Aam Ka Meetha Achaar

Traditionally, a regular Indian meal consists of a variety of items which includes side dishes like chutneys and pickles along with the main dishes. Pickles in India can be prepared from various fruits or vegetables, most common being raw mango or tender mango. It is interesting how this one fruit can be used to prepare a range of pickles. Aam Ka Meetha Achaar is one of the most loved Indian pickles which can be relished with any kind of main dish.

Ingredients :

• Raw mangoes – 2 large sized (approximately 700 gms.)
• Sugar (required quantity as mentioned in the method)
• Black pepper powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Asafoetida(hing) – 2 pinches
• Salt – little less than 1/4 teaspoon

Preparation Time: 2.5 Hours

Method

Remove/peel skin of the mangoes and grate it coarsely. Throw away the seed/stone .

Measure the grated mango by cup and take equal quantity of sugar. Keep sugar aside.

Put the grated mango in a bowl. Add salt, mix well and leave it for two hours.

Squeeze all the water from the grated mango in a pan/container and add sugar in the squeezed water.

Cook  the mango water with sugar on medium flame and keep stirring frequently.

Once the mango water starts boiling, after 2-3  minutes add grated mango to it and keep on boiling till the syrup becomes little thick. It will start bubbling as the syrup gets thicker.

Reduce the flame to low and take little quantity of syrup in a dish to check the correct consistency. If it flows like water, it needs to be boiled further.(Consistency can also be checked by dipping spoon in the syrup and dropping the syrup in the pan. It should fall making a string) The colour of the syrup should be shiny and it should be transparent. Consistency of syrup is very important for good aam ka meetha achaar.

Once correct consistency is reached, switch off the heat and add black pepper powder and hing. Mix it well. Let it cool.

Once cooled, keep aam ka meetha achaar in an airtight jar. Always use a dry spoon for taking out achaar.

Storage Tip: If stored at room temperature, this pickle lasts for around 7-10 days. For longer storage, it is best to store in a refrigerator and take it out a while before it needs to be used. Storing in a refrigerator increases the longevity of the pickle to around a year.