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.