Tired Of Waiting For Your Mangoes To Ripen? Pickle Them Instead

In the Northern Hemisphere, mango season runs the length of summer, starting in May and lasting until September. So, as you wait to fill your hot summer days with juicy mango, or if you're lucky enough to have your own mango tree, you may run into the predicament of having a lot of unripe mangoes on your hands. The best way to enjoy a surplus of green mangoes and save them for later? Pickle them.

Pickling is the perfect preservation method for a variety of vegetables, though it may not be instinctive to apply the method to mangoes, let alone unripe ones. But pickled mango comes in endless variations across Asian cuisine, as mangoes are indigenous to South Asia. After a week in the refrigerator following a simple hot brine of vinegar, sugar, and salt, unripe mangoes transform from inedible to a crunchy, sweet addition to sandwiches, salads, or simply served as a snack on their own. There are a myriad of mango species out there, but as long as you use unripe or even fully green mangos, you can find success in creating this pickled treat.

Not only does pickling create a delicious snack out of unripe mangoes, but it's also a great preservation method for enjoying the delightful fruit for longer. And while you can stop at the aforementioned simple pickling mixture, there are endless exciting seasoning variations to play with, too. For example, there's a sweet and spicy condiment known as mango achaar that's loaded with spices and often served alongside many South Asian rice dishes. 

While achaar does not involve vinegar, the sourness of the mango is offset by the heat from the whole spices, such as chili powder, and you can apply this concept to pickling as well. Feel free to experiment with spices to find your preferred flavor profile, but know that you don't really need to add anything sour or more acidic besides the vinegar, as the unripe mango has that already taken care of.

You can slice your mangoes into long spears to mimic classic cucumber dill pickles or chop them into little cubes for more of a chunky, mango salsa-like texture. However you choose to slice or dice it, just make sure you always opt for unripe mangoes, aka the green kind. Their firm, crunchy texture is the advantage here, as ripe mangoes are too mushy to pickle and would also bring an overpowering sweetness.

Just like most pickled fruits or vegetables, it's best to store pickled mango in properly sterilized airtight containers such as a glass jar for long-term storage. Exactly how long your homemade mango pickles will last can vary, but when properly sealed and stored at room temperature, they can keep for up to seven months. Once opened, the pickled mangoes should be good for around a few weeks, so long as they are kept in the refrigerator.

If you're looking to creatively serve your pickled mango instead of simply chowing down on them straight from the fridge, try enjoying them alongside vegetables in a quick-pickled mango with tender greens recipe. This involves using the zesty pickling liquid to brighten up the greens, creating a harmonious, delicious meal that's even vegan-friendly. Or, if you're looking to upgrade your summertime picnic, try a homemade pickled mango radish slaw. This tangy dish will pair perfectly with your grilled meats or vegetables, creating a refreshing meal for the warm days ahead. So, next time you have some unripe mangoes on your hands, make lemonade out of lemons and try pickling them for a versatile snack and side dish.