Amba

Name: Amba
Prep time: 1 h 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Cuisine: Iraqi/Israeli
Ingredients: Green (unripe) mangoes, peeled and grated — 400 g (14 oz); Mustard seeds, toasted and ground — 10 g (1 tbsp); Ground turmeric — 10 g (1 tbsp); Ground fenugreek — 3 g (1 tsp); White wine vinegar — 60 ml (1/4 cup); Salt — 10 g (2 tsp); Sugar — 10 g (2 tsp); Neutral oil — 30 ml (2 tbsp)

The Quirky Foodster Team

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20 min (plus 1 hr salting)

Prep

15 min

Cook

Ingredients

Green (unripe) mangoes, peeled and grated — 400 g (14 oz)
Mustard seeds, toasted and ground — 10 g (1 tbsp)
Ground turmeric — 10 g (1 tbsp)
Ground fenugreek — 3 g (1 tsp)
White wine vinegar — 60 ml (1/4 cup)
Salt — 10 g (2 tsp)
Sugar — 10 g (2 tsp)
Neutral oil — 30 ml (2 tbsp)

Method

Toss grated mango with salt in a bowl; let sit 1 hour to draw out excess liquid, then drain.
Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat; add mustard seed, turmeric and fenugreek, toasting briefly for 30 seconds until
fragrant.
Add drained mango, vinegar and sugar; simmer gently 10-15 minutes until slightly softened and well combined.
Let cool, then adjust salt, sugar and vinegar to reach a balanced sweet-tart-tangy flavour.
Store in a sealed jar; flavour improves after a few days.

Cultural Background: A tangy, tart pickled mango sauce with mustard seed and turmeric, amba was brought to the Levant and Israel by Iraqi Jewish immigrants in the mid-20th century, its name derived from the Hindi word for mango, reflecting the sauce's South Asian trade-route origins.

Tips: • Using truly unripe, firm green mangoes is essential — ripe mangoes will turn the sauce overly sweet and mushy. • Toasting the spices briefly before adding liquid blooms their flavour significantly.

Variations: • Add a fresh chile for a spicier version, common in some Israeli iterations. • Adjust sweetness and tartness ratios to personal taste, as amba varies widely by household.

Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 1 month.

Reheating: Not applicable; served cold or at room temperature. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 25 kcal, 0.2 g protein, 1 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate per 15 g serving.

FAQs: What is amba traditionally served with? Sabich (an Israeli eggplant and egg sandwich), falafel, and shawarma. Can I use ripe mangoes instead? Unripe green mangoes are essential for the correct tart, pickled flavour — ripe mangoes won't give the same result.