India's most Googled: Nostalgia, health concerns, social media push mango pickle to the top

Who can resist ‘How to make most delicious mango pickle in 5 minutes?’ or ‘Make mango pickle step by step with pictures’? (Photo by Santosh Raulo via Unsplash)

In its annual roundup of top trending searches, Google reveals that the recipe for mango pickle has claimed the number one spot on India's list for 2023. Despite the perplexing presence of other recipes like ‘Sex on the Beach’ cocktail (equal parts vodka, orange juice and cranberry juice, and a generous dash of peach schnapps) on the same culinary list, the surge in searches for mango pickle recipes prompted us to delve into the culinary curiosity gripping the nation.

The Google Trends data shows a spike in searches for mango pickle recipes, particularly peaking in November. Detailed analysis reveals that Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, and Telangana were the regions most fervently seeking this tangy indulgence.

(Photo by Kelsey Todd via Unsplash)

The prominence of mango pickle in the search trends raises questions about whether Indians are wholeheartedly embracing the art of pickling year-round. However, as explained by an unofficial source at Google (the company officially doesn’t explain its lists), trending searches reflect user interests influenced by time, season, and location, rather than sheer search volume.

Why November? I asked a Goan friend who said she had no clue why November tingled the Goan search for mango pickle recipe. “I have mango pickle bottles in my fridge – all store bought.” Mango pickle is probably the most common pickle that we, as a nation, consume.

Traditionally, pickling used to be done for a reason. Krish Ashok, author of Masala Lab, said, “Pickles are obviously a good way to preserve things, particularly seasonal things like mangoes that won’t be available for the rest of the year. And pickling was way more common in a home setting in a pre-refrigeration era.” Now that we have fridges in most households, we don’t have to pickle as much and then, there is the convenience of store-bought ones.

Offering insight into the contemporary surge in pickle recipes, Ashok suggests that health-conscious consumers, driven by concerns about salt and preservatives, are rediscovering traditional pickling techniques. Social media plays a pivotal role in disseminating these methods, connecting enthusiasts with recipes.

Purobi Kagti, the creative force behind Pickle Project—a boutique brand offering a range of pickles—often shares her expertise on Instagram. She and her daughter Shivani Kagti have been pickling brinjal, chillies, cabbage, chicken and pork in a style that’s uncommon to Bengaluru, where the duo is based. Mango pickles were initially omitted from their offerings due to its common availability, but customer demand led them to make both sweet and sour varieties, the latter made from sun-dried mango pieces. They sell them at popup markets and fairs in the city.

The recipes have been passed on from Purobi’s mother and mother-in-law, who were both accomplished ‘picklers’. Purobi recalled, “My mother-in-law would use the typical Assamese raw mangoes which are small in size. She would cut them up in big pieces and would have a process in drying the pieces, alternately in the sun and under the bed! Too much sun and the mango’s texture become like leather. The art is in drying the mango pieces, after which we make the pickle using spices and mustard oil.”

Purobi Kagti with Pickle Project's pickles.

Making pickles, according to her, is popular during the mango season because mangoes are everywhere. “Traditionally, we pickle whenever there was a surplus of the ingredient,” she said. “Years back I used to live on tea estates, people would hunt wild boar and there would be so much surplus meat that they would pickle it. I learned pickling pork from them.”

The popularity of pickle-making isn’t limited to surplus mangoes or the growing awareness of what goes in a store-bought pickle; bloggers and influencers have contributed significantly to the trend. Utilizing SEO-friendly keywords, they enhance visibility and garner quick responses from search engines. Who can resist ‘How to make most delicious mango pickle in 5 minutes?’ or ‘Make mango pickle step by step with pictures’? Someone would probably click on the recipe even if it’s to simply watch. While the Google Trends tool reflects the ebb and flow of user interests, it remains to be seen whether the surge in searches translates into a tangible increase in homemade mango pickle. For instance, there may probably be a spike in the search for mango pickle recipes at a certain time on a certain day of December, thanks to yours truly. But would there be mango pickle to show for it? Not really.