Sprouted moong pulao

Sprouted moong pulao is an easy dish to be prepared. It can even be prepared in a microwave.
Moong sprouts are easy to cook, easy to digest, rich in proteins, calcium etc.

You have to soak moong beans for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. Drain the water. In a wet kitchen napkin or fine cloth, put the drained beans and tie them up. Leave this in a container, for a day or so. See that the beans are wet. You will see small sprouts on the beans. Sprouting is dependant on the outlide temperature. You may leave them for some more time, if you want longer sprouts. Now, sprouts are available in shops also. As sprouts are good for health, it is better to incorporate them in everyday menu (salads, chutneys, pulao etc.)

Ingredients:

•      1 cup long grain rice
•      1/2 cup sprouted moong
•      1 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)
•      2 tsp. oil

Masala paste:
 

•      1 med size onion
•      2 cloves of garlic
•      1/2 inch ginger

Masala ingredients:

•      1 inch cinnamon stick
•      3 to 4 green cardamom
•      2 black cardamom
•      3 to 4 cloves
•      Bay leaf
•      1/3 tsp. turmeric powder  
•      1/2 tsp. garam masala
•      1 tsp. chili powder
•      Salt to taste

Directions:

1.      Wash and soak rice in water for half an hour.
2.      Grind onion, garlic and ginger into a thick paste.
3.      Heat oil in a pan add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves for a minute and finally bay leaf.
4.      Add onion masala, turmeric powder, and chili powder.
5.      Add drained rice, sprouts and stir.
6.      Add 2 cups of water and cook in a rice cooker or pressure cooker.
7.      Add ghee to get a nice flavor and glaze.
8.      Stir well and serve hot.

 

Carrot perugu pacchadi (carrot raita)

Carrots are very beneficial for health. They help in improved vision, cancer prevention, anti-aging, healthy skin, stroke prevention etc. Many people take a glass of carrot juice every morning on a regular basis.
so, it is better to eat carrots in salads, subzis, dals, or chutneys. Raita made out of grated carrot is very easy to prepare. It is a great side dish to be eaten with rice, pulao, parathas etc. As the grated carrot is microwaved, you may not use any oil also, except for seasoning.
Carrots are available everywhere all through the year.

Ingredients:

•      1 cup grated carrot
•      1/2 cup whipped curd (yogurt)
•      1 green chili (cut into small pieces)
•      Cilantro for garnish
•      Fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
•      Ajwain leaves finely cut (optional)
•      A few curry leaves
•      Salt to taste

Seasoning:

•      1 tsp. oil
•      1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
•      1/4 tsp. jeera seeds
•      A pinch of hing (asafetida)

Directions:

1.      Microwave grated carrot (covered) in microwave for a minute.
2.      When it cools, add the carrot to curd.
3.      Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard and jeera.
4.      When mustard seeds splutter add hing and curry leaves.
5.      Add the seasoning to the carrot mixture.
6.      Serve after garnishing with cut cilantro, green chili and pomegranate seeds.

 

 

Beetroot pacchadi

Beetroot is commonly available in India and everywhere else. In India, because of the strong red color it imparts to every food item prepared, it is not very popular in usage. But beetroot is very beneficial to the general health and particularly in lowering blood pressure and heart disease etc. A glass of fresh beet juice is even recommended as a health drink!
The chutney recipe is more like a salad recipe and can be made non spicy.
I do not prefer to add seasoning, but if you want the oil glaze and look of urad dal, you may season the chutney.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

•      1 to 2 cups beetroot pieces
•      2 green chilis ( adjust to taste)
•      1 tsp. methi mustard powder (optional)
•      2 tsp. lemon juice

Seasoning: (optional)

•       1 tsp. oil
•      1/2 tsp. urad dal
•      1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
•      A few curry leaves

Directions:

1.      Grind the beet pieces, green chilis along with methi mustard powder.
2.      You may add 2 tsp. of water if you want the consistency of the chutney to be a little watery.
3.      Otherwise, you can have coarse grain chutney, more like a salad.
4.      Add lemon juice and mix well.
5.      Heat oil in a pan.
6.      Add urad dal, mustard and curry leaves.
7.      When mustard seeds crackle, pour the mixture over the chutney.
8.      Store in a jar. It keeps for about a week if kept in the refrigerator.

