 full days. We wait for 72 hours.
  • On the fourth day, open the lid and then mix up using a dry ladle. We use strong wooden ladles when made in large quantity.
  • Taste the pickle and add little more salt if needed. Wait till the next day to check if there is a layer of oil floating on the pickle, if not add the rest of the oil.
  • Do not skimp on the salt and oil, they act as natural preservatives to preserve pickle for a year. If there is not enough oil or salt, pickle may get spoilt.

Tips to follow for a good shelf life.

  • Do not serve pickle directly from the jar especially if you have made in large quantity. Opening the jars frequently will diminish the quality, color and flavour of pickle. Always take a portions of this to another glass bottle for everyday use.
  • Always use dry hands, ladles and spoons while handling the pickles. We usually heat them up a bit near the gas flame.
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Notes

Notes on andhra mango pickle

Traditionally mango pickle is made only with 4 cups of cut mango pieces which yields a lot of gravy / oota in telugu. It is good for a family who eat lot of this hot and spicy gravy. We specifically in my mums home do not eat so much of the gravy or oota so we use 6 cups of pieces. So the proportion of gravy per piece of mango is less. To put in simple terms – “4 cups yields less mango pieces with more gravy, 5 to 6 cups yield more pieces with just a moderate amount of gravy”. My MIL and my other extended families prepare with 4 cups of pieces. I have eaten that as well. It tastes a bit more pungent and strong. Use your judgement for this.
You can use any cup size but make sure you use the same cup for measuring all the ingredients. If using more mangoes, use a larger cup or bowl to measure. You will have to increase the quantity of methi seeds proportionately. The quantity mentioned in the recipe is for a 240 ml cup.
Same with garlic, 70 grams for 240 ml measument. You can also use same cup used to measure mangoes – we need half cup garlic cloves. You can also reduce this slightly, this is on the higher side.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Avakaya pachadi
Amount Per Serving
Calories 20
% Daily Value*
Sodium 1698mg74%
Potassium 34mg1%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Sugar 2g2%
Vitamin A 180IU4%
Vitamin C 6.4mg8%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

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About swasthi

I’m Swasthi shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthis recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills.
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Comments

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  2. R.S.Srinivasa Setty says

    December 20, 2020

    5 stars
    Hi Swathi, I got recipes I wanted, mango and amla pickle. Thanks.
    Which oil to use in both pickles ? Is it mustard oil or groundnut oil ?
    Curiously waiting for clarification.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 21, 2020

      Hi,
      You can use any but use refined oil. Both will work. Don’t use kachi ghani mustard for this.

      Reply
  3. Fathima says

    November 28, 2020

    Hi Swasthi
    Can you advice on variety of mango to be used for this pickle and what is it called in tamil.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      November 29, 2020

      Hi Fathima,
      Don’t make pickle during this time. It will turn moldy within a few days. I don’t know what they are called in Tamil. They are dark green in color and hard to touch and cut as well. I will update the post if I am able to find those mangoes here. Hope this helps.

      Reply
      • Fathima says

        November 30, 2020

        Thanks Swasthi for your help.Will follow your advice.

        Reply
  4. Sultana says

    September 5, 2020

    Hello Swasthi! What an amazing recipe! I make an instant mango and carrot pickle but wanted to make one which keeps for a year or more without having to put in the fridge and ive been wanting to sell it bc my instant recipe is similar to urs and very tasty! Ive followed this recipe however i made a mistake and used the oil warm/hot, extra virgin olive oil (but i dont know of cold pressed). Will this affect the recipe and cause spoilage?
    Also I wanted to process the jars to ensure shelf life (ie use a water bath to can them). What are your thoughts?
    Thank you so much for your time!

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      September 9, 2020

      Hi Sultana,
      Thank you! It should be fine. I have never made this with hot/warm oil. I also have no idea about water bath. I have shared all my thoughts in this post regarding the shelf life & how to store it. This is how it is made in India and it keeps good for not just 1 year but even for 2 years. I will reply your email in detail on your other queries. Hope this helps

      Reply
  5. Sudha says

    June 22, 2020

    It’s close to month I made . Can we add mango pieces now?

