Perhaps the most used accompaniment in most Indian households is mango pickle. They are flavoured with sour spiciness and aromas. The delicious pickle is made of raw mangoes. With the transformation, one can get an excellent accompaniment to make any meal both wonderful and memorable, moderate in terms of ingredients needed for the preparation recipe of mango pickle. Wash them well and let them marinate with salt in a mixing bowl for some hours, drawing out the moisture and giving a deeper colour. Salt is added to the mixer blend of mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chilli powder, turmeric, and a pinch of asafoetida. Mix the prepared spices with the marinated mango and add a splash of mustard oil for richness. The mango pickle recipe differs with every region, but some add sugar and garlic to the mix in addition to sweetness. All this is well mixed and transferred to a clean, sterilised jar. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the mango pieces and leave it in the sun for a few days to allow the flavours to mature. Mango pickle can be served with plain rice, dal, or spread on flatbreads; it is an absolute must-have item for Indian meals!

• 1 kg raw mango
• 250 ml mustard oil
• 50 gms turmeric powder
• 50 gms fennel seeds
• 100 gms salt
• 50 gms fenugreek seeds
• 50 gms red chilli powder

• One of the most loved traditional practices in many Indian homes, especially during the summer, is making mango pickles, or "aam ka achaar."
• Start by procuring raw mangoes. Wash 1 kg of fresh, raw mangoes thoroughly to remove any dirt or impurities from it.
• Rinse the mangoes very well, then dry them completely so that there is no moisture left.
• Such moisture can turn the pickle bad; after drying, chop the mangoes into small pieces while removing their seeds.
• The raw mangoes present an excellent base for preparing the pickle.
• The cutting process itself was very much an anticipatory process to enjoy the taste of what is to come.
• Then, put those mango pieces in a large mixing bowl with 100 gms of salt.
• Salt is a preservative but also helps enhance the flavour released by the juices from mangoes.
• Combine the mango pieces with salt, making sure that every piece is coated correctly.
• Cover the bowl and let it stand from 6 to 8 hours or overnight. This is the resting time, wherein the mangoes would soften a little and start marinating in their juices. That is how the flavours develop.
• Meanwhile, take this resting time to prepare the spice mix that would give the pickles the all-important kick.
• Take a pan, and dry roast 50 gms of Fenugreek seeds and 50 gms of fennel seeds separately, over low fire.
• This roasting draws out some of the oils and flavours of the spices, hence making them aromatic.
• Stir the seeds until fragrant since you might burn them when you forget to stir while roasting. When fragrant, please remove it from the heat source and let it cool entirely before roughly grinding it into a powder.
• The addition of fenugreek and fennel gives this pickle a unique kind of depth against the tartness of the mango with nutty sweetness in flavour.
• To turn your attention now to mustard, this is truly an important component in preservation, as much as it is featured in the flavour profile of the pickle.
• In another pan, heat 250 ml of mustard oil till it reaches its smoking point, which implies that it's hot enough to be used.
• After you have heated it to the smoking point, turn off the heat and let the oil cool to room temperature.
• Cool it so that you add the hot oil straight into the mixture of mango, which would cook the ingredients rather than preserve them.
• When your oil has cooled, go back to the mixing bowl that contains the mango pieces in it.
• Add ground fenugreek and fennel seeds, along with 50 gms of red chilli powder and 50 gms of turmeric powder.
• The red chilli gives it heat; the turmeric powder will give it a pleasing colour, and it has health benefits.
• Add cool mustard oil.
• Ensure that it coats all the mango pieces evenly. Mix well so that each piece is coated with the fragrant spice powder. Pour this mango pickle mixture into a clean and dry, sterilised glass jar.
• Sterilising properly eliminates the risks of spoilage; see that it is dry before you put the mixture in it. Close the jar very tight and store it in a cool, dark place.
• Let it remain undisturbed for 7 to 10 days, during which the flavours will mingle and mature perfectly.
• With each day passing, mangoes will soak in the spices and turn out to be a tongue-tingling accompaniment that will flavour any meal you have.
• Once the resting process is complete, you can serve your mango pickle with rice or flatbread or any dish that you may consider apt.
• Store the pickle in a cool, dark place or refrigerate it for a longer shelf life. Homemade mango pickle is a labour of love, giving the essence of the summer and the joy of traditional cooking. Each bite is a burst of flavour, a nostalgic reminder of family gatherings and warm, sunny days.