Variations:

 

 

Soaked, peeled peanuts can be ground along with beets.
Or fresh coconut also can be added while grinding and these additions enhance the taste of the chutney!!

 

Tomato pacchadi

This is a spicy chutney (can be made less spicy by reducing the chilis).
It can be used as a side dish for rice or roti, idli, dosa etc.
Slightly sour tomatoes taste better for this chutney. Of course, I have used heirloom tomatoes as they are from our garden!
As a lot of cilantro is added to the chutney, the color is not bright red.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

•      8 medium tomatoes
•      2 or 3 green chilis (adjust to taste)
•      1/2 cup chopped cilantro
•      1/4 tsp. turmeric

Seasoning:

•      3 tsp. oil
•      3 red chilis
•      2 tsp. chana dal
•      2 tsp. urad dal
•      1 tsp, coriander seeds
•      A few black pepper (whole)
•      1/2 tsp. methi seeds
•      A pinch of hing

Directions:

1.      Heat oil in a pan.
2.      Add all the seasoning ingredients.
3.      When dals are turning golden brown, turn the heat off.
4.      Let it cool to room temperature.
5.      Chop tomatoes.
6.      Separately, sauté tomatoes in a little oil, till most of the liquid evaporates.
7.      Grind seasoning till it becomes powder.
8.      Add sautéd tomatoes and remaining spices.
9.      Grind to a coarse paste.
10.      Transfer to a bottle.
11.      Can be stored for one or two weeks.

Note:

You can roast the seasoning without oil, powder it and save it in a bottle for use later. This saves cooking time.



 

Kurala avakaya (Mixed vegetable avakaya)

This is a temporary pickle. It is a very popular pickle in our families. The recipe came down from my grandmother through my mother etc. Unlike the other mixed vegetable pickles where vinegar is used, here the ingredients are chili powder, mustard powder and salt which are used in our regular pickles. The vegetables mentioned below are used. Approximately the vegetable pieces are equal to the amount of mango pieces used. If refrigerated, the pickle stays for more than 2 or 3 months.
If the mango is not sour enough, you may add some citric acid. I have made the pickle in USA, adding rhubarb which is very sour and you do not need to add citric acid .

 

You can add green apple pieces also.
The vegetable pieces, specially bitter gourd taste very nice after they are soaked for a few days.

Vegetables used in kurala avakaya:

Vegetables cut into pieces:

Chili powder mixture added to the cut pieces:

Cut pieces and powders mixed well:

Ingredients:

All the following vegetable pieces to make upto 2 cups (equal to measure of mango pieces)

•      2 cups mango pieces and
•      Dosa kaya
•      Beera kaya (Ridge gourd)
•      Kakara kaya (Bitter gourd)
•      Mulakkada (Drum sticks)
•      Rhubarb (available in USA)
•      2 tsp turmeric powder
•      1 and 1/2 cups chili powder
•      1 and 1/2 cups salt
•      2 cups mustard powder
•      1 cup oil

Seasoning:

•      5 or 6 red chilis
•      2 tbsp. chana dal
•      2 tbsp. urad dal
•      2 tbsp. mustard seeds
•      1tsp  Hing (Asafetida)
•      A few curry leaves

Directions:

1.      Wash and dry all the vegetables.
2.      Cut the mango with the peel and avoid cutting the seed portion.
3.      Cut the vegetables along with peel into 1/2 inch wide and 1 and 1/2 inch long pieces. Remove seeds from dosa kaya.
4.      For 2 cups of mango pieces, about 2 cups of all the other vegetables are needed.
5.      Mix chili powder, mustard powder, salt and turmeric powder together in a large plate.
6.      Add the vegetable pieces and mix well.
7.      Add a few table spoons of oil and leave the mixture in a jar.
8.      On the second day, mix it well from the bottom.
9.      Heat oil in a pan and add chilis, dals and mustard seeds.
10.      When mustard seeds crackle, add hing and curry leaves.
11.      Pour the seasoning over the pickle mixture.
12.      After an hour or so, mix the pickle well from the bottom.
13.      Transfer the pickle to a clean dry jar.

