It may seem ridiculous to go to a buffet for the condiments, but I can’t help myself. The hot mango pickle at Maharaja calls to me; it gives the already yummy naan and veggie curries that spicy-sour tang that makes me eat twice as much as the Army recruit sitting at the next table. Jonathan Costa, the main chef and owner of Maharaja, hails from India’s smallest southwestern state, Goa—lots of good mangoes there. “This recipe comes from Goa; the people there preserve it in April or May so they’ll have it through September, the time of the monsoon,” Costa adds.
 You’ll be bowled over by the wonderful aroma, and surprised by the mild flavor of Maharaja’s Hot Mango Pickle. |
The ingredients list prompted a little research, though: I knew almost nothing about a key spice, asafoetida, which is apparently so pungent in its raw form that it can make you sick (its nickname is “Devil’s Dung”). Asafoetida is a tall, hollow-stemmed herb that produces yellow flowers—the spice comes from extracting a resinous sap from its stem and roots, drying it into little chunks, and grating or pounding it. Despite its knock-out aroma, its cooked flavor is mild; it also helps along the digestive process. Maybe that’s why I can eat it in massive quantities.
Maharaja’s Hot Mango Pickle
2 lbs. raw, green mangoes (about 3)
scant 1/2 cup fenugreek seeds
3 cups vegetable or sunflower oil
scant 1/2 cup coriander seeds
1 tsp. asafoetida
3 Tbs. mustard seeds
scant 1/2 cup chili powder
3 Tbs. cumin seeds
2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 cup salt
Soak whole fenugreek seeds in water overnight. Drain and set aside to dry for one hour. Cut mangoes into chunks (whatever size you’d like your pickles to be), heat oil and put in whole fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds stop popping and turn reddish, add mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin seeds, turmeric and salt. After five minutes, remove from heat, add mangoes, stir well and let cool. Mangoes should be completely covered in oil. Transfer to a lidded jar, seal, and let sit 15 days before eating.
