Atomic orange atchar is fiery empowerment that really hits the hot spot

We savour the Limpopo variety of the spicy mango pickle that is loved in SA

- TGIFOOD Anna Trapido

The word “achar” is derived from the Hindi word for spice-preserved fruit and/or vegetables.

In KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, achar often retains its traditional Indian spelling and ingredient diversity in condiments such as kumquat achar, carrot achar and wedding achar.

In the northern provinces, this definition no longer applies. When black South Africans from Limpopo, North West, Gauteng or Mpumalanga refer to achar/achaar/atchar/atchaar (the spelling has mutated in multiple ways) they mean only the fabulously fiery, Afro-Indian relish made from green mangos topped with atomic orange-coloured oil. Let us call this fusion form “Limpopo atchar” because it is probably where it was born and where most of the mangos used to make it grow. So, Limpopo atchar it is.

It is seldom if ever eaten with Indian or Indian diaspora cuisine, but is rather a staple of black South African street food. Soweto starches and proteins pop in the presence of Limpopo atchar.

No plate of pap or a kota-style sandwich is complete without this fingerand shirt-staining delicacy. Every corner café sells little red-lid tubs at the till. Commuter hub vendors serving snacks from buckets offer it as an accompaniment.

I suspect it is a mid-20th century culinary co-creation of Northern Transvaal Indian traders and Venda and Pedi people. Modern mangos of the kind sold in supermarkets have been selectively bred to be string-free, soft and supersweet with a long shelf life. They are visually flawless but frequently fall flat in flavour.