Uppu Manga (Green Mango in Brine)

UPPUMANGA ( Tender Mango in brine)

Uppumanga and Kanji (cooked rice without draining the water) is one of my favorite combinations. It gives me immense satisfaction to come back home after a trip and have some kanji and uppumanga after eating all the fast food during the journey. A typical Keralite can understand what I meant here. I love to try varieties of food and restaurants. But some of our old favorites will always remain somewhere .

Some dishes bring back to us the memories of some people and places. I called my mom to ask about the procedure of "making uppumanga " when I got some mangoes from our local Indian stores. It reminded her of her father who passed away recently. Last year he gave her mangoes for her 'uppumanga'. He brought mangoes for her too while he made it for him. (Her mother is no more. Even when my grandmother was there, he used to help around the kitchen.) She told me that after his death when they had food there at his place the 'uppumanga' he made was still there. While I had my uppumanga I also remembered him and the last trip we had with him during my last visit to India. We visited my mother's sister and my late grand mother's brothers and went to a historical church and he was talking a lot throughout the journey.  He was a person who never disturb others for his needs and traveled in bus and used to walk while he can easily afford a car. My dad was always ready to help him but he tried his best to not to disturb him. How can people be so simple? His father was somebody who owned 2 boats at a time when owning  even one boat was a luxury in that area. For us the young generation walking even 1 mile is not easy. We drive a car or catch a bus or auto to the nearest  office or college and jog in the evenings to burn calories. Salute the old generation !

Ingredients:
1)Green Mango - 28 mangoes ( 4 Lb)
2)Salt -   9 tbsp + 3 tbsp+ 3tbsp+ extra if you need
3)Boiled and cooled water (brought to room temp) - Enough to cover mangoes

Note: Salt measurement are mine. I couldn't understand my mothers 'kg' measurement of salt and I didn't have a kitchen scale to measure salt. I had only spoons and cups to measure. But it came out well.)

 

Method:

• Boil water and keep it aside to cool and come to room temperature.
• Rinse well the mangoes and wipe off the water with a  clean towel. 
• Add Mangoes in a clean jar or bharani.
• Add salt. ( I added 3 tbsp salt after every 10 mangoes)
• Add water enough to cover the mangoes.
• Cover the jar with a clean cotton cloth and tie it securely with kitchen twine.
• Close with the lid.
• Keep it in a dry and dark area. (I kept it in my lower cupboard in the kitchen. Traditionally it is kept in Arra or nilavara. My mom keeps it in Arra.) 

Optional step:

         After one week I opened the jar and added 3 tbsp of salt. Again I tied it securely with cotton cloth. Then 2 weeks after that I again added 3 more tbsp. Then after two week I checked the salt in the water and added some more. You can add the salt all at once or follow this step.

Note:

I stored it for 3 months and opened and used after the 3rd month. The amount of time depends on quantity, quality and tenderness of mangoes. It can vary from one months to 3-4 months.

Arra- It is a room common in old ancestral houses in Kerala and is used to store surplus food , wine , pickles and other things. The room has no windows and is made of wood. It is dark inside without light.