afoona
Homemade Amba - Iraqi Mango Spread
Sauces

Homemade Amba - Iraqi Mango Spread

Homemade amba – a spicy-tangy mango spread that originated with the Jews of Iraq. Essential for sabich, shawarma and pitas. Bold in seasoning and powerful in flavor.

⏱ 1 hr 5 min🍽 4 servings 🌍 Middle Eastern👩‍🍳 Afoona
⚖ Pareve🥬 Vegetarian🌱 Vegan🌾 Gluten-free

👨‍🍳 Method

  1. 1
    Peel the mango and cut it into fine dice.
    PeelerKnifeCutting board
  2. 2
    Toss the mango in a bowl with salt, let stand 30 minutes, then squeeze it and discard the liquid.
    Bowl
  3. 3
    Heat the oil in a small pot.
    ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveSmall saucepan
  4. 4
    Add the turmeric, cumin, hot paprika and sweet paprika and fry half a minute.
    ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
    💡The spices go into the hot oil for only half a minute: burnt turmeric turns bitter.
    💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
  5. 5
    Add the mango and fry 5 minutes, stirring.
    ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
  6. 6
    Add the vinegar, sugar and water.
  7. 7
    Turn down the heat and simmer 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mango softens and thickens.
    ⚙ SimmeringStove
    💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
  8. 8
    Blend with an immersion blender into a smooth spread, cool and store in a jar in the fridge up to 3 weeks.
    Stick blenderJarRefrigerator
133calories
1 gprotein
16 gcarbs
7 gfat
● protein 3%● carbs 49%● fat 49%

Per serving (229 g), of 4 servings

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (9) · 🍳 One cooking vessel

  • Refrigerator · Also works: Freezer (Chills faster; don't let it freeze) · Ice bath (Ice bath)
  • Stick blender · Also works: Blender (Blend in batches in a blender; more dishes, careful with the heat) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Masher (Coarse texture)
  • Stove · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
  • Small saucepan · Also works: Pot (None) · Frying pan (A deep pan for sauces)
  • Cutting board · Also works: Plate (Large plate, dulls the knife)
  • Knife · Also works: Food processor (Fast, less control over size) · Kitchen shears (For herbs/dough)
  • Bowl · Also works: Pot (None)
  • Peeler · Also works: Paring knife (Wastes more of the fruit, slow)
  • Jar · Also works: Storage container (None)

By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.

🧩 Built from…

Amba

🧩 Another 2 recipes based on Amba

Homemade Amba – Spiced Mango SpreadHomemade Iraqi Amba

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