Uppilitta Manga | Uppu Manga | Brined(Salted) Tender Mango

I was overwhelmed to see these small raw mangoes just at the start of mango season in the Indian stores and quickly picked them up.On seeing these mangoes,I felt all the nostalgia which filled my heart with all those good old memories in Kerala.My mouth was filled with water and rekindled my taste buds.The first thing I did after reaching home was to brine those mangoes so that they get ready at the earliest.But to my despair after fifteen days,the skin was as tight as a rock and no changes except for the color.I left these out for another fortnight, the inside was good and nothing changed much to the skin.I assume that the mangoes available here have a tough skin.The mangoes had spice and salt flavors seeped in perfect to serve with kanji or curd rice or just like that to quench the thirst.

 Everything got over in the next couple of days and I wished had a little more.This is a simple recipe that our great grandmothers and grand moms did to preserve mangoes for the season when its not readily available.Our vacation time was always mango time may that be raw or ripe.But these days,our kids hardly get to see mango trees in backyards.The mangoes that we buy from market never taste the same and are sprayed with pesticides.You can use these brined mangoes to make chutneys,pickles in the off season if you have left overs.

Preparation time~25 minutes
Cooking time~5 mins

Ingredients
tender mangoes/raw small mangoes/kannimanga 1 lb(450g) / 15 mangoes
green chillies(ideally bird eye chillies) 10-15
water 4 cups(or as needed)
salt 3-4tbsp

Method

• Wash the mangoes under running water,don't remove stalk if they have.Wipe them dry with a kitchen towel and keep ready.Cut the chillies in vertical and mix with the mangoes.
• Heat a pan and add water.Boil the water with salt  for 5 mins and switch off flame.
• Add the boiled cooled salt water.Mix well and check if the water level is slightly above the mangoes(if not add more boiled cooled water).

• Pour this in clean dry bottles or bharani(earthern pot).Tie the mouth of the bottle tightly with a string and cloth or cover with a tight lid.Leave undisturbed at room temperature for fifteen days.
• After fifteen days,check the mangoes.If not done give another couple of days and serve with kanji, curd rice or rice or just like that.

NOTES
* Use clean dry bottles to preserve mangoes and also clean dry spoons to take out the mangoes.

  Related posts
* Nellikka and Loovikka Uppilitta