Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Hawaii Style Pickled Mango

A while back someone on Facebook asked for a pickle mango recipe. My mom used to make tons of pickle mango and sold it by the roadside with other food and craft vendors along the pine groves in Waimanalo. Those days are long gone, however the memories of picking and peeling green Chinese variety mangos from friends, relatives, neighbors and strangers who had too many mangos fall to the ground during the harvest season, it's hard to forget this sweet/tart treat loved by islanders.


Since it's hard to find the type of mangos that aren't stringy or perfectl firm and green here on the East Coast of the US, I haven't made any pickle mangos. When I lived back home in Hawaii, it was easy to get it already made from most grocery stores or in package snack isles of any convenience mart, so I had to dig through my mom's cookbooks and found a simple recipe that one could use most anywhere with common ingredients and of course some green mangos. 

See the pictures below, the mangos need to be green to create this delightful pickle. The second picture shows mangos that are half-ripe, when they start turning colors of yellow, red it's too late - just leave those on the counter to enjoy the softer, sweet flesh for later.
pic via wikimedia commons
Green Mangos perfect for making pickle mango
pic via wikimedia commons
Ripe Mangos from Hawaii

Here's mom's simple recipe for Hawaii style Pickle Mango


Ingredients:


  • 6 cups water
  • 4 cups brown raw sugar
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 3/4 cup Hawaiian or rock salt
  • 2 tbsp. red food coloring (or you can leave it out but it's not real Hawaii version of pickle mango without the red food coloring!)
  • Wash, peel and slice the mangos to about 1"x3" pieces



Directions:

  • Mix all the ingredients and boil until the sugar and salt dissolves.
  • When liquid is cool, add the mangos.
  • Store in glass jars.
  • Optional and very tasty: add seedless Li Hing Mui (Chinese dried cherry seeds - can be found on Amazon if you're not in an area that readily sells Chinese snacks)
  • Wait a few days for it to marinate in the refrigerator (if you can)
  • = 'onolicious (delicious)

 
Mahalo (thanks) mom!

I found another pickle mango recipe on this site and photo below by Pomai. 






This recipe also posted on examiner and adapted from: More of Our Favorite Recipes, Sixth Edition 1969. Published by Maui Home Demonstration Council, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. Formed by Maui County Women's University Extension Clubs.




Check out my other recipes at: Orlando Cooking Examiner


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