A tangy, spicy fermented mango condiment that is a cornerstone of Iraqi cuisine, made with unripe mangoes pickled with mustard, fenugreek, and chili, essential with falafel and shawarma.
Ingredients
4 unripe green mangoes, sliced
3 tbsp mustard seeds, ground
2 tbsp fenugreek seeds, ground
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp salt
1 cup vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
1Slice the unripe mangoes into thin wedges, salt them generously, and leave them in the sun for 2 days to partially dry and concentrate their sourness.
2Toast the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind them and mix with turmeric, chili powder, cumin, and garlic.
3Combine the dried mango slices with the spice mixture and oil, then pack into clean jars, pour vinegar over the top, and seal tightly.
4Let the amba ferment at room temperature for 5 to 7 days, shaking the jar daily, until it develops its characteristic tangy, spicy, and slightly funky flavor.
Did You Know?
Amba was brought to Iraq by Indian Jewish merchants in the 19th century and became so integral to Iraqi cuisine that when Iraqi Jews emigrated to Israel, they took the recipe and made it a staple of Israeli street food too.