Amba A Spicy And Savory Mango Condiment

Although this is posted in response to a recipe request, i'm also posting this for myself, since it really is time i started making this yummy, spicy sauce. i normally do not like mangoes, but i do like amba, espcially drizzled on my felafel. this recipe comes from one of my hebrew cookbooks, matanot mehamitbach (gifts from the kitchen) by gil hovav, one of israel's foremost foodies, translation courtesy of me ;-) just beware, if you injest even average quantities of this stuff, the fenugreek will add a certain je n'ai c'est quoi to your body odor. fenugreek is good for you, but not in every way... cooking time is also sunning time.

Steps

Wash the mangoes well and cut them up into slices the size of your pinky finger.

Salt well and place the slices into a large jar.

Close the jar and place it in a sunny spot for 4 to 5 days to release all the liquid in the fruit.

At the end of this time the mangoes should be a very light , yellow color.

Drain , saving the liquid.

Allow the mango slices to dry , preferably in the sun , for 3 to 4 hours.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of corn oil in a pot , and add all the ingredients up to the garlic.

Cook and constantly stir for a few seconds , until the spices begin to pop and make tiny explosive noises.

Boil the mango liquid and add this to the heated spice mixture.

Add the mango and the chopped garlic.

Stir , and continue cooking for 5 minutes on a low flame.

Make sure the mixture does not dry out too much.

Remove from the flame and let cool completely.

Divide the mixture among 4 one-cup jars.

Cover with the corn oil and seal.

Amba is delicious with felafel , meat , fish , a.

Ingredients

green mangoes, salt, corn oil, mustard seeds, cumin seed, dried red pepper, ground fenugreek, hot paprika, turmeric, garlic