Pickled Mango

Pikake21's Note:

One of my very very favorite snacks! I always make sure that I stock up on these when I'm in Hawai'i. I found the recipe on one of the best foodie sites out there: tsogb (the scent of green bananas). Thanks Santos! Storing here, so that I will have the recipe forever and ever and can make pickled mangoes until I'm blue in the face :) (Just to be clear, these are not the ones that are "dyed" red in color...let me know if you need help with a recipe for that one!)

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 jars?

• 4 cups green mangoes, peeled, depitted, and cut into spears (note you'll want unripe ones, not immature ones, which will be too acidic)
• 1 pint vinegar (i use apple cider vinegar for something more piquant, rice wine vinegar when i want it mellow)
• 1 -1 1/2 cup sugar (white or brown, your choice)
• 1/4 cup kosher salt (you can omit the salt if you want, and use less sugar)
• water

optional spices to taste

• fresh chili pepper (i use green arbol or serranos) (optional)
• 1 slice fresh ginger (optional)
• whole star anise (optional)
• fennel seed (optional)
• cinnamon stick (optional)
• cracked peppercorn (optional)

Directions:

1. Pack mangoes into clean, widemouth jars.
2. Tuck a couple of chili peppers in with the mangoes.
3. Set aside.
4. Mix vinegar, sugar, salt and any spices you'd like to use in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
5. Stir constantly, until all the sugar and salt has dissolved, and the mixture becomes a bit syrupy.
6. Pour evenly over mangoes (if they are divided between jars, put equal amounts of syrup in each jar).
7. Fill the jars with enough water to just cover the mangoes.
8. Seal tightly, shake to mix, then refrigerate for several days, turning bottles intermittently.
9. Three days seems to be fine, but can take up to a week.
10. Keeps for an indeterminate length of time.