Amchoor
{{Short description|Dried unripe mango powder}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
Amchoor ({{lang|hi|{{Script|Deva|आमचूर}}}}, {{translit|hi|āmacūra}}), also aamchur, amchur or mango powder, is a fruity spice powder made from dried unripe green mangoes. A citrusy seasoning, it is mostly produced in India. In addition to its use as a seasoning{{cite web|title=Kitchen Dictionary: amchoor powder|url=http://www.food.com/library/amchoor-powder-604|publisher=Scripps Networks|access-date=1 October 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theawl.com/2017/11/use-the-amchur/|title=Use The Amchur|website=The Awl|language=en|access-date=2019-09-12}} it adds the nutritional benefits of mangoes when the fresh fruit is out of season.{{cite web|title=Health Benefits of Amchur|url=http://www.valuefood.info/food/herbs-and-spices/nutrition-health-benefits-spices/health-benefits-of-amchur-or-raw-mango-powder/|website=Value Food|access-date=4 July 2014}}
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.{{cite web|title=What Is Amchoor?|url=http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-amchoor.htm|publisher=wiseGEEK|access-date=1 October 2013}}
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.{{cite web|title=Amchoor|url=http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/amchoor-powder|publisher=The Spice House|access-date=1 October 2013}}
Amchoor is a predominant flavouring agent used in Indian dishes{{cite web|title=Amchoor|url=http://www.hosindia.com/our-products/spices/amchoor.aspx|publisher=The Laxmi|access-date=1 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005022523/http://www.hosindia.com/our-products/spices/amchoor.aspx|archive-date=5 October 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} 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.{{cite news|last=Datta|first=Tanya|title=Add zing to your food with amchoor|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-11/diet/30114879_1_mango-spice-powder|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004232013/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-11/diet/30114879_1_mango-spice-powder|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 October 2013|access-date=1 October 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=11 September 2011}} Amchoor is also a primary component of chaat masala, an Indian spice mix.{{Cite book|last=Lakshmi|first=Padma|title=The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs|publisher=HarperCollins|date=4 October 2016|isbn=9780062375247|pages=24}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web|title=Definition of Amchoor by the Free Online Dictionary|url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Amchoor|publisher=The Free Dictionary|access-date=1 October 2013}}
{{Herbs & spices}}
{{mangoes}}