 

Bellam avakaya (sweet and sour thoorpu avakaya)

This sweet and sour mango pickle with yellow chili powder is very popular in the coastal areas. It is more laborious to prepare, but, it tastes very good.

My mother and grandmother's generations, they used to cut the mangoes, so that they are not fully cut, but are joined at one end. The soft portion of the seed is fully scooped out and the chili mixture is stuffed inside the kernel. Then the whole procedure of soaking, drying etc is followed. The pieces are separated whenever they are served. All the children are given the job of cleaning, scooping out the seed portion etc. So, the pickle making used to involve everybody in the family. No wonder, pickle making is a ritual!!

Bellam avakaya freshly made:

Bellam avakaya about a month after it was made:

Mixture of chili powder, mustard powder and salt before jaggery is added:

Mango pieces mixed with chili mixture:

Mango pieces ready to be set aside:

Mango pieces in chili mixture with lot of juice:

Mango pieces dried in hot sun:

Ingredients:

 

•      1 cup chili powder
•      1 and 1/2 cups salt
•      2 and 1/2 cups mustard powder
•      5 cups powdered jaggery 
•      2 to 3 cups oil
•      3 to 4 tbsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
•      3 tsp turmeric powder

Directions:

1.      Wash and dry the mangoes.
2.      Cut them into 1 and 1/2 inch large pieces.
3.      Remove the seed portion and remove the thin film sticking to the kernel.
4.      Mix all the powders together.
5.      Add some oil and mix the powder well.
7.      Unlike for red avakaya, 2 and 1/2 containers of mango pieces are added to one container full of chili mixture.
8.      Add the mango pieces to the chili mixture and place the mixture in a jar.
9.      Cover and keep it in a cool dry place for 2 days.
10.      Next day, there will be plenty of juice. As mango pieces mixed with salt and jaggery produce a lot of juice. Mix it from the bottom using a dry long spoon or using your hand.
11.     On the third day, mix it well.
12.     Squeeze the pieces to remove as much of the juice as possible.
13.     Place all the pieces on a plastic sheet or steel plate and dry it directly in the sun.
14.     Dry the juice also in the sun.
15.     If the pickle is made in India, 2 or 3 days of sun drying is enough.
16.     After the pieces are dried enough, they have to be placed back in the juice.
17.     Mix it thoroughly and top it with some more oil.

Initially the pickle will have a lot of liquid, but, in course of time, the juice thickens.
When this pickle is eaten with hot rice and ghee, it tastes yummy!

Variation:

Those who like the taste and texture of bellam avakaya, but cannot get the yellow chili powder etc. make the variety using red chili powder.
Proportions for the avakaya are as follows:

•      1 cup red chili powder
•      1 cup salt
•      1 cup mustard powder
•      3 cups powdered jaggery
•      2 or 3 tbsp. methi seeds
•      2 tsp turmeric powder
•      2 cups oil

The same procedure as followed for thoorpu avakaya is followed.

Notice the amount of jaggery powder is equal to the total amount of chili powder, mustard powder and salt together in both the recipes!

 

Thoorpu avakaya plain

As mentioned this variety of pickles are very popular in coastal Andhra Pradesh. Proportions of ingredients are different from those of regular avakaya.

My mother and grandmother's generations, they used to cut the mangoes, so that they are not fully cut, but are joined at one end. The soft portion of the seed is fully scooped out and the chili mixture is stuffed in its place. Then the whole procedure of soaking, drying etc is followed. The pieces are separated whenever they are served. All the children are given the job of cleaning, scooping out the seed portion etc. So, the pickle making used to involve everybody in the family. No wonder, pickle making is a ritual!!

 

 

All the precautions mentioned in pickle making - introduction apply for these pickles also.

