There is a special pride and happiness when you get to learn new things. Same is the situation with me. Last week the house was flooding with raw mangoes. Actually one of my uncle bought firm green raw mangoes for pickling…some went in making pickle, with some mom made aab shola and with remaining she made amchur. Let me tell you nothing can beat homemade amchur | dry mango powder.
Though my mom makes amchur at home every year during summers when raw mangoes are in produce…I never paid attention to it, till I started blogging….But every year during summers I visit my mom for 3-4 days that too to attend any family function or wedding. This year I am here for a month and so I got to see how amchur is actually made at home. Documented each and every step of this making for my future use and for you all who are interested in making amchur powder at home.
Abundant sun light is the key element in making homemade amchur powder. Perfectly dried and powdered amchur powder smells like honey and sour fruity flavour of this add punch to any required recipe. Best used to flavour the recipes like kachori, samosa, pakoda, etc., ….where amchur powder is used to impart sour flavor without moisture.
Homemade Amchur Powder
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 firm Raw Mangoes
- 2-3 tbsp. Salt
REQUIRED:
- 1-2 Plastic Sheets/Trays
How to make Amchur Powder at home
PREPARATION:
- Making amchur | amchoor involve 4-5 days of preparation and abundant sun light.
DAY 1:
- Soak the firm raw green mangoes in enough water overnight.
DAY 2:
- Take out the mangoes from water. Pat dry, with a clean and dry kitchen tissue or towel.
- Leave the mangoes to dry under fan for an hour.
- Now using potato peeler or knife, peel the outer green skin of the mangoes. Discard the peels.
- Now you can either use the same peeler to cut thin strips of the raw mango or you can make thin strips as shown in the pic above. Discard the stone.
- Leave the strips in colander for 15 minutes. Now add salt and gently toss.
- Spread a plastic sheet over a tray and place the pieces on it as shown in the picture.
- Leave the loaded tray under sunlight for 6-8 hours. (From 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
DAY 3:
- You can see in the picture below, how the juicy pieces of raw mango turned the color and start to turn firm. Turn the pieces by tossing gently and leave it to dry again under sunlight for 6-8 hours.
DAY 4:
- By now you can see the pieces have shrink in size and change in color. This means the pieces are getting dried. Toss again. Tossing helps in evenly drying of pieces.
DAY 5:
- Toss again and check if the pieces are firm and crisp. If not then repeat the process of sun drying for another day or two.
DAY 6:
- By now the raw mango pieces, if dried in abundant sun light by tossing at regular intervals, will turn crisp. Add these pieces to mixer jar and grind to coarse powder and sun dry this for another day and then make fine powder. Amchur powder is ready to use.
- My mom uses coarse powder only in making dal or chole and fine powder in tikkis or chats.
Storing Amchur (Dry Mango) Powder
Always use a sterilized, clean and dry air tight container to store this powder. Only use clean and dry spoon while taking out this powder. My mom always uses wooden spoon in amchur powder.
Veena Theagarajan says
useful post.. good summer activity
Sayantani says
I prepare it every summer Lubna. this year the mangoes are so expensive here. love your clicks.
Lail Hossain says
One of my aunt used to make this every year back in Bangladesh. You inspired me, Lubna. I'll make Amchur this year inshaAllah as we start getting into the summer days. Thank you for sharing.
Shama Nagarajan says
very useful dear….too good
Aparna says
Beautiful clicks Lubna ! Nice step by step explanation
Rafeeda AR says
awesome clicks, useful post….
Rajani says
Very useful post, apt for the season.
John says
Didn’t know it was such a lengthy process. Could I put dry mangoe pieces, from the store, into my small food processor, to make powder?
lubnakarim06 says
Yes. You can do that too.
Cleo says
I will be trying to make this! I love to cook Indian food and live in Egypt. Although we have plenty mangoes during our hot summers, I haven’t seen any unripe ones. We have green skinned ones, with soft orange flesh. I don’t know what variety to buy. I will try to make this as we can’t buy Amchur powder here. Thank you for this detailed recipe Lubna!
lubnakarim06 says
You are welcome. You can make amchur with unripe raw green mangoes only. Try to check for them in Indian stores. You cannot make amchur or dry mango powder with soft orange flesh ones.