Mango Thokku Recipe - Manga Thokku Pickle

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
• Instructions
• Recipe Notes
• Nutrition Profile
• Variation
• Shelf Life
• Storage
• Serving Suggestions
• FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

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.

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

Related Recipes

See more Pickle Recipes

Recipe