I share a commercial kitchen with my friend Neha Petal. She is the owner of Masala Pop, an Indian-spiced popcorn company. We have become fast friends and supporters of each other’s businesses. Every June, as the kids are wrapping up school, Neha’s parents travel from the East Coast to spend time with the family, and with them they bring a suitcase full of homemade Indian spiced pickles. Eating her mom’s beautiful pickles is my favorite start to every summer! Mango pickles are traditionally made with green, unripe mangoes. The peels are left on and soften in the process. I also add in any extra mango peels left over from making the other mango recipes.

1 whole green organic mango

1 cup organic mango peels (about 2 mangoes, reserved from Mango, Rose Petal, and Saffron Jam)

2 garlic cloves

¹/₄ cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)

1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds

¹/₄ cup sunflower oil

1 teaspoon fenugreek (methi) seeds

¹/₂ teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon red pepper powder (kashmini)

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon citric acid

1 ¹/₂ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

¹/₄ teaspoon asafoetida powder

¹/₄ teaspoon turmeric powder

Makes 6 quarter-pints

At the preparation station, wash the mango under cold running water. Remove any black or discolored peel and compost it, leaving the rest of the green peel on. Peel and finely mince the garlic. Slice the limes in half and juice with a citrus juicer, placing the juice into a large bowl.

Toast the mustard seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently, about 4 minutes, or until the seeds just start to pop. Pour the seeds into a small bowl and add the sunflower oil and garlic. Set the bowl aside to cool.

Slice each side off the mango and cut into ¹/₂-inch cubes, leaving the peel on. Cut off the remaining mango from the seed and cube the flesh. Place the mango cubes into the bowl of lime juice to keep them from browning. Cut the mango peels into ¹/₈-inch pieces. Toss the mangoes and peels in the lime juice until evenly coated.

Grind the fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Add the ground mixture, red pepper powder, cayenne pepper, citric acid, salt, asafoetida, and turmeric powder to the bowl of mangoes. Mix well. Add in the oil mixture and mix until evenly coated. Cover closely with plastic wrap to minimize air contact and let sit in a warm spot in the kitchen for 24 hours. Stir and add salt to taste. Store in a clean glass jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

TIPS

The finer you dice the mango peels, the better the texture will be. If you want to make this recipe without using mango peels, substitute with one whole mango.

Asafoetida is a dried resin from the root of a tree. It is often found in recipes from south India and can be purchased in international grocery stores or online retailers (see Stocking Your Pantry).