There are all kinds of pickled mango recipes, let alone pickled mango being sold in shops and roadsides. Some folks like theirs on the wet, soupy side. Some like it light and very basic, or vinegary. Some like it almost dry.
The pickled mango at Marukin Market on Liliha Street wasn't part of my plans. But after having dinner with my brother, we wandered into the store next door. Kimo insisted on buying me a bowl of the Marukin pickled mango.
I didn't taste it until later. It was sweet and tart, and I hadn't seen this much pickled mango juice in a container ever. It wasn't my favorite of all time, but still very good.
I learned soon enough this was more than very good. A couple of days later, I arose from a nap and had one of those headaches I only get when I'm feeling dehydrated. I drank more water. Did not help. The headache began to get worse. I was dreading this. It was around a decade ago when I got so dehydrated that I had to stay in a hospital overnight. The lingering headache lasted for three days, a throbbing, splitting pain that was so bad, I had to crawl back to the car when I got halfway to my car when I left the hospital.
I took a look at the pickled mango and went for it. I ate three or four pieces. I drank the juice. WOH. I felt better immediately. I drank more. I'd heard of people drinking pickle juice or eating mustard or potato chips to curtail muscle cramps. But I think this pickled mango juice worked because of the salt, and maybe the vinegar. Salt is an electrolyte, and no matter how much water I was ingesting, it didn't have what my body needed.
I drank more pickle juice, the pain in my head subsided 95%. I still craved more salt*. I ended up having a #3 Taco Supreme deal at Taco Bell, and that helped, too.
Maybe the pickled mango juice had nothing to do with it. Maybe my body was already recovering slowly after drinking water. But I'm 99.99% sure it had to do with the juice. I'm probably going to stock up a bit as long as this humid, hot summer lasts.
Marukin Market
1717 Liliha St, Honolulu, HI 96817
Hours: 7 a.m.-9:15 p.m. (closed Sunday)
Hours: 7 a.m.-9:15 p.m. (closed Sunday)
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