Amba: Levantine mango sauce
I’ve only really known Amba since I tried the delicious Sabich breakfast sandwich for the first time. I take a hearty bite into the sandwich and taste the eggplant, eggs, hummus, tahini and something else. Something I’ve never seen before in this combination with hummus and tahini: a wonderfully fruity, slightly spicy and really complex mango sauce. Wow, I’ve been in love ever since!
What is Amba?
Like the inventor of the Sabich sandwich, Amba originally comes from Iraq. And the original mango sauce is made from fermented mangoes. The mangoes are stored in a container with a lot of salt for a few days before being processed further. I shorten my recipe a little and leave out the fermentation. I know it’s not quite original, but it still tastes great!
Would you like to find out more about the Levante? Then take a look at my article on Levantine cuisine and try out all the recipes.
Ingredients for the fruity sauce
Amba not only lives from the fruity taste of the mango, but also from a few other exquisite ingredients. As well as mustard seeds, I also briefly roast fenugreek seeds in a pan. I no longer crush the seeds, but leave it all to my blender. It also contains turmeric and a good portion of harissa for spiciness.
You will need the following ingredients for the mango sauce amba (you will find the exact quantities below in the recipe card):
- ripe mangoes (but not too soft)
- Lemon or lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Fenugreek seeds
- Mustard seeds
- Turmeric (ground)
- Cumin (ground)
- Harissa
- Red wine vinegar
- Salt
When buying ingredients and especially spices, make sure they are of particularly good quality. Because only with fruity mangoes and aromatic spices can the sauce become a culinary highlight.
Making your own mango sauce – the preparation
Amba is traditionally prepared with fermented mangoes. But I’m too impatient for that. If you have the time and feel like experimenting, try the recipe with fermented fruit for more flavor and let me know in the comments if it works and, above all, how it tastes.
Preparing amba is really easy:
- Peel the mango and cut the flesh from the stone.
- Briefly roast the fenugreek and mustard seeds.
- Squeeze the lemon and peel the garlic.
- Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend well – done.
Are you expecting guests soon or are you visiting somewhere soon? Then make several portions straight away, because the amba sauce makes an excellent small, golden and above all delicious gift.
Amba tastes good with …
Of course, sabich is predestined for amba, but you can also combine the spicy mango sauce with hummus or serve it as a dip with kibbeh, falafel, grilled meat, vegetables, fish or simply with vegetable sticks. Your guests will love them!
What is the shelf life of the dip?
If you fill the amba sauce into sterile jars, it will keep for about 5 days in the fridge. It is certainly possible to boil down the sauce, but I haven’t tried that yet.
I prefer to make Amba fresh and then the jar doesn’t last long. Especially when the barbecue season has started.
Are you now curious about the fruity sauce? Then grab a mango and get started right away!
I hope you enjoy preparing them and, of course, bon appétit.
Recipe for amba – mango sauce from the Levant
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Mango (ca. 650g inkl. Kern) nicht zu weich
- 1/2 Zitrone
- 2 EL Olivenöl
- 1 Knoblauchzehe
- 1 TL Bockshornkleesamen
- 1 TL Senfsamen
- 2 TL Kurkuma gemahlen
- 1/2 Tl Cumin gemahlen
- 2 TL Harissa
- 2 EL Rotweinessig
- Salz
Zubereitung
- Mango schälen und das Fruchtfleisch vom Kern schneiden.
- Bockshornklee- und Senfsamen kurz in einer Pfanne ohne Öl anrösten.
- Zitrone auspressen. Knoblauch schälen.
- Alle Zutaten in einen Mixer geben und ordentlich pürieren und anschließend in ein verschließbares Glas geben. Amba ist ca. 5 Tage im Kühlschrank haltbar.
Notes
Nährwerte
Fancy more classic recipes from the Levant? Then try makali or shish kebab.
Can I use frozen mangoes for this?
Hey Babo,
yes, you can use frozen mango as well. However, allow the mango to defrost before preparing.
Best regards
Rafik