Amchoor

Amchoor or aamchur or amchur, also referred to as mango powder, is a fruity spice powder made from dried unripe green mangoes and is used as a citrusy seasoning. It is mostly produced in India, and is used to flavour foods^[1]^[2] and add the nutritional benefits of mangoes when the fresh fruit is out of season.^[3]

Preparation

To make amchoor, early-season mangoes are harvested while still green and unripe. Once harvested, the green mangoes are peeled, thinly sliced, and sun-dried. The dried slices, which are light brown and resemble strips of woody bark, can be purchased whole and ground by the individual at home, but the majority of the slices processed in this way are ground into fine powder and sold as ready-made amchoor.^[4]

Use

It has a honey-like fragrance and a sour fruity flavour and is a tart pale-beige-to-brownish powder. It is used in dishes where acidity is required, in stir fried vegetable dishes, soups, curries, and to tenderize meat and poultry. It is used to add a fruit flavour without adding moisture, or as a souring agent, and lends an acidic taste to the foods.^[5]

Amchoor is a predominant flavouring agent used in Indian dishes^[6] where it is used to add a sour tangy fruity flavour without moisture. It is used to flavour samosa and pakora fillings, stews and soups, fruit salads and pastries, curries, chutneys, pickles and dals and to tenderize meats, poultry, and fish. It is added to marinades for meat and poultry as an enzymatic tenderizer and lends its sourness to chutneys and pickles.^[7] Amchoor is also a primary component of chaat masala, an Indian spice mix.^[8]

References

^ "Kitchen Dictionary: amchoor powder". Scripps Networks. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
^ "Use The Amchur". The Awl. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
^ "Health Benefits of Amchur". Value Food. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
^ "What Is Amchoor?". wiseGEEK. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
^ "Amchoor". The Spice House. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
^ "Amchoor". The Laxmi. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
^ Datta, Tanya (11 September 2011). "Add zing to your food with amchoor". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
^ Lakshmi, Padma (4 October 2016). The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs. HarperCollins. p. 24. ISBN 9780062375247.