Aam ka Murabba / Ambyacha Muraamba / Raw Mango Preserve Recipe

                         

Aam ka Murabba is a delectable raw mango preserve. This mango preserve is one of the best ways to enjoy raw mangoes throughout the year. Here, i am sharing the Maharashtrian style ambyacha muramba recipe made from sour raw green mangoes. Basically, it requires just 2 key ingredients. Raw mangoes and sugar. Here i have mildly seasoned the preserve with green cardamom, saffron and clove that compliment very well with the sweetened raw mangoes imparting it a lovely aroma and sweet and tangy taste. Aam ka murabba can be served as a side dish with spicy curries and goes well with chapati, poori and Khakhra. You can use it as a spread over your bread or toast and serve at breakfast. It is a hit among kids and adults alike. The recipe is gluten-free and if you skip the ghee, it is vegan as well.

                                         

What is the difference between a Jam, Jelly and Preserve? Source

Did you know that Jams and preserves are not the same even though them may be often used interchangeably. All the three, jam, jelly and preserve differ in the amount of original fruit used to make them. While jelly has the smoothest consistency and uses the least amount of fruit (it uses juice only , discarding the solid chunky leftovers) The fruit juice is then mixed with the substance called pectin and heated to form the gelatinous spread. Jam uses fruit pulp obtained by crushing a fruit. It may have solid pieces of fruit's fiber and seeds (if they are small enough and safe to consume) to give a spreadable consistency. Of all the three, preserves use most of the fruit and are simply chopped smaller pieces of fruit that are mixed with sugar to keep them fresh and combined with a syrup or jam to contain them.

The King Of Fruits - Mangoes

                             

Mango is a juicy tropical Summer fruit. Most of us are aware that mango is the national fruit of India and Pakistan and the national tree of Bangladesh but did you know that the English word "mango" originated from the Kannada word maavu or Malayalam word manna or the Tamil word mangkai. during the spice trade period with South India in the 15th and 16th centuries? (Source - Wikipedia) When the Portuguese traders settled in western India, they adapted the name as manga.The earliest known reference to the cultivation of mangoes can be traced to India up to 2000 BCE . There are over 1000 varieties of mangoes throughout the world. 

Culinary use of Mangoes

Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamin A and C, potassium and beta carotene. It is rich in minerals, antioxidants and has plenty of fiber. Mangoes are low in calories and act as a digestive aid. Mangoes are widely used in Indian Cuisine. 

Sour unripe mangoes are used in chutneys like this Maharashtrian style Kairi dal , pickles- Aam ka achar and curries (Kairas / Methamba) or can be eaten on its own with some salt and chili. Kairi Panha is a refreshing summer coolant made from raw mango. Aam ki launji is another lip smacking relish with raw mango. One can enjoy this tangy Raw Mango Rice during the mango season and make some sweet aam ka murabba, a raw mango preserve to enjoy this tropical delight throughout the year.

Then you have an array of delicious dishes using the ripe juicy mangoes from desserts like Amrakhand also known as Mango shrikhand - a yogurt based ripe mango dessert from the Maharashtrian Cuisine, Mango Phirini - a delectable mango rice pudding from North India, Fajeto - A ripe mango kadhi from Gujarati Cuisine. You may also want to check out other mango desserts like Mango Halwa, Mango Ice cream, Aamras , Mango Coconut Fudge, Mango Bundt Cake. You can also make a lip smacking chaat using ripe mangoes like this Mango Papdi Chaat. Mango alsopairs well with other veggies and beans in salsas and salads like this Chickpea mango salad.

Wonderful Memories -  (I had written this post in 2015, when we were in Penang, Malaysia.)

Summer time in India for us means family time, wedding season, lemonade, lots of Sunshine and last but certainly not the least, mangoes! There is no bigger joy in life than relishing on our Maharashtra famous Hapoos Ammba ( Alphonso Mango). I was lucky enough to enjoy the fresh Alphonso directly from the backyard garden in our ancestral village. For the last 2 weeks , I was on my short tour to India, and was enjoying quality time with my family. A fun-filled vacation spent attending family gatherings and lots of pampering from elders.

Related Event:

                                                         

As mentioned above, this is an old post that i had published in 2015 during my initial blogging days. I have updated this post today with the new images and written content of this recipe. I have many such old posts where the photography is dull and the recipe is not up to the mark. Such posts need to be updated with new pictures and written content. Thanks to Renu, my dear friend, and a fellow blogger who came up with a Facebook group, Foodies_Redoing Old Posts as an initiative, where we bloggers can update our old posts with either new pictures or written content or both every two weeks. This is my 19th entry into this event (26th June 2020). The pic below is my old pic of Murabba, you can easily make out the difference in the food styling and photography from the pic. The recipe remains almost the same though. Meanwhile, do check out Renu's blog for somehealthy and delicious recipes like this Raw Mango Pickle, an instant, oil-free version of mango pickle that can be enjoyed while the mangoes are in season.