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      June 23, 2020

      Hi Sudha,
      I don’t know how to help you with that. Not sure adding more mango pieces,salt and oil will resolve the issue. If you are not able to consume it then you may give a try. I think you used a very hot kind of chilli powder to make this pickle. Hence it turned out so hot. We use the bydagi chilli powder.

      Reply
  6. Sudha says

    June 15, 2020

    5 stars
    My avakkaya pickle turned out little spicy, how can I reduce it? Waiting for reply.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      June 16, 2020

      Hi Sudha
      You haven’t mentioned how long has it been since you made. The heat and spice will come down when the pickle ages and the pieces begin to release the juices. If it is still spicy, then you have to add more mango pieces.

      Reply
  7. Sudha says

    June 15, 2020

    5 stars
    My avakkaya pickle turned out little spicy, how can I reduce it?
    Thanks

    Reply
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  9. Manasi says

    June 2, 2020

    4 stars
    Hello. How to remove bitterness from Mango Pickle?

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      June 2, 2020

      Add more mango pieces, red chilli, oil and salt

      Reply
  10. Babuli says

    May 25, 2020

    5 stars
    Mouth watering recipes

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 26, 2020

      Thank you

      Reply
  11. Mageetha says

    May 20, 2020

    It’s very well demostrated
    and good choice very helpful

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 26, 2020

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Mada jeet Singh says

        June 29, 2020

        I like the recipe n I am going try it .i hv never tried before but Andhra pickle is my weakness,earlier my mother-in-law used to send me from Hyderabad but she passed away last year.lets see how ur recipe turned out to be .

        Reply
  12. Aarthi says

    May 16, 2020

    Hi

    Thanks for the recipe, I have followed the complete process and it’s hardly less than 24 hrs but I can see some bubbles coming up. Is it the natural process and can it get spoiled in a day? I kept in two diff sets, both of them had bubbles. I kept it around 4PM yesterdat and Now it is 11 AM.
    Please help

    Thanks
    Aarthi

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 16, 2020

      Hi Aarthi
      I have never seen any bubbles like you mentioned any time. But I know that young mangoes can spoil the pickle but not this early. Did you take all the precautions of sun drying and keep everything moist free? Usually pickles spoil after a few weeks and there will be no early signs of it. This is too early for you to know. Wait for 3 days and check.

      Reply
      • Aarthi says

        May 16, 2020

        I have not covered with the cloth. May be the fermentation or some thing of that sort. Coz I can see that the tight lid is getting pushed due to air inside. Should I keep the lid a little loose? Or cover with the cloth?

        Reply
        • swasthi says

          May 16, 2020

          Aarthi,
          I found out from my mom now. She says if the mangoes have lot of juices there can be bubbles and it is normal. Back home in India we would store this pickle in bharanis (traditional large ceramic jars). The lid is loose but we cover them with a cloth and tie. But Since I don’t have the bharani, I store it in large air tight glass jars with threaded lids. So I never have this problem. For now, you can just cover with a loose lid and store in a dry place.

          Reply
          • Aarthi says

            May 16, 2020

            Thank you. I kept in an air tight. Even my mom told the same. So keeping a cloth n keeping the lid loose. Thank you so much

  13. Roopitha Angeline says

    April 27, 2020

    5 stars
    Hello Mrs. Swasti! I tried your recipe with a few changes and my God! It was a complete hit at home. Felt so good. Thanks for the recipe in small quantities. Really helps people like me in trying out traditional recipes without having to fear wasting food in case I ruin it!

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 27, 2020

      Hello Ms.Roopitha,
      You are welcome! Glad to know it turned out well.
      Thank you so much for the comment
      πŸ™‚

      Reply
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  15. Bhavana says

    July 6, 2019

    Hi….my pickle is a bit salty…. anything I can do to fix it… please help.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      July 6, 2019

      Hi Bhavana,
      Usually some amount of salt is absorbed by the mango and over all the salty taste comes down after 1 month. We usually feel the pickle has very low salt so we add more salt at that time. You can wait for a month and check or you can fix it by following these tips.
      1. Make another small batch of the same pickle without salt and mix it.
      2. Another easier method is to simply add more chilli powder, mustard, methi seeds powder, garlic and oil. Follow the same proportion of the ingredients as mentioned in the recipe. Hope this helps.

