Aam Ki Launji / Sweet and Sour Mango Pickle

We are so found of pickle, esp. mango pickle. Now, we have a set of mango pickle that we make every mango season. So last mango season, we thought why not try different pickles out of the raw mangoes. And me and my husband put forth suggestions of pickles that we might have tasted from friends, families or restaurants and like them.

My husband is not very fond of sweets. So I was amazed when he suggested Aam ki lauji that we had at a restaurant in Pune. It was new to him. The sweet and sour pickle seemeed to make his mouth watery, which was a surprising fact for me. You know these men, you can never predict anything ... he he. Anyways, I was happy that he suggested it, because I love Aam ki Lauji and knowing the fact that someone else also is interested in it, would make me happy to try it.

It was hardly any work for me to make it. Made it real quick than, what I had expected. The combination of sweetness from the jaggery and the tangy mangoes brings out a real burst of flavours. After making the pickle, I tasted it and I was so proud of myself...he he.. I just couldn't stop having it. My lil one caught me having it and kept saying vennum vennum means I want. It was so pretty a scene to see him give a happy smile after tasting it and kept asking for more. And he kept referring to it as raisins, which is one of his favorite thing to munch on :). My boy is a taste tester, I say.

Ingredients

1. 2 medium sized raw mangoes
2. 1/2 kilo of jaggery, shaved 
3. 3/4 tsp of Salt 
4. 3/4 tsp of turmeric powder
5. 1 tsp of mustard seeds
6. 1 tsp of nigella seeds / Kalonji
7. 1 tsp of fennel seeds
8. 3/4 tsp of fenugreek seeds
9. 1 tsp of cumin seeds
10. 4 dry red chilies
11. 1 tbsp of cooking oil, preferably mustard oil

Method

• Wash and pat dry the raw mangoes. Peel the skin and cut them into thin wedges. Smear with turmeric and salt. Keep it in the sun for about 2-3 hours.
• Take the ingredients 5-10 in a pan and roast it on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. A nice aroma of the spices would be released by them. In a mortar and pestle, coarsely ground the spices (except the red chillies). Just a pound or two to break them open is enough.
• In a pan, melt the jaggery having added about 3/4 cup of water.
• In another pan, take the cooking oil and heat it. Once hot, turn it down to medium heat and add the spice mixture and the red chillies to it. Let it release the aroma from the spices. Now add the raw mango and give it a stir.
• To it add the melted jaggery and stir it. Cook it on low flame for about 10 minutes or untill the mangoes get cooked. Turn the heat to high and boil it for another minute or two, before you switch it off. Let it cool down.
• Transfer it into a dry glass jar. If stored properly, it could stay good for couple of months.

Tips

1. You could replace jaggery with sugar. I just went for healthier option. Also, do use the same quantity of sugar as the raw mango.
2. Sometimes, the launji is flavoured with cardamom powder too. You could try it if you love the flavour of cardamom.

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