Baby Mangoes in Brine

As a child, I used to stand by my mother's side when she used to pickle baby mangoes. The sight of miniature mangoes being poured into pickle jars was always a treat to watch and the baby mangoes Were fun to eat. Raw baby mangoes are approximately 12 mm. to 25 mm. (½" to 1") in size and are available just before the mango season begins i.e. before summers. You will find these at specialty vegetable vendors, so look out for them. Baby mangoes can be pickled using any mango pickle recipe or they can be preserved in brine (which is a salt solution). I personally like to preserve them in brine. The mangoes stay crisp and firm with a predominantly salty taste. You can drain out the brine preserved mangoes and combine them with pickling spices and oil to make a quick, out-of-season baby mango pickle. While brining these mangoes, be careful to retain the small stalks of the baby mangoes. They help to preserve the mangoes for a longer period. However, if you do not find baby mangoes, use raw mango pieces which taste just as good but do not look as pretty and petite.