      Reply
  16. N.JEEVAN says

    June 22, 2019

    I tried to prepare aavakaya pickle as per your blog.

    I could not cut the all the mangoes into pieces with the shell intact but used the pieces for pickle.
    I had a doubt whether the oil can be heated or not.But I have heated the oil and used the same.
    You may kindly advise.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      June 22, 2019

      Hi Jeevan,
      We keep the shell intact so that the mango pieces hold shape even when stored for a year. Otherwise the pieces turn mushy and alters the taste after 6 to 8 months. We usually set aside such pieces, then pickle them separately and finish up within 1 to 2 months.
      We do not heat the oil. We open a new pack or bottle of oil and use it directly. Using a new bottle ensures the oil is not exposed to any moisture. So prevents any spoilage. Heating only alters the taste of the oil so it should be fine if you have cooled it and used. Hope this helps.

      Reply
  17. Krithika says

    June 20, 2019

    Thank u mam
    Lucky to have your website
    Recipes ,i follow turns out very well,everytime
    Really feel happy
    T
    Tips u give is something extraordinary, that becomes the great secret of success
    Same as last time,aavakaipickle turned out very well
    Thank for the confidence
    Wishes

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      June 22, 2019

      Hi Krithika,
      You are welcome. Thanks much for the comment. Happy to know your avakaya turned out good.
      πŸ™‚

      Reply
  18. Archana says

    May 29, 2019

    We’re trying this recipe out today. Do you dry roast the methi and mustard before powdering them?

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 29, 2019

      Hi Archana,
      Methi seeds & mustard are sun dried and then powdered. No roasting is done.

      Reply
  19. Vijay Kumar Reddy Vada says

    May 9, 2019

    Mam your efforts are good to new persons to learn and as well as old people to add another head in preparation pickle.any it’s very calculative and easily digested. Keep this effort always

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 29, 2019

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
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  21. Karthikeyan says

    May 6, 2019

    Iam Karthikeyan from Chennai , I tried your recipe out of interest after reading your recipe and after tasting it ,all those who tasted it once , started asking me how to make such tasty pickle…… give us more recipes…… even today my Amma has bought 5 kgs of raw mango asking me to do the recipe…… superβ˜€οΈβš‘οΈπŸŒŸπŸ’₯

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 6, 2019

      Hello Karthikeyan,
      Awesome! So happy to read your comment. Glad you all loved it! Thanks a lot for the comment.
      πŸ™‚

      Reply
  22. Bharthi Shyam says

    April 28, 2019

    Hi… I made this pickle. Came out very well but little oil I should add…
    Do I need to pour hot oil or normal room temperature oil..???

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 28, 2019

      Hi Bharthi
      Glad your pickle came out good. Oil should be at room temperature. Do not use hot oil.

      Reply
  23. hemi dess says

    April 28, 2019

    Hi can you please let me know if anyone sells them in Australia that brand please or can i order from you thank you

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 6, 2019

      Hi Hemi,
      You are welcome. Haha! I don’t sell it. I am just a hobby blogger sharing family recipes.I guess you can find avakaya online. There are a lot of brands selling them but I don’t think they taste like the homemade avakaya.

      Reply
  24. Shyam says

    April 20, 2019

    how many kg mangoes u have used…”?

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 23, 2019

      Hi Shyam,
      Sorry I am late in replying. We make pickle with about 75 to 100 medium sized mangoes. There is no need to weigh them. For this recipe mango pieces are measured in cups or bowls so the weight doesn’t matter.

      Reply
  25. Sabeetha Shyam says

    April 14, 2019

    5 stars
    Hi Swathi,
    I have a doubt, according to the recipe if I use 5 to 6 cups of mangoes,do I use 1.5 TSP methi seeds and 70 grams of garlic and all the other ingredients as mentioned.
    Or is it 1 .5 tsp methi seeds for 1 cup mango?
    Waiting for your reply.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 14, 2019

      Hi Sabeetha,
      For 4 to 6 cups of mango pieces you will need to use 1.5 tsp methi seeds and 70 grams garlic. Cup size is 240 ml.

      Reply
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