Thoorpu avakaya about one month after it was made:

Mixture of yellow chili powder, fine mustard powder and salt:

Mango pieces mixed with chili mixture:

Ingredients:

•      10 medium sized mangoes or 4  to 5 cups mango pieces
•      1 cup chili powder
•      1 and 1/2 cups salt
•      2 and 1/2 cups mustard powder
•      2 to 3 cups oil
•      2 tbsp. turmeric powder
•      1/4 cup methi seeds (fenugreek)

 
Directions:

1.      Wash and dry the mangoes.
2.      Cut them into 1 and 1/2 inch large pieces.
3.      Remove the seed portion and remove the thin film sticking to the kernel.
4.      Mix all the powders together.
5.      Add some oil and mix the powder well.

      Unlike for red avakaya, 2 and 1/2 containers of mango pieces are added to one container full of chili mixture.

1.      Add the mango pieces to the chili mixture and place the mixture in a jar.
2.      Cover and keep it in a cool dry place for 2 days.
3.      Next day, there will be a lot of juice. Mix it from the bottom using a dry long spoon or using your hand.
4.      On the third day, mix it well.
5.      Squeeze the pieces to remove as much of the juice as possible.
6.      Place all the pieces on a plastic sheet or steel plate and dry it directly in the sun.
7.      Dry the juice also in the sun.
8.      If the pickle is made in India, 2 or 3 days of sun drying is enough.
9.      After the pieces are dried enough, they have to be placed back in the juice.
10.      Mix it thoroughly and top it with some more oil.

Sometimes the juice is not enough after drying and the pickle tends to be dry and salty over time.
To overcome this, additional juice is added. Often, if magaya has more juice, some juice from magaya is added to this pickle. Otherwise, some mango pieces or grated mango is soaked in salt for 2 days and the juice from that is dried and added to this pickle. I added extra juice to the pickle I made (photo displayed).

Variation:

Thoorpu vulli avakaya -- Thoorpu avakaya with garlic

2 cups peeled garlic
Add the garlic to the chili mixture and follow the directions to make plain pickle.
Otherwise, add the peeled garlic to the pickle made and let it keep for about 10 days.

Garlic tastes very nice after it is soaked.

Shelf life for these pickles is for more than one year.


 

Avapacchadi (pulihora avakaya, mukkala pacchadi)

Ava pacchadi derives its name from the predominant ingredient "avalu" (mustard). It is also called "pulihora avakaya or mukkala pacchadi" as the pulihora seasoning is used in making this pickle. Many of my American friends like this pickle and comment that they are reminded of "wasabi" flavor!!

In Avakaya, equal portions of mustard powder and salt are used. In, Avapacchadi, more mustard powder is used. Because of this, the pickle has a more predominant flavor of mustard.

Usually, it is a byproduct, as the mango pieces which are without kernel (hard seed cover), or pieces that got squished while cutting are used,in addition to some fresh cut pieces!

Mustard paste after drying in direct sun:

 

 

Mixing mustard paste with mango mixture:                                                                                     

 

 

 

After mustard paste is mixed with mango mixture:

Ingredients:

•      3 to 4 cups mango pieces
•      1 and 1/2 cups chili powder
•      2 cups mustard powder
•      1 and 1/2 cups salt
•      3 tsp turmeric powder

Seasoning:

•      1 to 2 cups oil
•      6 or 8 red chilis
•      3tbsp chana dal
•      4 tbsp. urad dal
•      3 tbsp. mustard seeds
•      a few curry leaves
•      1 tsp hing (asafetida)

Directions:

1.      Wash and dry mangoes thoroughly.
2.      Cut along with skin into half inch cubes. Discard the seed.
3.      Add turmeric powder, salt and chili powder.
4.      Mix well and leave it in a dry container for a day.
5.      Next morning, boil 2 cups of water. Turn off the heat.
6.      Add mustard powder and mix well. Consistency has to be like dosa/pancake batter.
7.      Leave it in the hot sun till evening.
8.      Add the paste to the mango piece mixture.
9.      By now, mango pieces will have some juice which oozes out after soaking in salt and chili powder.
10.      Heat oil in a pan and add red chilis, dals and mustard seeds.
11.      When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves.
12.      Pour the seasoning over the pickle and let it seep through.
13.      Partially cover the pickle.
14.      Mix it well from top to bottom.
15.      Transfer the pickle to a dry jar.

