Kanni Maangai (Baby Mangoes in Brine) : Wash the mangoes and towel dry them well ensuring the stem stays intact. Spread them on a large cotton towel and leave them for about an hour, to dry well (not in the sun). Now pack them well into a jar, 2 layers high, and sprinkle a handful of salt. Pack another 2 layers and sprinkle another handful of salt. Repeat this till the jar is full and the topmost layer is salt and a slightly thicker layer. Close the jar and ensure it is airtight. Do this till all the mangoes and salt have been used up. Remember this salt has to be evenly distributed between the mangoes.

The jars must be shaken well 2 or 3 times a day, to ensure the the salt does not settle at the bottom of the jar and is redistributed among the mangoes. What happens now is that the salt draws out the liquid in the mangoes and dissolves in it. Each day the liquid in the jars will increase till mangoes would be immersed, more or less, in the liquid at the end of 2 or 3 days. The mangoes will lose their rounded appearance and start looking wrinkled.

The pickle making is done but this will be ready for eating only after 2 months. This keeps for a long time, over a year, provided reasonable precautions are taken to see that the pickle doesnu2019t get contaminated.

Kadugu Maangai (Spicy Baby Mango Pickle) : Strain the liquid from the mangoes into a sterile pan and keep the mangoes aside. Keep on the stove top and bring to a boil. Take off the stove, cover and allow to cool, almost to room temperature. Add the chilli, mustard, fenugreek and asafetida powders to the liquid. Using a clean and dry spoon, mix everything well. The resulting liquid will be a little thick in consistency. Add all the mangoes to this liquid and mix. Equally distribute the mangoes into the jars (from which you removed them) ensuring that the spicy liquid is also evenly distributed between the jars. Close the jars, making sure theyu2019re airtight.

The pickle is ready but not for serving yet. After about 2 months, the mangoes would have softened enough to use. The liquid part of the pickle, called u201cmaanga vellamu201d which translates as mango water, is also great on its own with rice and ghee (clarified butter), uppuma, dosas, or any south Indian food where pickle is usually served as an accompaniment.

You can cut up carrots and add them to the left over u201cmaanga vellamu201d to make another very nice pickle! If you leave the carrot to steep for a couple of days before serving, they absorb the flavours of the pickle really well.