Amba is a sweet and sour mango sauce which is a common topping on sabich and falafel. It can be purchased in supermarkets in Israel, and if this is one step too far to make a sauce, mango chutney works just as well.
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 unripe (green) mangoes (you should have no trouble finding these in the supermarket…), peeled and diced
- 200 ml (a little more then ¾ cup) water
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
- 1 heaped teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
In a small saucepan, gently heat the sugar with the lemon juice and vinegar, until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the mango pieces along with water and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the pieces are very soft.
In a separate frying pan or saucepan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the turmeric, cumin, fenugreek and some salt and mix well.
Transfer all the ingredients to a blender and whizz until smooth. Set aside to cool. Can be stored in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
