Ambate(Amte) Midi Uppinakayi(Pickle)

Ingredients:
50 Tender Ziziphus Mauritiana / Hog Plum / Ber / Ambate(Amte) Midi
3/4 cup Coarse Salt
3/4 - 1 cup Pickle Masala
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Oil
Pinch of Asafoetida powder

Recipe:

Clean and wipe the using a clean cotton cloth.

Put around 20 tender Ambates in a porcelain jar(Bharani) or glass jar or plastic jar and add around 1/4 cup of salt. Similarly repeat this step for remaining Ambates.

Cover one plastic sheet, place one heavy stone(cleanly washed and dried) on top of it as shown in the picture below.

Cover the lid properly and keep it for about 5-6 days. Once in a day mix them well and cover the lid properly by placing the plastic sheet and stone. Remove the Ambates from salt water and keep them aside for about 1-2 hrs.

Prepare the pickle masala(Around 3/4 cup masala) as mentioned in Mavina Midi Uppinakayi recipe.

Transfer this ground masala to a vessel containing Ambates and mix them well. Add the salt water(boiled and cooled) if required. Transfer this pickle to another clean porcelain/glass/plastic airtight jar. Add little amount of ground masala on top of it. Add little amount of salt, cover the lid tightly. This can be used after a day. For longer shelf life store it in a refrigerator.
Put 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp oil in a pan and heat. Once it starts spluttering, add asafoetida powder, keep it for few seconds and then add it to pickle. Mix well before serving. It goes well with rice, dosas, etc.