Uppumanga / Salted Tender Mangoes in Brine

I think Uppumanga (Raw mangoes in brine) with kanji along with a kanthari mulaku (bird’s eye chilly) is the Malayali’s favorite comfort food... right?? I know my husband will not agree with it :D...  Almost a year ago when Sarah of Vazhayila posted this recipe it triggered my childhood memories...  But I never got tender mangoes (kannimanga) here...  so this year when I saw some green mangoes I decided to make it with that... so I selected the smallest thin skin mangoes available and made Uppumanga and now I am a happy girl having it with kanji and making uppumanga curry and chutney! Traditionally uppumanga is preserved in a big bharani (earthen pot).... In one of my old recipe books it’s written that to prevent it from fungal attack, in the old days people make a pouch with clean sand in a cloth and tie the bharani with this sand pouch and the Uppumanga preserved this way lasts yearlong! If you don’t have a bharani use clean glass bottles, make sure to add enough salt water to cover the mangoes.... My aunt told me to add little coriander powder tied in a clean cloth in the brine to givethe mangoes and the brine a lovely smell.... Always use clean sterilized bharani / jar to preserve mangoes and use a dry spoon, else you will see fungus attack....

Uppumanga / Salted Tender Mangoes in Brine

Ingredients:

Tender mangoes (kannimanga) - 10

Green chillies -6 - 8 slitted

Salt – ½ cup or to taste

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

A small piece of clean cloth and a kitchen twine

Water – 4 cups or enough to cover the mangoes

Method:

• Wash the mangoes well and wipe it with a clean cloth. 
• Boil water along with salt and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Add coriander powder in a small piece of clean dry cloth and secure it tightly with a kitchen twine.
• Add the mangoes, slitted green chillies and the coriander powder pouch to the bharani / glass bottle, add enough cooled salt water to cover it.
• Take a clean white cloth, cover the mouth of the jar and secure it tightly with a kitchen twine and then secure it with lid.
• Keep in a cool dark corner for 3-4 weeks and then you can start using it. The time depends on the quality of mangoes.
• When the mangoes become soft use it as desired along with kanji or as a curry or chutney.