Locked away in my head are not quite faded images of roaming a mango orchard under the cool, deep shade of a spreading canopy, the ground crunchy with a carpet of fallen, half-dried leaves and the friendliest, most inviting trees in the world to climb, their branches curved conveniently into couches and seats. At a certain time of year you could spend a few idle, secret hours in the company of a stolen knife, a pinch of salt, red chilli powder and a hard, sour green mango, legs dangling over the edge of a branch, the whole world suspended while you nibbled at a crunchy, teeth-tingling, tart fruit, the whisper of the breeze in the leaves and countless legends of the ancient mango the only sounds filling your ears. Mango trees live long, some of them as long as 300 years or more, so it is not surprising that they gather myths around them. A famous legend is of the daughter of the sun who comes to earth, and marries a king who falls deeply in love with her. A sorceress, wildly jealous of the love the king has for the princess, and intent on destroying her, pursues her. To escape the sorceress the princess turns herself into a beautiful lotus. In a frenzy of jealously, the terrible sorceress burns the lotus to ashes. But from the ashes of the lotus, a mango tree grows; when its fruits are ripe, one of them falls at the king’s feet, and bursts open to reveal the Sun Princess, who is restored to her husband. So the mango tree becomes a symbol of love. And its blossoms are believed to be wish fulfilling. Making this favourite spicy-sweet mango pickle brings the bright, fresh scent of sliced green fruit that reminds me of that orchard and sends me wandering, searching for more old stories. The rustle of time seems to surround any talk of mangoes and pickles: Āmra, possibly the first clear mention of mango, plunges into the depths of history to 1000 BCE and it is possible that the fruit was cultivated since 2000 BCE. A mention of pickle goes spinning down to 2030 BCE, when cucumbers from India were transported to the Tigris Valley, encouraging a tradition of preserving vegetables. Mangifera indica the king of fruits stunned foreign travellers to India with its aroma and flavour. Hueng Tsang, the Chinese traveller and scholar, is reported to have transported the mango to China. The Portuguese carried it to the New World, and grafted some of the most famous varieties into existence. The Emperor Akbar was inspired to plant an orchard with a lakh of mango trees the ‘Lakh Bagh’ in Darbanga, Bihar, while Abul Fazal, his historian, wrote that ‘the fruit is unrivalled in colour, smell and taste’. But the description I like best of all comes from the 17th century Italian traveller, Niccolao Manucci, who got quite carried away and wrote that the mangoes he had eaten had the taste of “the peaches, plums, pears and apples of Europe”. Far away from courts and kings, we love the mango in our own homes, orchards and villages. Even before it reaches its full, sweet ripeness our tables are eager to receive the fruit. Hard, green, acidic, its stone undeveloped, it is just perfect for the pickle jar. The blend of spices varies from region to region and every home slices or chops the green fruit differently; but right across the country, over centuries, countless ordinary meals would never have been the same without a helping of mango pickle. In Coorg we have our much-loved Mudi mange para (kaad mange para) made from sun-dried, small wild mangoes that are brined and pickled whole. This pickle of chopped mangoes is quite different, with its beautiful balance of contrasting spices: cooling cumin, warm ginger, fiery black peppercorns and red chillies blended together to make a sharp, sour-sweet pickle that literally makes your senses tingle. I always wait for the tart juice that begins to trickle out once roasted salt has been mixed into the cubes of chopped mango –it smells so good, it’s tempting to eat up a small spoonful or two, under the pretext of tasting. This mango pickle is easily made, and lasts long without the usual inch of oil floating on the top. The flavours are green, crisp and lively with roasted spice notes and a peppery undertow. Its freshness is the kind that makes you think of a mango orchard, and green fruit hanging on the trees, waiting to be plucked and dipped into salt and chilli, and eaten right away. I’ve lost count of how many times it has come to the rescue when the same curries or vegetables turned up once too often, and boredom threatened the lunch table. Or the times when you just didn’t feel like eating very much, when soft white rice, curd and a helping of mango pickle took the place of a full meal quite easily. Dipping that little piece of mango soaked in spices into the thin, red, hot-sweet paste is a journey into the past: it’s an old combination and yet so enduring. Rice and pickle –people have been eating it for centuries, and it is still going strong on our 21at century tables. Somehow, just the thought connects you to countless generations and times that you have never known. There’s an account I love, of the different foods offered to a wandering minstrel in the 3rd century CE, as he travels across the land, going from house to house singing his songs; one of them is ‘mango pickle and fine rice.’ How can you resist the appeal of such simplicity? Soft rice, sharp green mangoes in a sauce warm with spice, the scent alone enough to whet your appetite? I would happily give up courts, kings and grand feasts for the timeless food of the wandering minstrel.

