Mango thokku is a spicy pickle made in South India using raw, unripe mango. This thokku can be served as a side dish with both breakfast or dinner and lunch or by simply mixing it with rice.

Thokku is a slang word for the traditional Tamil phrase ‘thokki varudhal’ which literally means “to come together”. The final result of a thokku is when all the ingredients after getting cooked well in the oil come together as a thick paste that can be shaped into a ball, hence the name.
Mango thokku is more like a quick and simple version of the mango pickle. If you want to make a quick pickle in less amount of time, then this thokku is for you.
Unlike maavadu and avakkai, this mango thokku does not need time to soak in the oil and soften after making it. It can be used immediately after making it.
In general, thokku recipes are so versatile to adapt to your requirement. Since it has a shorter shelf life, you can always adjust the spices according to your taste buds.
Table of Contents:
Ingredients
Raw Mango: I have used kili mooku or totapuri mango to make this thokku
Spice powders: red chilli and turmeric powder.
Spices: mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds
Seasoning: mustard, hing & gingelly oil
Salt to taste
Instructions
To make mango thokku,
1. Wash and wipe the raw mangoes with a kitchen towel. Scrape the skin of mangoes using a peeler. With a big holed grate grater, grate the raw mangoes and set them aside. Discard the seed.
2. Heat a pan over medium flame. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and dry roast till it begins to pop and the colour changes. Transfer to a bowl.
3. To the same pan, add fenugreek seeds and dry roast till the aroma rises and till it becomes golden brown. Transfer to the same bowl and let it cool completely.
4. Transfer both the roasted mustard and fenugreek to a mixie jar and grind to a fine powder. Set this aside.
5. Heat the same pan with gingelly oil.
6. Once it is hot, add the remaining 2 teaspoon mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle. Add hing and stir well.
7. Add the grated raw mango and keep stirring for a minute till the mangoes soften and start to shrink.
8. Now simmer the flame completely and add turmeric powder, and salt to taste and mix well till combined.
9. Add red chilli powder and once again mix well and cook for 1 minute.
10. Add in the ground powder, jaggery and mix well.
11. Simmer for 2 minutes while stirring often in between to prevent the thokku from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
12. When it all comes together, oozing out oil & the thokku sliding easily around the pan, switch off the stove.
Store this mango thokku in a clean, dry jar and use it when needed.
Recipe Notes
1. Jaggery is used here as it helps to balance out all the tastes and enhance them.
2. I have used Guntur red chilli powder as we prefer the pickle to be very spicy.
3. If you do not like the thokku to be very spicy, you can use an equal quantity of red chilli powder and Kashmiri red chilli powder.
4. Do not let the mustard or fenugreek burn while roasting, as that will make the thokku taste bitter.
5. If you had stored the mangoes in the refrigerator, then transfer them to the counter the night before you are going to make thokku. There should not be any chillness present and the mangoes need to be at room temperature.
6. The quantity of red chilli powder used will depend on how sour the mangoes are.
Nutrition Profile
This recipe is
- Dairy-Free
- Diabetic-Friendly
- Egg-Free
- Gluten-Free
- Low Carb
- Nut Free
- Soy-Free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
Variation
If you do not have the time to grate the raw mangoes when making large quantities, you can cut the mangoes into large chunks, and then grind them coarsely in a food chopper.
It will not only save time, but the mangoes will also cook faster.
Shelf Life
This mango thokku pickle stays good without spoiling for up to 6 months when made and handled properly.
When I make a small quantity to last for a fortnight, I store it at room temperature itself.
But whenever I make a large quantity, then I would like to store it in the refrigerator so that it lasts long without spoiling.
Remember to always use a clean and dry spoon while removing thokku from the jar, and immediately return the jar to the fridge.
Storage
Any pickle should always be stored in vessels that do react with the salt in the pickle.