What goes in to my Maharashtrian Style Ambyacha Muramba?

 This is a very simple recipe and can be made using just 2 ingredients raw mangoes and sugar. However, i have used few spices to enhance the flavor of this raw mango preserve. Any variety of raw green mangoes can be used here. Look for blemish free firm mangoes for best results. The quantity of sugar added depends upon the sourness of the mangoes used and your personal taste. Totapuri variety of mango are less tart and if you use them , you will require less amount of sugar. I have used the local raw mangoes available here. Jaggery powder can replace sugar but taste and colour will not be the same. I have used few cloves and green cardamom to flavor the muramba which compliment very well with mangoes. Few strands of saffron lend a beautiful yellow color to the preserve, though its use it purely optional. A pinch of salt balances all the flavors of the preserve. Little ghee is used in which cloves and the grated raw mango are stir fried. However for a vegan version, you may simply skip its use.

The recipe calls for stir frying the grated raw mango in little ghee along with cloves for few minutes after which sugar is added to it. The raw mango sugar mixture is allowed to cook on low to medium flame until it attains a single thread consistency. The preserve is lastly seasoned with green cardamom powder and pinch of salt.

Serving Suggestions:

Murabba can be served as a side dish to the main meal and tastes great with chapati or poori. You can use it as a spread over bread or toast and serve at breakfast or mid-day snack. My son loves to spread it over his chapati and enjoy as a roll in his lunch box. Murabba can be used in cakes and desserts as well. Murabba also serves as a fasting food.

VIDEO Recipe 

                           

Preparation Time:10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2 cups 

Ingredients for Aam ka Murabba / Raw Mango Preserve: Measurements used 1 cup = 240 ml

• 3-4 raw mangoes around 1/2 kgs
• 2 cups Sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon Cardamom / Elaichi powder
• 2 tsp ghee / clarified butter
• 3-4 clove
• few strands of Saffron (optional)
• Pinch of salt                             

Method :

1. Wash the mangoes thoroughly and pat dry using a clean kitchen towel. Peel and grate them using a grater.

     2. Heat 2 tsp ghee in a large wok or thick bottom vessel and add cloves to it. Allow the cloves to fry for a few seconds before adding in the grated mango. Stir well and cover the wok with a lid and let the mango cook for about 2-3 minutes.

     3.  Next, add sugar and give a good stir. Quantity of sugar depends on the tartness of mangoes and ones own taste. I took an equal quantity of sugar to the grated mango.  If the mangoes are very sour, you can increase the quantity of sugar. Sugar acts as a preservative in this murabba. 

    4. As the sugar begins to melt the mixture appears quite watery. Let it cook on low to the medium flame while stirring continuously. 

 5. Add saffron strands after 5-7 minutes of cooking. Saffron not only adds a wonderful flavor but also lends a beautiful golden yellow color to the murabba.

    6. On further cooking the mixture begins to thicken. Now add pinch of salt to the mixture. Cook until the sugar syrup reaches a 1 thread consistency. To check the syrup consistency hold a drop of syrup between index finger and thumb and try to pull apart, if a single thread is formed, the desired consistency is attained. Switch off the flame.

    7.  If you cook further, the murabba turns sticky and hard as the sugar begins to crystallize. Now add the cardamom powder to the preserve and mix well. Let the Murabba cool down completely.

   8. Transfer the Murabba in sterilized , clean and dry glass bottles. Stays good for more than 6 months when kept in a refrigerator. Enjoy the finger-licking aam ka murabba with chapati, bread, or toast!

Notes:

• The preserve thickens further on cooling, so adjust the time to put off the flame accordingly.
• For those who are trying murabba for the first time, I would suggest trying with small batches of 2-3 mangoes. 
• You can measure the grated mango in a cup and add the same quantity of sugar if the mangoes are sweet and increase the quantity of sugar according to the tartness of mangoes.
• Do not cook murabba further, once it has reached a single thread consistency as it becomes hard as the sugar begins to crystallize.
• Skip the use of ghee for a vegan version.

I hope a few of you would love to try out this recipe. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with us in the form of likes and comments in the comment section below this post. All your suggestions are also more than welcome. If you like my work and feel it is worth following, do hit the follow button at the top right corner of this blog. Your appreciation means a lot to me. For more recipes and new updates follow us on social media.

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