 

Thokkudu pacchadi with garlic

Thokkudu pacchadi is almost like magaya, as the same ingredients and procedure are used. Only difference is magaya has finger long mango pieces. For thokkudu pacchadi mango is peeled and cut into small cubes. After drying, the pieces are pounded along with chili powder and methi mustard powder. In Telugu, pounding with wooden pestle is called Thokkudu. This pickle gets its name  thokkudu from this. Now, instead of grinding stone and pestle, we use processors! Still the name stays on.
You can garnish with fried garlic or add jaggery and make sweet and sour thokkudu pacchadi.
I am giving the garlic version.
Thokkudu pacchadi stays for more than a year if precautions mentioned in Pickle making -- Introduction are taken.

Mango pieces after adding salt and turmeric powder:

Mango pieces after drying :

Juice after drying:

Mango pieces, chili powder and methi mustard being processed in a chopper:

Ingredients:

•      About 10 medium sized mangoes
•      2 to 3 cups chili powder
•      2 cups salt
•      2 tbsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
•      3 tbsp. mustard seeds
•      2 tsp turmeric powder
•      2 cups oil
•     1 tsp hing (asafetida)
•     1 to 2 cups garlic peeled.

Directions:

1.      Wash mangoes after soaking in water.
2.      Dry the mangoes with dry cloth.
3.      Peel the skin off using a peeler or scraper.
4.      Cut peeled mango into 1 cm cube pieces.
5.      Discard the seeds.
6.      Add salt and turmeric powder, mix well and set aside in a cool dry place.

Preparing methi mustard powder:

1.      Roast mustard seeds till they splutter.
2.      Roast methi (fenugreek) seeds till they turn dark brown. Take a few seeds and try to break and see if it is brown inside also. If so, it is done!
3.     Grind roasted methi and mustard into coarse powder.
4.     Set aside.

Drying the mango pieces:

1.      After 2 days, there will be a lot of juice oozed out of the mango pieces.
2.      Mix well, squeeze the juice out and spread the pieces on a plastic cloth.
3.      Save the fluid in the container.
4.      Dry the pieces on a terrace or a balcony directly under direct sunlight.
5.      Dry the juice also in the sunlight.
6.      If you are making the pickle in India, a day's sunlight (April/May) is enough to dry the pieces.
7.      Keep the pieces in a container for the night.

Final mixing:

1.      Add chili powder, methi mustard powder to the dried mango pieces.
2.      Process the pieces in a vegetable chopper or processor. The mixture is not to be made into a paste.
3.      It has to be coarse with small mango pieces.
4.      Heat some oil in a pan and add hing (asafetida) and add it to the mango mixture.
5.      Keep it partially covered.
6.      Add garlic to enough hot oil in a pan. Let it fry till garlic has a nice aroma and the pods turn brown.
7.      Add the garlic to the pickle.
8.      Mix it thoroughly.

 

 

 

 

 

Magaya (mango pickle without mustard powder)

Magaya is another very popular pickle from Andhra Pradesh. Basic difference between avakaya and magaya is, you do not use as much of mustard powder as in avakaya. Magaya is more laborious, as the peeling and cutting of mangoes, soaking and drying in the sun etc are more time taking and laborious.
Selecting the mangoes for magaya, you have to look for even sized mangoes. For magaya, mango has to be less fibrous or hairy on the seed.
Magaya stays good for an year or even more, if all the precautions in selecting, etc mentioned in pickle making -- introduction are followed.


