How to Reduce Bitterness in Mango Pickle

How to Reduce Bitterness in Mango Pickle

Mango pickles, no doubt, are one of the most dearest ingredients in Indian homes. And be it the humble combination of dal and rice or parathas, their spicy and tangy taste enhances the flavor of any dish. In fact, the making of mango pickles is an activity that is handed down through ages. Although it may be carried out expertly even by the veterans' hands, many times the pickle turns bitter. So, don't worry because there are a few sure-shot ways to limit bitterness and get the perfect mango pickles.

Why Does Bitterness Occur in Mango Pickles?

There can be various causes for the bitterness of mango pickles like

• Unripe or Overripe Mangoes: An unripe or overripe mango leads to a horrible bitter taste.

• Presence of the Seed or Skin: Skin and seed of the mango at times add bitterness to the pickle, mostly in some varieties of mangoes.

• Excess usage of Spices: Over-usage of some spices makes pickle bitter. Methi or fenugreek seeds, mustard oil, and asafoetida (hing) are essential part of the mango pickle but used in right proportion only.

• Bad Storage: Poor storage methods can also cause the pickle to become wet or slices are not put deep inside the oil, which causes bitterness.

Tips to Reduce Bitterness in Mango Pickles

There are a few steps that can be followed in making the pickle less bitter and nicely balancing between good taste and flavor :

1. Select the Right Mango

Varieties of mangoes also are significant, and thus you can choose the right variety; use raw and firm mangoes because they will be good during the preservation process. Ram Keri,Totapuri and Rajapuri varieties are popular and the best as they taste sour with a firm texture.

2. Remove the skin and seeds of the mango.

Remove the seed and peel the mango: It's always a good practice to peel the mango because peeling will enable you to remove all bitterness. While some like to keep it on for added texture, the bitterness it contributes should be avoided as best as one can so the pickles will retain that tangy taste.

3. Salt Soaking Mango Pieces

A simple time-honoured remedy is to marinate the chopped mango pieces in salt. It sucks out some excess bitterness from the mangoes. Enhance the taste by immersing them for a few hours or overnight, rinse, and then dry them.

4. Spice Ratios

Spices are extremely essential and have to be just in the mango pickles as too much spice can result in pickles with a bitter taste. The methi/ fenugreek seeds and mustard oil can prove to be rather strong and should be used with restrain as too much of these will give a tang with bitterness to the pickles. When everything is in perfect balance, one can expect good taste in the mango pickles with just an apt mixture of tang with spice and without being too bitter.

5. Sun-Drying Mango Pieces

Many Indian homes still do not eradicate the sun-dried mango slices before preparing mango pickles. It is to take out any excess moisture that would bring bitterness and, generally, improve the flavor so that there is less chance of bitterness.

6. Proper Use of Oil

Indian mango pickles consume a lot of mustard oil. It is a preservative. You would need to use enough oil on the pieces of mango since it prevents bitterness and prolongs the life of the pickle.

What to Do If Mango Pickles Are Already Bitter

If your mango pickles have turned bitter, then you can still do the following to correct them:



Add Jaggery: Though at times the excess of jaggery alone could be used to remove bitterness, it would have to be done without disturbing the mouthfeel of authentic mango pickles.

Use Extra Oil and Spice: Add extra oil and heat it along with more spices including cumin or fennel. Sometimes excess oil balances out or covers the bitterness.

Conclusion

These are one of the closest parts of Indian cuisine though bitterness at times mars the experience. However, if the right mangoes are picked, proper spice levels, and adherence to their traditional methods ensure that mango pickles turn out to be tangy, spicy, and perfectly delicious. No matter how bitter they get, there is that simple remedy adding jaggery or adjusting the oil levels and the spice level to salvage the batch.