27Oct

The Art of Making Aam Tel at Home - A Bengali Twist with a Step-by-Step Guide

Posted by Admin

Here is a step-by-step guide to making this deliciously flavorful Bengali pickle right at home.

Step 1: Selecting the Ingredients with Love

The secret to an Aam Tel is its ingredient quality. The role of each of them is imperative to acquire a unique taste:

1. Raw mangoes (Kaccha Aam) - Fresh green unripe mangoes are ideal for authentic pickle; the mangoes should not have even slight blemishes or small yellow patches.

2. Mustard Oil (Sarso Tel) - Cold-pressed mustard oil is a must for its strong, sharp flavor. It is also an excellent preservative that keeps the pickle fresh for months.

3. Spices - Use fenugreek seeds (methi), fennel seeds (saunf), nigella seeds (kalonji), mustard seeds (rai), turmeric (haldi), red chilli powder and asafoetida (hing). The spice mix gives the Aam Tel the typical Bengali flavor.

4. Salt - Salt draws the moisture content out of the mangoes and highlights the flavors in the pickle.

Step 2: Preparation of Mangoes

1. Wash and Dry: Thoroughly wash the raw mangoes and then dry them perfectly on a clean cloth. Any trace of moisture would spoil the pickle, therefore, ensure the mangoes are absolutely dry before using.

2. Chopping into Pieces: Peel the mangoes and chop them into medium pieces. This almost reminds me of childhood summers, when families would gather at one another's homes, share stories, and good laughter, and of course, cut those luscious mangoes.

3. Sun Drying Mangoes: Put the chopped pieces of mangoes on a tray and sun dry them for about 1-2 days. This ancient method dries the extra moisture out of the mangoes, thereby leaving the pickle crunchy.

Step 3: Spice Mix Preparation

1. Dry Roasting of Spices: Heat a pan over a fire, dry roast the fenugreek, mustard, fennel, and nigella seeds until they give a nice aroma. It is the true essence of Bengali pickling and takes the flavor profile to the next level.

2. Roasted Spices Powdering: Grind the roasted spices coarsely. This course gives every bite of the pickle is some explosions of flavors.

3. Ground Spice Mixing: In a bowl, mix the ground spices with turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. This is the flavored mixture that will coat the mango pieces and give Aam Tel its good, intense flavor.

Step 4: Mixture of Mangoes and Spice Mix

1. Coating the Mangoes: Toss the sun-dried mango pieces in the spice mix, making sure every piece of mango is coated well. The fragrance of spices mingling with the tartness of mango would immediately transport you to a Bengali summer afternoon.

2. Adding the Mustard Oil: Heat mustard oil until it smokes, then cool it a little. Pour the oil over the mango and spices to cover each piece. The mustard oil adds richness and helps preserve the pickle for long periods.

Step 5: Fermentation under the Sun

1. Suns-drying the Pickle: Squeeze the mango-spice mixture into a clean, dry jar. Drap a muslin cloth over the jar and place it in the sunlight for 10-15 days. Stir the mixture every few days with a clean spoon so that fermentation takes place evenly. Sunlight will now mature the flavors. The final dish should taste acidic and sour.

Step 6: Storing and Enjoying Your Aam Tel

Once this pickle is fermented and it has attained its full flavor, store it in an airtight jar. This Aam Tel will last for months, giving you the flavors of a Bengali summer long after it's over.

Final Tips

● Make sure your utensils and jars are dry; otherwise, your pickle will be spoiled.

● Taste your pickle while fermenting to adjust the salt and spice according to your taste.

Here's how you would make an Aam Tel that brings the warmth and vibrance of Bengal into your kitchen. For more Bengali food items, check out Bongmela's Aam Tel for inspiration.