Magaya freshly made:

Magaya after about a month:

Mango pieces with salt:

 

Mango pieces after drying:

Mango juice after drying:

Ingredients:

•      35 to 40 mangoes
•      1/2 kg (1 lb) salt
•      1/2 kg (1 lb) chili powder
•      5 tbsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
•      5 tbsp. Mustard seeds
•      4 tbsp. turmeric powder
•      1/2 to less than 1 liter oil
•      3 tsp. hing (asafetida)

Directions:

1.      Soak mangoes in a tub of water for 30 minutes.
2.      Dry them completely using a soft, clean cloth.
3.      Spread the mangoes on a dry cloth. Peel each of them using a sharp scraper or peeler.
4.      Cut them into l/2 inch wide and finger long pieces.
5.      The seed when it is soaked in salt chili and oil, tastes great. But now, nobody has the time to sit, eat and enjoy the small pleasures! The seed takes too much space in the jar. So usually the seed is discarded.
6.      Put the mango pieces in a large vessel.
7.      Add turmeric powder and salt. Mix it nicely with hand. You can feel the sour mango pieces ooze moist juice.
8.      Transfer to a deep jar and keep it covered for 2 days.

Preparing methi mustard powder:

Roast mustard seeds till they splutter.
Roast methi (fenugreek) seeds till they turn dark brown. Take a few seeds and try to break and see if it is brown inside also. If so, it is done!
Grind roasted methi and mustard into coarse powder.
Set aside.

Drying the mango pieces:

1.      On 3rd day, mix thoroughly with hand, reaching up to the bottom.
2.      Squeeze the pieces and spread them on a plastic sheet. Try to squeeze out the juice as much as possible.
3.      Save the juice that is collected in the jar.
4.      Leave the juice in hot sun, covering it partially.
5.      Put the plastic sheet on to a terrace or balcony and let it dry under direct sunlight.
6.      If you are making the pickle in India, one day's hot sun (April/May) is enough to dry the pieces.
7.      If the pieces are too dry, magaya tends to be too dry and not very juicy.

Mixing magaya:

1.      Add chili powder and methi mustard powder to the juice.
2.      Add the dried mango pieces to the juice mixture.
3.      Mix it well.
4.      Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add hing.
5.      Add the oil to mango pieces which are covered with chili powder.
6.      Cover the jar partially.
7.      Mix it well after 30 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

Avakaya - Andhra hot pickle

Avakaya derives its name from the main ingredient used in making the pickle, aavalu (mustard seeds).  Many Telugu people would like to eat it along with rice, right from the time the mango pieces are mixed with the chili mixture. For those, who are not acclimatized to the taste, the same would be bitter!
Mango pickle after the pieces are soaked for 2 days, tastes very nice when eaten with hot rice and ghee, and thick curd (yogurt) by the side!

The pickle stays for more than one year, if all the precautions mentioned in pickle making -- introduction.


Avakaya, about a month after making:

Avakaya with garlic, about a month after making:

Mango pieces cut into equal size pieces:

 

 

Mango pieces mixed in chili mixture with some oil added, ready to be put into a jar:           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh pickle put in a jar:                                                                                                               

 

 

 

Ingredients:

•      1 kg (2 lbs) chili powder
•      1 kg (2 lbs) mustard powder
•      1 kg (2lbs) salt
•      100 gm methi seeds (fenugreek)
•      4 tbsp. turmeric powder
•      25 medium size or 30 small size mangos
•      1 to 2 liters of oil

Directions:

1.      Wash and dry the mangoes.
2.      Cut them into 1 and 1/2 inch square pieces (cutting them along with the kernel).
3.      Clean each of the pieces with dry cloth again, removing the seed and the thin film around the seed. You may need to use a sharp knife to remove the thin film.
4.      Mix all the powders in a large plate.
5.      Add turmeric and methi seeds (fenugreek).
6.      Mix a cup of oil.
7.      Approximately, for one measure of the masala mixture, one and half measures of cut pieces are added.
8.      Put 2 cups of pieces into the mixture.
9.      Drop a few spoons of oil to the bottom of the vessel.
10.      Drop the mango pieces coated with chili mixture into the vessel.
11.      Keep adding the pieces and mixture till all the mango pieces are in the vessel.
12.      Top it with half of the oil.
13.      Cover and leave it in a cool dry place.
14.      By next day the volume of the pickle will be less.
15.      On the third day, mix it thoroughly, using a long dry spoon or by hand.
16.      Make sure that the spoon/hand reaches the bottom of the vessel.
17.      Add more oil. See that the pieces are completely immersed in oil.
18.      Oil must be at least 1 inch above the pickle level.
19.      Transfer the pickle into a dry airtight jar and keep in a cool dry place,
20.      Small amounts of pickle can be transferred into a small serving jar for daily use.
21.      Extreme care must be taken in handling the pickle with dry spoon.

