Maa Vathal

Mango season is completely over. Like every mango season, we enjoyed this year too in our home, we enjoyed mangoes in every possible way. I love enna mangai pickle which is made with maa vathal. Maa vathal is nothing but sun-dried mangoes and this is made in all Brahmin homes during summer along with other mango pickles. Traditionally, raw mangoes are chopped, mixed with salt, and then sun-dried for a few days. This sounds very simple and it is. But make sure you dry it well...I mean it should be bone dry. This can be preserved for a year and used whenever needed.

I used the mangoes from my cousin's home. They were so tasty. We ate so many pieces when I was chopping them. To make this maa vathal, you can use both raw and semi-ripe ones. The ones from my cousin's home were semi-ripe and very tasty...Yes! homegrown, organic, and full of natural sweetness full of flavor in every bit. I couldn't say here how many mangoes to be used since we were eating them too. Managed to keep aside some to make this vathal.

Ingredients

Mango raw - 4 1/2 cups, chopped into chunks

salt - 1/3 cup

turmeric - 1 pinch

Method

To the measured amount of chopped mangoes, add salt and turmeric.

Mix well and let it soak for 1 day or two. During this time, due to the action of salt, there would be juice in the bowl.

Just scoop out the mango pieces, line in a plate or cloth in a single layer and dry it out in the sun. Reserve the juice.

Later, take the chunks off the sun, cool, and add it back to the bowl with the salty mango juice. Let it soak. Again, the next day, scoop out the mango chunks and dry it the sun. Repeat this till all the juice is absorbed and the mango pieces are bone dry.

Store it in an airtight bottle. This can be preserved for a year or more and used now and then.

Tips

Make sure to do this on a very sunny day.

The seeds can also be used along. When needed, break the seed coat and get the seed inside. Soak it in water, grind along when you make milagu kuzhambu (tangy and spicy pepper gravy). It helps in controlling diarrhea.

Keep in an airtight container and make sure no moisture is there or else mold will grow.