Chundo Aaam Achaar Achar (Grated Mango sweet Pickle) Recipe

Chundo is a sweet pickle made with grated tart un-ripened mangoes from Gujarat

We will make it just like a typical Punjabi style Lime/Mango pickle.

How to make Punjabi style Lime Pickles?

Select un-ripened large mangoes with relatively hard flesh. In India Rajapuri variety is used, These are large 12 to 14" mangoes. you will need 3 mangoes to yield 2 pounds of grated flesh.

Gujarat pickle looks yellowish, and does not have Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg. These spices will make this pickle darker.

Ingredients

Salt Cure Limes

1. Grated Mangoes: 2 Pounds

2. Sea salt: 6 Tablespoons

3. Turmeric Powder: 1½ teaspoon

Spice Cure Limes

1. Cinnamon cracked: 1½ teaspoon

Three 3" long x ¼" wide sticks will yield 1½ teaspoon coarse ground same consistency as spent coffee grounds

2. Cloves: 12 coarse ground.

Coarse ground same consistency as spent coffee grounds

3. Nutmeg: 1 teaspoon grated

4. Asafoetida: ½ teaspoon

5. Cumin seeds cracked: 2 teaspoons coarse ground

Coarse ground same consistency as spent coffee grounds

6. Jaggery grated and packed: 6 cups

7. Ground Hot Cayenne pepper (Lal Mirch): 1½ Tablespoons

Method

Grate and dry Mangoes, Salt Cure

1. You will need about 3 Rajapuri whole mangoes to yield 2 pounds of grated mangoes. You can adjust the whole mangoes. This recipe is for 2 pounds of grated mangoes

2. Peel, discard skin. Grate coarse the mangoes. Discard the Pit

3. Mix mangoes, salt and turmeric powder in a glass baking tray. In about five minutes the salt will start to draw the moisture out of the Mangoes. Wait about 2 hours. Use a paper towel to soak-up visible moisture and discard it. In Gujarat, tedious methods are employed to get rid of moisture. I will use oven to dry out the mangoes.

4. Preheat oven to lowest setting about 200º F. Put the baking tray  in the oven. Leave the door ajar about 2 to 3 inches. Remove the baking tray  after 45 minutes. Turn off oven. Wait one hour and remove tray

5.Cover the tray with Muslin cloth. Put the tray on the top shelf of your kitchen cupboard overnight.

6. Repeat step 4 and 5 for four days to dry and cure mangoes.

Spice Cure Limes and Aging

Mix all the spices. Mix to salted mangoes in the baking tray. Transfer to wide-mouth Pickling crock (stoneware). Tie cheese cloth to the wide-mouth. Repeat following step for next 3 weeks, once a day.

1. Remove the cheese cloth. Stir the pickle.

2. Preheat oven to lowest setting about 200º F for 25 minutes

3. Place the crock in the oven for 45 minutes. Keep the door ajar about 2 to 3 inches.

4. Shut off oven. Remove the crock after 30 minutes. Secure the cheese cloth to the wide-mouth.

5. Place the crock on the top shelf of your kitchen cupboard.

Storing Pickle

Remove the Muslin cloth. Close the crocks with sterilized well fitted lid.

Put the crock away in a cool dry and dark place.

It will stay good for up to five years