Variation:

2 cups garlic peeled.
Add garlic to the prepared pickle and mix it well.
Make sure the oil is 1 inch above the pickle.
Keep covered and let it sit for a few days.
Mix it well once in between.
Avakaya with garlic will be ready to eat in 10 days.

 

 

 

Pickle making -- Introduction

Pickles from Andhra Pradesh are well known all over. In the recent times, spice level is toned down, to suit to the present generation food habits. Measurements of ingredients cannot be exact, as they are dependent on the sourness of mangoes used. So, the best possible proportions are given. Also, amounts have to be adjusted according to the size of mangoes.

Mostly, the principal ingredients are the same, but procedural variations make the pickles different.
Sesame oil (gingely /til) is preferred for making the long term pickles. If in case, it is not available, you may use any other oil available locally.

Precaution:

It is preferred to use powdered rock salt rather than iodized salt.
My mother's and her earlier generations, used to buy red chilis, mustard seeds, dry them in the sun and and get them pounded in big stone or wooden pestles. Now, many people just buy the powders and use them.
Not too hot chili powder or mircha powder is preferred rather than very hot and spicy one.
In Andhra Pradesh, we prefer using Three Mangoes Chili powder or Joshi's Chili powder and mustard powder.
Now, ready mixed pickle masala is available in market. You have to just add mango pieces to the mixture and the pickle is ready in a jiffy!!!
While making pickles for the year, utmost care should be taken to see that the mangoes, utensils used, jars where the pickles are stored etc are absolutely dry.
Whenever mixing or transferring the pickles, hands and spoons also have to be dried thoroughly. The jars must be kept in a cool dry place and the jars have to be airtight.
Before starting pickle making, you have to get all the jars/bottles and all the vessels and spoons cleaned and dried.

Selection of mangoes:

In Andhra Pradesh, the process of selecting the mangoes, process of preparation, storage and serving the pickles is almost considered to be a ritual! The process is handed down from mother to daughter or mother-in-law to daughter-in-law!!

It is very important to pick the right variety of mangoes for pickle making. Mango must be mature with hard seed, firm and medium in size and sour. If the mangoes are not mature (hard seed is not developed), there is a chance that the pickle may not stay for long. When we were young, we used to get our mango supply from the village .The farmer used to say that the birds have started eating the mature mangoes. That is the indication that mangoes are ready to be picked for pickles. Parrots and other birds know when mangoes are mature!!  
It is necessary that the mangoes are raw and creamish in color when cut. The pieces must taste sour.
Taste and shelf life of the pickle is proportionate to the sourness!
Only mangoes which are directly plucked from the tree are to be used. Mangoes fallen to the ground may have some internal damage and the pickle may go bad.

In Andhra Pradesh pickle making starts from around last week of April. Most of the local vegetable markets have loads of mangoes heaped. The pickling season goes on till middle of May.

Cutting mangoes for avakaya is also a very difficult process. Every piece of mango has to have a part of the hard seed cover. If the pieces are squeezed while cutting, they are not used in the pickle. 

Each mango is cut into half. Then it is cut again into quarter. Every quarter piece is to be cut into 3 or 4 pieces according to your choice.

Professional cutters are available in the market to cut the mangoes into pieces. The instrument used to cut the mangoes has a firm handle on a butcher's knife and a firm base both joined at on end.

I am inserting some photographs of the process of cutting etc. 
I normally take a bucket and some clean water in bottles for soaking and cleaning the mangoes. After the mangoes are cleaned and dried, I spread an old sheet and get the mangoes cut on to that. I collect all the pieces in a dry container and bring them home for mixing.