Hot Hing Keri (Spicy Raw Mango Relish)

Okay.... a word of WARNING !!! This is an extra extra spicy Relish (Hing Keri ka Achaar) and with a pungent flavor of Indian spice Asafetida.

I am posting this recipe mostly for my Indian readers, and those who are familiar with Asafetida. It is a very pungent spice and usually used in minimal amount (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) in Indian cooking, but for this relish Asefetida and Cayenne pepper are the main spice ingredients.

In India and here in Indian stores you get so many ready made pickles, but not this one...My mom used to make this when I was growing up in North India.
Tastes delicious with rice and yogurt (Dahi Bhat)...yumm... my mouth is watering....already !!



Ingredients:


2 raw Mangoes

2 teaspoon salt

3 table spoon cayenne pepper powder

2 teaspoon of Asefetida.

3 tablespoon of Lime or lemon juice (In India I did not have to use lime or lemon juice because the raw mango you get there are very sour, but here in States, the raw mango has much less acidity. Therefore I use lime or lemon juice to make it close the original taste that I remember from my childhood)



Method:


* Peel and chop mango in to small cubes.

* Add both the spices and salt to mango cubes.

* Add lime or lemon juice.

* Mix well until everything is well incorporated.

* You can serve it fresh immediately or can let the mango marinate in the spices for 3-4 days.

* Store the unused Relish in refrigerator, be sure to cover it with airtight cover so everything in the fridge and your house does not smell like Asafetida.


Again a word of CAUTION !! This is extra spicy and with typical (Hing) flavor that may not please and suit all palates.





Here is some information on this pungent spice:

Asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida) alternative spelling asafetida, is a species of Ferula native to Persia (Iran). Asafoetida has a pungent, unpleasant smell when raw, but in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavor, reminiscent of leeks.

This spice is used as a digestive aid, in food as a condiment and in pickles. Its odour, when uncooked, is so strong that it must be stored in airtight containers; otherwise the aroma will contaminate other spices stored nearby. However, its odour and flavor become much milder and more pleasant upon heating in oil or ghee, acquiring a taste and aroma reminiscent of sautéed onion and garlic.

Recipe by my dearest mom Mrs. Kasturben (Thank you mom, love you :)
Photographs by Surekha.







Mango


Asafetida description source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_3.0_Unported_License