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Pesara avakaya
Moong dal mango pickle
పెసర ఆవకాయ: avakaya made with ground moong dal in place of most of the mustard, milder, nutty and thick
Pesara avakaya is the Krishna and Guntur districts' answer for anyone who finds classic avakaya too sharp. It is cut and mixed in the same summer weeks, from the same sour mangoes, but finely ground raw yellow moong dal replaces most of the mustard. The dal swells in the mango juice and oil and turns the masala thick, nutty and almost creamy, so it clings to each piece, while a little mustard keeps a hint of nose-tingle. It is still properly hot from the chilli. Eat it with hot rice and ghee, with pesarattu, or alongside a plate of curd rice. Some families add garlic; if you do, the jar must live in the fridge. Common mistake: grinding the dal coarsely, which leaves a gritty masala; sift it and regrind the bits. Another is skimping on oil: the dal absorbs a lot, so top up until the pickle is covered. The salt is about 9% of the mango weight. It is ready after three days, when the masala is thick and clinging and oil has risen to the surface. Chef's tip: warm the dal in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes without colouring it; it grinds finer and keeps better.
- Total time
- 48 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the pickle
- 2 ¼ lb raw green mangoes with hard stonesabout 3 large, firm and sour
- ⅞ oz mustard powderfreshly ground black mustard seeds
- 3 ½ oz red chilli powder
- 3 ⅛ oz saltabout 9% of the mango weight
- 1 tsp roasted fenugreek powder
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 cup gingelly (sesame) oil
- 15 garlic cloves (optional)peeled; if used, keep the jar in the fridge
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Sterilise a 2-litre glass or ceramic jar and lid: wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then dry in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes (or in strong sun for a few hours). Cool completely; the jar, bowls, spoons and your hands must be bone dry.
Step 2: Warm 3 ½ oz yellow moong dal (split, husked mung beans) in a dry pan over a low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until hot and dry but not coloured. Cool, grind to a fine powder and sift; regrind any coarse bits.
10 minStep 3: Wash 2 ¼ lb raw green mangoes with hard stones, wipe the sap from the stalk ends and dry completely. Cut into 2–3 cm chunks with a cleaver, keeping the hard stone shell, discarding the soft kernel, and wiping each piece dry.
30 minStep 4: In a large dry bowl, mix the moong powder, ⅞ oz mustard powder, 3 ½ oz red chilli powder, 3 ⅛ oz salt, 1 tsp roasted fenugreek powder and ½ tsp ground turmeric.
3 minStep 5: Add the mango and 15 garlic cloves if using, pour in ¾ cup gingelly (sesame) oil and toss with a dry spoon until every piece is coated in thick red masala. Pack into the jar and close.
5 minStep 6: Leave for 3 days, stirring daily with a dry spoon. The dal will soak up oil; pour in ¼ cup gingelly (sesame) oil so the pickle stays covered, adding a little more if needed.
Step 7: Without garlic, store in a cool, dark cupboard for up to 6 months, under oil and with a dry spoon; refrigerate once opened in hot, humid weather. With garlic, keep it in the fridge and eat within 3 months. Discard if you see fuzzy mould, it fizzes or smells off.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pesara avakaya take?
- About 48 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 3 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of mustard powder?
- Prepared mustard: 1 tbsp per tsp of powder.
- What can I use instead of red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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