Amba Sauce
Amba sauce arrived to Israel from Iraq. It is a sauce similar to Indian mango chutney containing pickled green mango and a mixture of spices. "Amba" means "mango" in some Indian dialects, so that stresses the fact that its roots are in India. Amba can be found in Israel at every falafel or shawarma stall, and it is an essential addition to sabich. If you have difficulties to find a descent amba in your surroundings or you are a "do-it-yourself" person, this recipe is for you.
One thing to keep in mind: amba contains some strong spices that tend to evaporate through body sweat, so extensive consumption may affect your social integration.
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1 Kg (2 lbs 3 oz) raw green mango
salt
1 lemon or 1/2 tsp lemon salt
1 tbsp. turmeric
2 tsp. dry ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tbsp. sumac
3 tbsps. fenugreek
Preparation time: 10 minutes + 3 days soaking
Difficulty level: Easy
Ingredients
Preparation
Peel the mango and cut into thin slices.
Soak the mango in salty water (1 tsp. salt per 1 cup water) for 3 days, changing the water every day. On the last day keep the water.
Mix all the spices. Add some mango water and juice of the lemon or lemon salt.
Add the mango and some more salty water (if it is too salty, add regular water).
Sterilize a glass jar for pickles and put everything in. Keep in the fridge. Amba reaches the best taste after several weeks.
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