So, it is best to store this mango thokku in a glass jar, ceramic jar (bharnis) or a food-grade plastic bottle than using any metal-based containers.
Serving Suggestions
This mango thokku goes well with tiffin items like idli, dosa, rava khichdi, rava upma, arisi upma, and for lunch with sambar, rasam & curd rice.
You can also mix this with rice for a quick lunch and eat it with chips or vadams.
FAQs
Thokku is a South Indian pickle that is made with grated vegetables or leafy greens as opposed to cutting the vegetables into bite-sized chunks.
They also have a shorter shelf life than when compared to regular pickles like mango or Lemon pickle that can be stored for years without spoiling.
Though the spices used and method may seem almost the same, the biggest difference is that mangoes are grated and cooked in oil while making thokku but whereas the mangoes are used raw for making the mango pickle.
I have used ‘kili mooku’ or ‘totapuri’ mango to make this thokku. Basically, you can use any variety of raw mango that is sour.
Always use gingelly oil while making any pickle. I would highly recommend using cold-pressed gingelly oil or sesame seed oil, as that in itself acts as a preservative & helps prevent the pickle from spoiling.
Related Recipes
See more Pickle Recipes
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Recipe
Mango Thokku Recipe - Manga Thokku Pickle
Ingredients
- 2 big raw mango or 600 gms approx
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 3 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoon red chilli powder
- ⅛ teaspoon hing or asafetida
- 100 ml gingelly oil
- 1 teaspoon jaggery
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and wipe the raw mangoes with a kitchen towel. Scrape the skin of mangoes using a peeler.
- With a big holed grate grater, grate the raw mangoes and set them aside. Discard the seed.
- Heat a pan over medium flame. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and dry roast till it begins to pop and the colour changes. Transfer to a bowl.
- To the same pan, add fenugreek seeds and dry roast till the aroma rises and till it becomes golden brown. Transfer to the same bowl and let it cool completely.
- Transfer both the roasted mustard and fenugreek to a mixie jar and grind to a fine powder. Set this aside.
- Heat the same pan with gingelly oil. Once it is hot, add the remaining 2 teaspoon mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle.
- Add hing and stir well. Add the grated raw mango and keep stirring for a minute till the mangoes soften and start to shrink.
- Now simmer the flame completely and add turmeric powder, and salt to taste and mix well till combined.
- Add red chilli powder and once again mix well and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the ground powder, jaggery and mix well.
- Simmer for 2 minutes while stirring often in between to prevent the thokku from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- When it all comes together, oozing out oil & the thokku sliding easily around the pan, switch off the stove.
- Store this mango thokku in a clean, dry jar and use it when needed.
surya
wow.... i make my bf happy often by cooking something for him with more than one side dish.... now he ll be more surprised knowing that i could make pickle also:D
surya
wow..... thanks... every time i make my bf happy cooking something for him with more than one number of side dish,, now it will be more surprising for him to know that i could make pickle too:D
Hima
Thanks for sending such a hot and yummy pickle to my event radhika.
Satya
Thank you for the lovely pickle radhika, I am going to post mine too today.. do check that out when you get time.
Jay
mouthwatering recipe dear...thanks for step by step pics..:D
Reshmi Mahesh
Tempting pickle....
Lena Rashmin Raj
Radhika... superb recipe... im getting the aroma here from across the miles 🙂
Panchpakwan
Wow so spicy, tangy and delicious pickle.. Bookmarked!
Priya's Feast
Wow..mouth watering here,radhika...Perfect thokku
Kalpana Sareesh
my hubbys fab pickle..hv never done this..will surprise him .thanks for the recipe..
Sushma Mallya
Lovely Post Radhika ...loved the detail discricption...very handy when I try it next time:) I love Mango thokku ..urs look v yummy:)
Hamaree Rasoi
such a tangy looking mango pickle. looks yummy.
Aruna Manikandan
looks yummy dear 🙂
sowmya's creative saga
yumm yumm..am drooling..