Amba Sauce
Amba is a tasty mango sauce, traditionally eaten in Israel and parts of the Middle East. It can be used as a condiment, dip or spread and is traditionally served with sabich or falafel. Its taste is similar to an Indian mango chutney.
Some recipes call for salting or pickling the mangoes beforehand using unripened green mangoes. This is a quicker version using fresh mangoes and instead of cooking them, this recipe blends the fresh mango pulp with a fragrant spiced oil to preserve the vibrancy and flavour of the sauce.
Whilst mangoes are best in summer, you can still find them ripened at your local supermarket. If in summer, try finding Kesar or Alphonso mangoes from your local veg shop or market.
Ingredients
2 ripe mangoes skin off and diced
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 small green chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1 teaspoon sumac
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons of olive oil Salt to taste
Method
Peel, de-stone and dice flesh of mangoes
Blitz the mango flesh in a blender to a purée
Meanwhile gently warm up the olive oil and add in the garlic, chilli and then all spices
Cook this on a low heat for 1-2 minutes to remove rawness from garlic and infuse the oil with the spice
Add the fragrant oil to the fresh mango and blitz
Finally add in the apple cider vinegar for sharpness and season with salt to taste
Written by Ben Hall
Ben is a Bristol-based chef who, when not working in a busy kitchen, enjoys discovering new food and music. Inspired by the street food of the Middle East, Ben started the Hachi achi! kitchen during lockdown to share his passion for food and bring some happiness to the people of Bristol. You can find more about him at @hachi.achi or place an order here.
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