Mango Pickle (Gujarati Methia Keri Athanu)
It’s summer and it’s pickle season!! Make your own homemade mango pickle with this easy recipe, no sunlight is needed! Every region of India has its own version of making aam ka achaar recipes. Today’s recipe is the Gujarati version called ‘methia keri’ or ‘khatu athanu’ in the Gujarati language
Learn how to make mango pickle at home instead of buying them at the store. I have included a step-by-step photo tutorial to make it easy for you.
Meaning of Methia Keri Athanu
Methia = split fenugreek seeds (methi kuria), keri=mangoes and athanu=pickle. This Gujarati mango pickle is made with raw mango pieces, a good amount of methi kuria, rai kuria (split mustard seeds), red chili powder, salt, and mustard oil.
Taste:
- It is medium spicy with a sour (khatta) taste, hence the name ‘khatu athanu’
- It has a hint of mellowed bitterness from split fenugreek seeds
- It has slight pungency from split mustard seeds.
- It has very little pungency from mustard oil as well.
🧾 Ingredient Notes
- Raw mangoes: If you are in India, special rajapuri mangoes are easily available during the season to make pickles. If you’re in the USA, you will get just one kind of raw mangoes available year round and it is perfectly fine to use.
- Mustard oil (Sarson ka tel): In the USA, mustard oil is banned. But you can get it from Indian grocery stores. The bottle says ‘external use only’ (b’coz of the rules and regulations), but don’t worry that is edible and safe to eat.
- Split mustard seeds (rai na kuria): easily available in Indian grocery stores. Substitute: Coarsely grind the whole mustard seeds
- Split fenugreek seeds (methi kuria): easily available in Indian grocery stores. Substitute: Coarsely grind the methi dana – fenugreek seeds.
- Salt: acts as a preservative.
👩🍳 How To Make Mango Pickle? (Stepwise Photos)
Preparation:
- Wash, and clean the glass jar or container a day or two before for pickle. Let it dry out completely, you can keep it under the sunlight for 1-2 hours. Just make sure that there is no moisture in it.
- Keep the rai kuria and methi kuria under sunlight for 1 hour or Dry roast very slightly on medium-low flame. We do not want the color to change, we just want to make it moisture free to increase the shelf life. If roasted till color changes then it gives a very pungent and bitter taste to the pickle, so be careful.
Making Pickle:
1) Take mustard oil in a saucepan and heat it on medium flame till it becomes smokey hot. Turn off the stove and let the oil cool down completely. It may take an hour or so.
2) Wash the raw mangoes really well and wipe them dry. Put on a kitchen towel and let it dry out completely for 30-45 minutes.
3) Then cut into 1-inch pieces. No need to peel, but remove the seed. Keep it aside.
4) Take all the spice ingredients (methi kuria, rai kuria, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, hing) in a large bowl.
5) Mix well till everything is incorporated well.
6) Add chopped mango pieces.
7) Mix so the pieces are coated with a spice mixture.
8) Now add cooled mustard oil to this mixture.
9) Mix really well.
10) Transfer it to the clean glass jar. Close with the lid and let the pickle mature for at least 10 days. Every 3 days, open the jar and stir the pickle with a clean, moisture-free spoon. Close with a lid and repeat the same after 3 days again.
11) After 10 days you will see the oil floating on the top. This is perfect. If for some reason the oil is not floating on top and pickle looks dry, then you need to add heated, cooled oil. The oil has to be approx 1 inch above the pickle. It helps to increase the shelf life.
🥣 Storage & Shelf Life Of Mango Pickle
- Methia keri pickle stays good at room temperature (in the cabinet, cool, dark place) for 6-8 months if followed the tips mentioned below.
- If the weather is humid then you need to store it in the refrigerator.
- To increase the shelf life by up to a year follow this traditional method: Take mango pieces in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Cover it and let it stand for 1 day. Shake them in between throughout the day. During this time the water will ooze out. The next day, strain the water and discard. Arrange the mango pieces in a single layer on the clean cloth or plate, and let it dry out for 12-15 hours (no sunlight, no fan needed). Then use these mango pieces to make methia keri nu khatu athanu.
Maintain Shelf Life:
- Store the mango pickle in a clean, dry (moisture-free) glass jar or container.
- Always use a clean, dry spoon to take pickle.
- If you have made the big batch then store some pickle in a small jar for everyday use. So you don’t need to open the big jar every day.
🍽 Serving Ideas
- As a side with your meal, roti–sabzi, dal-rice
- Serve with methi thepla, paratha, khakhra, muthia
- Serve with Gujarati khichdi or curd rice, pulao to jazz up the meal.
Check Out Other Pickle Recipes
- Mango chunda
- Sweet mango pickle (instant version)
- Avakaya (Andhra style)
- Carrot pickle
- Tomato pickle (Andhra style, Instant version)
Did you try this Gujarati mango pickle recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.
Mango Pickle Recipe (Gujarati Methia Keri Athanu)
US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)
Ingredients
- 300 grams or 12 oz or 2 cups Raw mango (Unripe mango), cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¾ cup Mustard oil, (sarson ka tel)
- ¼ cup Split mustard seeds (Rai na kuria)
- ¼ cup Split fenugreek seeds (Methi na kuria)
- ⅓ cup Red chili powder
- ⅓ cup Salt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida)
Instructions
Preparation:
- Wash, and clean the glass jar or container a day or two before pickling. Let it dry out completely, you can keep it under the sunlight for 1-2 hours. Just make sure that there is no moisture in it.
- Keep the rai kuria and methi kuria under sunlight for 1 hour or Dry roast very slightly on medium-low flame. We do not want the color to change, we just want to make it moisture free to increase the shelf life. If roasted till color changes then it gives a very pungent and bitter taste to the pickle, so be careful.
Making Mango Pickle Recipe:
- Take mustard oil in a saucepan and heat it on medium flame till it becomes smokey hot. Turn off the stove and let the oil cool down completely. It may take an hour or so.
- Wash the raw mangoes really well and wipe them dry. Put on a kitchen towel and let it dry out completely for 30-45 minutes.
- Then cut into 1-inch pieces. No need to peel, but remove the seed. Keep it aside.
- Take all the spice ingredients (methi kuria, rai kuria, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, hing) in a large bowl. Mix well till everything is incorporated well.
- Add chopped mango pieces. Mix so the pieces are coated with a spice mixture.
- Now add cooled mustard oil to this mixture. Mix really well.
- Transfer it to the clean glass jar. Close with the lid and let the mango pickle mature for at least 10 days. Every 3 days, open the jar and stir the pickle with a clean, moisture-free spoon. Close with a lid and repeat the same after 3 days again.
- After 10 days you will see the oil floating on the top. This is perfect. If for some reason the oil is not floating on top and the pickle looks dry, then you need to add heated, cooled oil. The oil has to be approx 1 inch above the pickle. It helps to increase the shelf life.
Notes
- Mango pickle stays good at room temperature (in the cabinet, cool, dark place) for 6-8 months if followed the tips mentioned below.
- If the weather is humid then you need to store it in the refrigerator.
- Store the pickle in a clean, dry (moisture-free) glass jar or container.
- Always use a clean, dry spoon to take pickle.
- If you have made the big batch then store some pickle in a small jar for everyday use. So you don’t need to open the big jar every day.
I made the pickle it is little spicy. How can I reduce the spicyness.
I guess make more pickle without chili powder and mix.