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Mango Avakai – The Tradition Never Forgotten
Sep 13, 20
Mango Avakai – The Tradition Never Forgotten

Mango Avakai – The Tradition Never Forgotten

 

The Tradition never forgotten! Summer-Mangoes-newest pickle-Hot rice-Ghee-Family together…. It’s the feast inculcated, memory that never vanished

What a Summer It used to be ? Answer used to be almost the same. Its Grandparents, Cousins, feast together in the almost-unbearable scorching heat that brings loads of delicious fruits, including the king of them all, the mango. Still the atmosphere always felt cool!

To me, summer evokes many food and family memories. Especially of those when my grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunts used to meet up at the native place. And then we all would prepare the avakai (pickle). This Andhra tradition revolves around the raw mango — special types go into the regular avakai, the maagai, the thokkudu pacchadi, bellam (jaggery) avakai…the list goes on with each family using some secret ingredient, or a different proportion.

Absolute Family time to shop for all pickle ingredients together and be home. Sometimes we would use a special variety of raw mangoes from our own farms, and that made the pickle festivities even more enchanting!

From our ages of our great grannies, then our grannies and now with my mother surveys each mango carefully — turning over each one lovingly before dropping them under the cutter to make pieces. They also insisted on the chilli powder from only one vendor for authentic colour, and flavour which has not changed in ages

The aroma of spices mixed with hot Oil and then marinated mangoes is always fascinating to watch and the fantasy to fill the traditional Bharni or Jaadi (white jars) wrapped with cloth.

While mixing, no metal spoons were used (otherwise oxidation or blackening of the fruit could occur) and only trusted porcelain jars (jaadis) with wooden spoons would be used to store this precious, annual treasure. Children would be given flat seashells (alchippas) that could be rubbed on the ground to make a natural peeler. This mango peeling task was delightfully accepted and playfully executed!


The task seems no difficult but neither possible by all. Only a few testimonial people could mix the pickle ingredients too well, and women took pride in being known for their avakai! What an awesome example of slow cooked food, where tradition, pride, perfect ingredients, and memories were created, year after year!

Are we missing something or passing the tradition and happiness to coming generations.

Telangana Style Mango Avakaya

INGREDIENTS
6 cups fresh green raw mangoes, chopped into big chunks
1 cup mustard seeds, powdered freshly
2 tbsp whole jeera
2 cups red chilli powder
1 cup salt
50 garlic pods
3 cups heated Groundnut Oil

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