Mithi Chatni (Sweet Mango Chutney -Sindhi Style)

Summer is here and mango pickling season begins :)
The raw mangoes are available in plenty and it's time to
make my annual stock of mango pickles.
This is a sweet, spicy and tangy chutney that tastes good with
pakoras, tikkis, puris, parathas....

Ingredients:

3.5 lbs raw mangoes (kairi)
3 lbs sugar
About 4 cups water
2 tbsps salt
1 tsp kalonji (onion seeds)
6/8 cloves
8/10 black peppercorns
2 sticks cinnamon (2" pieces)
3-4 bay leaves
3 tbsps black raisins
3 tbsps white vinegar
2 tbsps red chilli powder (i use 1 tbsp hot chilli powder and 1 tbsp chilli powder that lends color but not spice.You can use paprika for the color.If you want it spicier increase the quantity of the hot chilli powder)

2 sterilized jars.

Method:

Peel and slice the raw mangoes (kairi).
Sprinkle with salt and keep aside for an hour.
Squeeze out the water from the raw mangoes properly.

Mix all the other ingredients in a big pan , except the raisins,vinegar and kairi and cook on a high flame.
Make sure you use a pot which has a lid that fits.

Cook for about 10 minutes till it come to a rolling boil.
Now add the raisins and the sliced raw mangoes.

Stir well and let it come to a boil.

Now cover and cook for about an hour.
Stir every 15 minutes or so.After an hour, check to see if the mango has softened and the color changes to a deep red. If not, cook for 10/15 minutes more but keep a watch on it.

Make sure there is enough liquid as the chutney thickens quite a bit as it cools.
If there is very less liquid remaining, add about a cup or two of water and bring
to a boil. Now turn off the gas and let the chutney cool completely.
Once cool, add the vinegar and mix well.
Put it in the jars and seal tightly.

This chutney stays well for at least a year.
You can keep it in a cool,dark place for a few months.
Or you can refrigerate it, but make sure you keep it out for a little while
before eating as it tends to crystalise or harden in the fridge.

The trick is to keep some in a small bottle to use regularly and
refill that periodically. It is also advisable to use a dry plastic spoon for pickles
as it increases the shelf life.

The two bottles in the picture above is the quantity i got from the above proportion.
So you can accordingly increase or decrease the proportions depending on how
many bottles you would like.

The color in the picture looks quite dark but what you should aim for is a deep red.