Quick Pickled Amba

Quick Pickled Amba
Sarah Anne Ward for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Paola Andrea.
Total Time
30 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
4(148)
Comments
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Adeena Sussman developed this brilliant recipe for amba, the habit-forming, hot and sour salt-cured mango pickle that usually takes several days to prepare. Ms. Sussman, a cookbook author who lives in Tel Aviv, completes the process in just 40 minutes, and adds an unusual ingredient that mimics the flavors of a longer fermentation: fish sauce. Make the quick pickle in the dead of winter with green, unripe mangoes, then use it to brighten up anything from a simple piece of sautéed fish to a bowl of rice and vegetables. —Tejal Rao

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Ingredients

Yield:About 2½ cups
  • 1pound unripe, green-skinned mango (about 1 large or 2 medium)
  • 1medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 1jalapeño, chopped (seeds included)
  • 2tablespoons kosher salt
  • 3garlic cloves, chopped
  • teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
  • 1teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1teaspoon ground fenugreek
  • ½teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1teaspoon fish sauce
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

195 calories; 2 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 35 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 756 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Peel the mango, and grate the fruit on the large holes of a box grater, directly into a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups water, the onion, jalapeño, salt, garlic, mustard seeds, turmeric, fenugreek, cumin and paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mango and onion have softened and the liquid has reduced slightly, about 20 minutes. (If the mangoes aren’t very juicy and the pan starts to dry out before the fruit has softened, add a splash of water so the mixture can cook for the full 20 minutes without burning on the bottom of the pan.)

  2. Step 2

    Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then stir in the lemon juice and fish sauce. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth and glossy. Chill before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

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4 out of 5
148 user ratings
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Comments

Fish sauce, an umami source, was discovered independently by several cultures - the Romans had garum - but production is now limited almost exclusively to Southeast Asia. I doubt that it's in the original recipe, inspired by Indian raw mango pickles, which use spices in greater amounts: "Aamba" (Marathi) and "Aam"(Hindi) are two native words for mango in India, to which mangoes are native. Ottolenghi's amba recipe is vegan. If you wish, try the alternative umami source soy sauce.

I really like Red Boat or Tiparos brands.

Can you leave the fish sauce out? If not, Can I use anything else as I am a vegetarian.

Mine was so salty as to be inedible, don't know what I did wrong. Followed recipe precisely.

@Elizabeth I was in the same boat. Bizarrely salty, beyond a difference in saltiness preference. We ended up making a salt-less half batch to salvage the whole thing. For anyone reading, definitely cut the salt a good deal.

Can I freeze this?

Tejal Rao, are you using ground fenugreek seeds or ground fenugreek leaves in this recipe?

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Credits

Adapted from “Sababa” by Adeena Sussman (Avery, 2019)

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