Homemade Mango Atchar
This Homemade Mango Atchar recipe brings a sharp, spicy crunch to the Christmas table without asking you to spend the morning at the stove. Firm green mangoes are the starting point: their sour flesh stays pleasantly crunchy beneath the chilli, mustard seeds and fragrant oil.
Atchar is a familiar favourite on many South African tables, with family recipes varying in heat, spice and texture. This small-batch version uses vinegar and a short rest in the fridge, rather than a traditional sun-maturing method.
For a hot South African Christmas, serve a little alongside boerewors, cold roast chicken or a bean salad. Make it the day before so the flavours can settle, then keep it chilled until lunch is ready.
Ingredients
Mango
Spiced oil and vinegar
Instructions
- 1Wash the mangoes thoroughly and dry them. Leave the skins on if tender and unblemished, or peel them if tough. Cut the flesh away from the stones on a sturdy board, then cut into roughly 1.5 cm pieces. Do not try to chop through the hard stones. Weigh out 750 g of prepared mango.
- 2Toss the mango with the salt in a non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through.
- 3Wash two approximately 500 ml glass jars and their lids in hot, soapy water, rinse well and allow to dry completely. These are for refrigerated storage, not shelf-stable bottling.
- 4Drain the mango in a colander and discard the released liquid. Do not rinse. Pat the pieces dry with clean kitchen paper and place in a clean, dry bowl.
- 5Heat the sunflower oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds and cook for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to sizzle. Avoid browning the fenugreek deeply, as it becomes bitter.
- 6Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the bubbling subside for about 1 minute, then stir in the ground coriander, chilli powder and turmeric. Leave the spiced oil to cool to room temperature.
- 7Stir the vinegar into the mango, then add the cooled spiced oil, scraping in all the spices. Mix thoroughly so that every piece is coated.
- 8Spoon into the clean, dry jars, sharing the liquid between them and leaving a little space at the top. Close the lids and refrigerate immediately.
- 9Leave in the fridge for 12–24 hours before serving, turning the closed jars gently once or twice to redistribute the dressing. Use a clean spoon each time and eat within 4 days of making.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 61 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 4.5 g
- Protein
- 0.3 g
- Fat
- 4.8 g
- Saturated fat
- 0.5 g
- Sugar
- 3.4 g
- Fibre
- 0.6 g
- Sodium
- 197 mg
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Make the atchar on Christmas Eve. The hands-on preparation takes about 25 minutes, but allow another 2 hours for salting, time for the oil to cool and 12–24 hours of refrigerated resting.
- Choose hard, sour, unripe mangoes. Green skin alone is not a reliable guide: the flesh should be firm rather than sweet and juicy.
- For a hot Christmas lunch, put out a small serving bowl and keep the main jar in the fridge at 4°C or colder. Discard portions left out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when temperatures exceed 32°C.
- Serve as a punchy condiment beside braaied meat, sandwiches or salads. Start with a small spoonful; it is deliberately salty, sour and spicy.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ripe mangoes?
Not for this recipe. Ripe mangoes soften too easily and give a sweeter result. Firm unripe mangoes provide the characteristic sourness and crunch.
Can I store the jars in the cupboard?
No. This is a fresh, refrigerated atchar, not a tested canning recipe. Neither the vinegar nor the oil makes it shelf-stable. Keep it refrigerated from the day it is made and use within 4 days; do not leave it in the sun to mature.
Can I make it less hot?
Yes. Use 5 ml chilli powder rather than 10 ml, and choose a mild variety. Keep the vinegar and salt quantities unchanged. The mustard and other spices will still give it plenty of flavour.
