Kochla Nonche (Grated Mango Pickle)

Kochla Nonche is an oil-free grated mango pickle. I got this recipe from my mother. She has been making this from so many years and every year it tastes the same!! To be honest this is one of the pickle I love a lot. With a good drizzle of coconut oil, it tastes awesome. 

Now that I posted 2 varieties of pickle, I am little more confident of trying them. I tell my mother how big the mangoes are and then she gives me the measurement of each spices and salt. To my surprise, it turns out the way I want it to be. I am so thankful to my mother for the constant guidance:-) This pickle always makes me nostalgic. I am very happy that I tried making a pickle which is very dear to my heart. 

Ingredients:

• Raw Mango, medium sized- 2 
• Dry Red chilli (Byadgi) - 19-20
• Mustard seeds- 3 tsp
• Coriander seeds- 2 tsp
• Methi/ Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing) -1/4 tsp
• Salt - 1/3 cup (adjust accordingly)

Notes: Raw mango used should be fresh and sour. More the sourness, better is the pickle.

Procedure:

Few important things you need to keep in mind before making this pickle:

#All the bowls, spoon, blender etc should be clean and dry.

#It is preferred that you start making the pickle in the morning and by evening it will be done. Next day, it will be ready to use.

#Be careful while adding salt. Add it in steps. You can always add more if required.

#The pickle has to be stored in a clean glass or porcelain jar (you can also use plastic containers. remember that it might get stained).

Now coming back to the preparation-

Take the salt in a pan and heat it for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool.

Meanwhile, wash the raw mangoes. Pat them dry with a towel and then grate them.

Transfer the grated mango to a clean large bowl. Then add a portion (nearly 1/4 cup) of the salt (cooled) to the grated mango.

Mix well and set it aside.

Next step is to make the chilli powder.

Take a dry pan and add few drops of oil. Add the dry red chilli and fry it lightly, for a minute or so. Care should be taken not to burn the chillies. Transfer it to a plate for cooling.

In the same pan, add few more drops of oil and add coriander seeds and mustard seeds. Start frying it on a medium- low flame. When it slightly changes the color, add fenugreek seeds and asafoetida. Slowly the mustard starts to pop. At this stage, turn off the heat and finally add the turmeric powder and give a quick stir. Transfer it to a plate, for cooling. Burning the spices will make the pickle bitter. So fry them on a low heat.

Once the spices gets cooled, grind them into a fine powder. Let the powder cool completely.

Now add the chili powder mixture to the grated mango.

Mix well. Taste it. Add the remaining salt, if it is too spicy (I ended up adding everything). Let this mixture sit for a day, so that the raw mango gets time to absorb the flavors.

Kochla Nonche is ready!!

Store it in a clean glass /porcelain jar. Refrigerate it for future use. It stays good for few months. 
Serving suggestion: While serving add a dash of coconut oil on the pickle. Coconut oil enhances the taste. The pickle will taste better after a week as it gets more time to absorb the flavors.