Amba (Iraqi-Israeli Pickled Mango Sauce)

Amba is a tangy, turmeric-yellow pickled mango sauce that traveled with Iraqi Jewish immigrants to Israel, where it’s now a staple drizzle on sabich and falafel. The flavor is sour, salty, and a little funky, with a background mustard-seed warmth. A spoonful wakes up almost any sandwich.

Ingredients

• 2 firm, slightly underripe mangoes, peeled and diced
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground fenugreek
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

1. Simmer the mango.
   Combine mango and water in a saucepan and simmer 10 minutes, until just softened.
2. Toast the spices.
   In a dry pan, toast mustard seeds until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add to the mango along with turmeric, fenugreek, cayenne, and garlic.
3. Season and reduce.
   Stir in vinegar, salt, and sugar. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened.
4. Blend.
   Purée with an immersion blender to your preferred texture — smooth or slightly chunky.
5. Cool and store.
   Cool completely before transferring to a jar; flavor deepens after a day in the fridge.