How to Dry Raw Mangoes for Long Time Storage

Raw Mango season is here. We get lots of raw mangoes from the mango tree from our garden and use them every day at home cooking. However, the season is limited and we want to have the raw mango flavor all year round. So, we dry the raw mangoes and store them in glass bottles for latter use.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to dry raw mangoes for long time storage

Pluck about one kilograms of raw mangoes from the tree. If you do not have a tree, you can buy in bulk during the season, but make sure they are fresh.

Cut the raw mangoes into large pieces. Usually we cut a mango into four pieces. Seeds are not fully formed in these mangoes and there is no need to remove the raw seeds from them.

Wash, clean and dry a large glass or plastic jar. Fill the mango pieces in the jar and add about 50 grams of crstal salt on top. Close the lid and shake well so that the salt is distributed evenly.

Keep the mango filled jar in full sun light for about three days. In the first day itself you will find that the liquid from the mango pieces are drawn out and mixed with the salt. Shake the container well two or three times a day so that all mango pieces are soaked in the salt water inside.

Do not keep this for more than three days in the sun.

After three days, open the jar and take take out only the mango pieces. You can leave the liquid in the jar, which can be used for seasoning another batch of mangoes.

These mango pieces are fully seasoned in salt. Spread them on a clean cotton cloth and again keep them in the sun for about three more days. Rotate the mango pieces regularly, so that the drying is uniform.

After three days, you need to move them inside and keep them open for air drying. Normally this may take about ten days. Occasional turning of these pieces by hand can help in even drying.

After about ten days of air drying, the mango pieces are ready for long time storage. The pieces are soft, taste salt & sour and can be eaten raw also. They can be stored in a clean, sun-dried glass bottle for more than a year like dried spices and can be used in cooking like fresh raw mangoes.