Aam ka Achar (Mango Pickle) — Bihari Style, 500g

Description

In the mango country around Bhagalpur, the arrival of summer has always meant one thing in every Bihari kitchen — the pickling of raw mangoes before the season slips away. Aam ka Achar is the most beloved of all Bihari pickles, the jar that sits on the family table through the year and turns a plain plate of dal-chawal into a meal worth remembering. Made from firm, sour green mangoes picked at just the right moment, it carries the bold, oily, masala-heavy character that sets a Bihari achar apart from the milder pickles of other regions.

Ours is prepared the slow, traditional way by a family-run achar kitchen. Hand-picked raw mangoes are cut into thick pieces, salted and sun-cured on the rooftop until the moisture draws out and the flesh firms. They are then layered generously with cold-pressed kachi ghani mustard oil and a robust spice blend of mustard, fennel, fenugreek, nigella (kalonji), turmeric, red chilli and a pinch of asafoetida, then left to mature in the sun so the masala seeps into every piece.

The result is sharp, tangy and unapologetically spicy — pungent mustard oil, the clean heat of Bihari red chilli and the bittersweet bite of kalonji wrapped around tender, sour mango. A single piece lifts dal-bhaat, sattu paratha, litti, khichdi, curd rice or a simple roti.

Ingredients: raw mango, cold-pressed mustard oil, salt, mustard seeds, fennel, fenugreek, nigella (kalonji), red chilli, turmeric and asafoetida. No artificial preservatives or colours.

Net weight 500g. Store in a cool, dry place, always use a clean and dry spoon, and keep the pickle covered with a thin film of oil. Best within 12 months of packing.