recipes wanted

Jan · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Toronto Ontario

I recently purchased a tin of amchur (or mango pwder) at the fabulous Jean Talon market in Montreal. This is an Indian spice that has a faint citrus-y taste. I used it to make spiced almonds at Christmas but am looking for some other uses. Any suggestions?

Erin · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 6:03 pm Post subject:

I have been trying to find uses for it myself. I bought it because I have a chai recipe it is in, but really how much chai can one eat?
Just toss together a blend of whole spices cinnamon, clove, pepper, ginger, allspice, cardamom, anise and a bit of the amchur, mix it with loose tea and brew away! It can either be steeped in water or milk, it doesn't matter.
I hope you discover more recipes than I did, and then share!
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Rainey · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 6:36 pm Post subject:

I've never even heard of it. But (what the hell!) it sounds enticing and exotic and I've never shrunk from sticking my (dopey) neck out where it doesn't belong....

How about adding it to a risotto-style rice pudding? I think I'd line up to get a taste of that. Wink

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Erin · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 7:17 pm Post subject:

That's a good idea, maybe even a breakfast risotto. Amchur is also written as amchoor, I found it in my favorite spice shop in Seattle, Souk. I think I have seen it on Kalustyans web site as well. I only heard about it through research on Indian and Pakistani cuisine.
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"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Debbie · Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Posts: 861 Location: Paris

Found this website. Thought it might be interesting for you.

Let me know if you find any other uses. I will also ask the Indian girls at the club and see what they say about it.

www.theepicentre.com
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Jan · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Toronto Ontario

Thanks for the quick replies - esp. the eipicentre site, which gave some great suggestions. Now if only Indian food would fit into my New Year's resolution of light soups and salads!

Debbie · Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Posts: 861 Location: Paris

Hmmm, have to agree there... have to lose some weight and being so cold I crave heavy hearty creamy cheesy..... you get the picture....

I do find that the girls at the club are both very slim and they only cook and eat Indian food. Must get some recipies from them! Their cooking is so delicious that you eat way too much, but they always make a special tea for after which aids in digestion. Know it has cardomom and ginger in it and they just pour boiling water of these and leave to steep, but not sure of the quantities.

Will email them and ask for some advice and post it here when they reply.
_________________
If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

Erin · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:55 am Post subject:

Yes, yes that would be great. Love those spices.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

creampuff · Joined: 10 Mar 2005 Posts: 104 Location: Oakland, CA

http://www.theepicentre.com/Recipes/ikebab2.html

Try this website for an fish kebab recipe that looked pretty interesting. Did a yahoo search and found lots of entries, try poking around there.

I suspect you can use it in pretty much any southeast asian recipe to give things a citric or tart lift.

Have fun.

It'sTanya · Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Paris

According to my trusty Madhur Jaffrey cookbook, Amchur/Amchoor is used in North India "as freely as lemon is in American cooking." Maybe make amchoor-ade?? Ok, that might not be such a great idea. Here's a recipe for moghlai chickpeas: http://www.cooking.com/recipes/static/recipe4854.htm
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elliecake · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 17 Location: New York

What about putting it into breadcrumbs and making a breaded chicken cutlet with it? You could then make a mango chutney to go with that. I love all fruity accompaniments to mains and sides - not just desserts.
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Thank you,
Ellie

dadegroot · Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject: Re: recipes wanted

alexs · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 14 Location: London, UK

I use this occasionally in stews and casseroles to bring in a rounded rather than picuant high note, providing a gentle tanginess that isnt sour; it blends well with a variety of pod spices and roots. It tastes quite warm despite coming from what is considered a very cooling fruit. Similar to dried lime, it combines well with the rich meat dishes too, helping to balance out their deep rich lower notes. Nice spice, thanks for reminding me--I'll use it tomorrow--in a sweet potato mash or late winter /early spring thick soup, maybe some red lentil, carrot or swt pot, onion, cumin, coconut, mango powder...something, along those lines. mmm
Cheers all! Smile

Alexsandra

queenla · Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 3:10 pm Post subject: Jan's mango powder

sounds fantastically disgusting!! One of those things that you buy for the heck of it Laughing

I can't think of one reason why you would use it unless you were doing a mountain climb for a fews months including summer (from where-ever you were). It is, I suspect,one of those things-spices; tins;jars;packets- that you have when you cannot get the real thing. But-as the slow movement suggests- why want to eat powdered mango in winter when you can wait untill summer and have the real deal??
But for those occasions where reason and vaules and or circumstance leave us bereft, I can think of using it for everything from sprinkled atop a milk drink to rolling it into a dough or pancake;to blending it with coriander powder and lime leaves with a splash of coconut milk powder and mock chicken stock cube- to trying it a tin of tomatoes and bacon.
What is cooking if it is not making do with what you've got when you've got it???? Unless you have it all, all the time and then it becomes fuss-ier....or let's say more dedicated and passionate.
In summary- it has no appeal to me but now you have it and have put it in my mind I must find it and try it. Let's see...Bottom line- always good to be inspired- or is that imbibed???!!
Thanks Jan
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Dara Bunjon · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1 Location: Baltimore, MD

Amchur as mentioned above is a "sour", dried green mango that can be used where lemon, lime or tamarind or any other sour maybe used. I worked for a spice company for 4 years. Consider it on potatoes instead of sour cream or on French fries.
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