Image Credits: Nithin Sagi
All Food Styling: Kaveri Ponnapa

Thank you for visiting this page. If you read something that you enjoy, or see an image that you like, please take a moment to write a response. Do look out for the recipes of all the food featured here in my upcoming cookbook.

ALL MATERIAL ON THIS WEBSITE IS COPYRIGHTED: If you wish to use any of tHIS material, KINDLY WRITE TO THE AUTHOR FOR PERMISSION.
Kaveri Ponnapa

Kaveri Ponnapa is an author and widely published independent writer on heritage, food and wine. She is the author of The Vanishing Kodavas, an acclaimed cultural study of the Kodava people, and a collection of Kodava poems, A Place Apart, Poems from Kodagu. Kaveri is an acknowledged authority on Kodava culture, history and food traditions.

  1. Madhavi Ramkumar says:

    Radhika just made this pickle and it’s really good,finger licking good!! Thanks so much for the recipe.I doubt if I can wait for two weeks to start eating it…

    1. Kaveri Ponnapa says:

      Hello Mavi, I’m delighted! I love this pickle, and wait eagerly for green mangoes to arrive in the market every year to make it. It’s so delicious and goes with just about everything. I hope that it will become a part of your mango season from now on. Warm wishes.

  2. Vishnu Mukund says:

    Mangoes has been fascinating me since my childhood, the First Picture Of Mango, just reminded me of my days i spent with my grandmother , Whenever i visit your page , i always feel my home isnt too far !!!! Loving your recipy, should try my hand over it

    1. Kaveri Ponnapa says:

      Hello Vishnu, thank you very much for visiting this page, and I am really happy that this post took you back to the days you spent with your grandmother. Please do try the recipe when the mango season comes again. It is very simple, and absolutely delicious. Do look out for new posts, and I hope you enjoy reading them. Warm wishes.Kaveri

  3. Meenakshi says:

    Kaveri, you made my mouth water with the pictures of the yum pickle. The writing is beautiful and really talks of your (and most of our) love for mangoes. Beautifully written and a must try simple recipe. Thank you.

    1. Kaveri Ponnapa says:

      Welcome to The Coorg Table, Meenakshi, thank you for writing in. Yes, I think most of us love mangoes, green or ripe and there are so many ways to enjoy them, even out of season. I make a batch-sometimes several batches- of this pickle every season. It’s always on the table, and makes a lovely gift for friends too. Do keep visiting these pages, there are other recipes and posts that you may enjoy, like the brinjal pickle. Warm wishes.Kaveri

  4. Prerna says:

    Thank you for this delicious recipe. I hope to make it this week. I just had one question- when does one add the tempering to the mangoes.

    1. Kaveri Ponnapa says:

      Hello Prerna, welcome to The Coorg Table. Thank you so much for writing it, and for your query – I just noticed that the final section of the recipe has been left out accidentally while uploading the page! The seasoning is done after the mango cubes are mixed into the spice-sugar syrup. Allow the mixture to cool completely before filling your jars. I will be updating the page right away. Do try out the recipe, it’s very simple, and the results are worth it. Warm wishes.Kaveri

    1. Kaveri Ponnapa says:

      Thank you, Girish, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Do try the recipe if you can and keep visiting these pages. Best wishes.Kaveri.

  5. Kaverappa Padeyanda says:

    Mouth watering, mango and ambate is my all time favorite. Once again gone back to childhood days..wow! Nice story of princess, lovely images..wonderful writing…thanks for lovely post….

    1. Kaveri Ponnapa says:

      Hello Kaverappa, I hope that you will try out this recipe. It’s an absolutely delicious pickle, so light on spice and oil. It livens up every meal, even when there is not much on the table. I’m so glad that you enjoyed the post and the images. Do keep visiting these pages, and writing in. Warm wishes.Kaveri

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