Sweet and Spicy Green Mango Chutney(Kancha Aamer Chutney)

Kancha Aamer Chutney, Bengali sweet and spicy mango chutney, should be sweet and spicy, thick and sticky like consistency. Its an authentic bengali chutney, which is served at end of the lunch menu. Here is the recipe. 

Ingredients: (yields about 2 cups)

• 2 raw mangoes, peeled and cubed 
• 1 tablespoon red chili powder/cayenne (or to taste) 
• 2 red dry chili pepper (or more or less) 
• 1 tablespoon oil 
• salt to taste 
• 1 teaspoon panch phoron* (ingredients listed below) 
• 2 cups of jaggery, grated or broken/chopped into small pieces (or brown sugar or molasses- adjust amount) – or to taste 
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger powder (optional) – or adjust amount to taste 
• 1 tablespoon lime juice 
• 1 dried red chili pepper + 1.5 teaspoon of cumin seeds + 2 cloves – dry roasted separately until fragrant

Note: *Panch Phoron: (equal quantity of each of the spices below).

• jeera/cumin 
• fenugreek/methi 
• nigella/kalonji 
• radhuni/can be substituted with celery seeds or use brown mustard seeds 
• fennel seeds/saunf 

Method

Slice off the end of the green mangoes and soak them in water for about 30 minutes. This reduces the astringency.

Peel the green skin off the mangoes and slice them in cubes. If you want a mushy chutney with less texture, make smaller pieces.

Toss the mango with about a teaspoon of salt and the red chili powder. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes.

In the mean time, dry roast 1 dried red chili pepper, 1.5 teaspoon of cumin and the cloves (ingredients in n. 10); each separately. Do not overcook. Remove from heat right when they start getting fragrant. When cooled, grind all the roasted spices into a coarse powder.

Heat oil in a wok/kadai/pan. Break one dried red chili in few pieces and keep the other one whole. Add to the oil (If you do not want the heat, keep both the chilli peppers whole and then once brown and the flavor is released, you may remove them from the pan). Allow them to sizzle and then add the teaspoon of panch phoron.

When the spices sizzle, add the chili powder coated mango and toss well for the oil to coat the cubes and they are glistening. Cook for about 5-7 minutes. Add lime juice, a pinch of salt and the ginger powder, toss the mangoes for the spices to be coated well, reduce the heat and cover and cook for about 5 minutes.

The mangoes will release some water and will cook. Now uncover and cook at low flame and when the mangoes are almost tender add the jaggery and if needed a splash of water to melt the jaggery. Keep stirring at low heat. The jaggery will start to melt and bubble and the chutney will have more liquid in it. Allow the mangoes to cook with the jaggery. When you have the mangoes tender (but not mushed up; they will be fork tender and tiny bit more) and the jaggery has reduced to where they coat the mangoes and there will be a little bit extra. Keep in mind that the thicker it is and lesser the amount of water, the longer it will last.

The chutney will get a bit thicker in consistency once it cools. Sprinkle the roasted spice powder and toss everything together.

Store cooled chutney in sterilized containers / glass jars and refrigerate. It will stay well for about a few weeks.