I love pickled raw mango and pineapple. These are my all time favorites. It is very popular in Kerala and we call it uppilittath. It is a kind of pickle which is terribly easy to prepare and is oil and spice free. Just the thought of these pickled stuff makes my mouth water.

I usually have it from small street food carts/ thattukadas when I go to Kerala. They have different things stored in brine like guava, tamarind, cucumbers, carrots etc etc. My husband’s Aunt, who we call Paayi, who most of you will be knowing by now, taught me how to do this at home. There is a corner in her fridge where there will be different things in brine anytime, every time. I love to go to her house just to devour all those things, haha.

If you ask me if there is a specific recipe for brining veggies and fruits, there is no specific recipe as such. I didn’t take measure of the water or salt I added and it is not required. You can just eyeball most of the ingredients.

So let’s see how to do it

1. Wash the mango really well and pat dry with a towel. (I used about 3 medium sized mangoes)
2. Cut the mangoes in whatever size you like. Put it in a wide mouthed glass jar.
3. Cut green chillies into small pieces. (I used about 12-15 green chillies)
4. Slice 1 clove of garlic.
5. Boil enough salt (about 3-4 tbsp) and water together. Let it cool completely. (Most of the times I don’t boil the water, I just pour mineral water right from the bottle into the jar, but it would be good if you boil it). Add more salt if needed after doing a taste test.
6. Pour the water over the mangoes.
7. Pour a tbsp of vinegar.
8. Mix well with a clean spoon.
9. Cover tightly and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 days. The more it sits in the brine the better.

If you store it well, it stays fresh for months.