Mango thokku is a tangy, spicy, chutney-like condiment similar to South Indian pickles. While thokku can be made with all sorts of things like onion, coriander, mint, and whatever else that catches your fancy, mango thokku has got to be the most popular choice.
To get your mango thokku going, peeling and grating the mangoes is a good start. I hate grating of any kind so get TH to do it for me. Before you start feeling all sorry for him, let me assure you he doesn’t mind, especially when there’s the promise of good mango thokku at the end of the peeling and grating. So yes, get your mangoes ready. Then the rest of the process is fairly simple and straight-forward and you can’t mess up even if you are not a condiment expert. I know I am definitely not one. If you don’t feel like grating anything, then this instant mango pickle is a great bet or even this tomato thokku. You’d love them.
The good thing about any thokku recipe is that you can adapt it to an extend based on your liking. For instance, I love a touch of sweet in my thokku so invariably add a fat pinch of brown sugar or jaggery powder to it while cooking. You may prefer a hardcore spice kick from your mango thokku, in which case, add another 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder (or more!) to get it to your liking.
Other pickles and condiments you may like:
Sweet mango pickle
No-oil lime pickle
Tomato thokku
Mango thokku recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp sesame oil gingelly oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder adjust to taste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 4 cups peeled grated raw mango (approx. 2 medium-sized mangoes)
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar or jaggery optional
Instructions
- Peel and grate the mangoes. Set aside
- Heat the oil in a kadai or non-stick pan
- Add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, keeping heat low
- When the mustard seeds pop, add the red chilli powder and turmeric
- Give it a brisk stir and fry for 10 seconds, taking care not to burn the chilli powder. Keeping the flame low is important at this stage
- Add the grated mangoes and mix everything well
- Add salt and cook on medium-low flame until the mangoes let out water and soften
- Add brown sugar or jaggery, if using
- Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the oil separates from the thokku
- Test to see there's enough salt and add more if needed
- Remove from heat and cool completely
- Store in a dry glass jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Take care to use a dry spoon while
Step by Step Mango Thokku Recipe
Peel and grate the mangoes. Set aside
Heat the oil in a kadai or non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, keeping heat low
When the mustard seeds pop, add the red chilli powder and turmeric
Give it a brisk stir and fry for 10 seconds, taking care not to burn the chilli powder. Keeping the flame low is important at this stage
Add the grated mangoes and mix everything well
Add salt and cook on medium-low flame until the mangoes let out water and soften
Add brown sugar or jaggery, if using
Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the oil separates from the thokku
Test to see there’s enough salt and add more if needed. Remove from heat and cool completely. Store in a dry glass jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Take care to use a dry spoon while serving.
Notes
- You can add some sliced garlic to the mango thokku before adding chilli powder and turmeric. Fry for 10 seconds before proceeding. This gives the thokku a different, garlic-y flavour
- Curry leaves can be added along with the grated mangoes if preferred
For mango thokku recipe in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Kannada, etc please use the Google translate button in the sidebar.
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