Easy
Indian
Jeera Aloo
Boiled potatoes crisped in cumin-scented oil. Four ingredients, done properly.
Ingredient
Amchur
Unripe green mango, dried and ground to a pale, fibrous powder. It sours a dish without adding liquid, which is why North Indian cooking reaches for it in dry curries and chaat where a squeeze of lemon would loosen everything.
- Sourcing
- Any South Asian grocer, in small packets. Rare in supermarkets outside a well-stocked world-food aisle.
- Varieties
- Powder, Dried slices
- Quality cues
- Sandy beige and loose. Dark brown or caked amchur has taken on moisture and lost most of its sourness.
- Substitutions
- Lemon juice, Tamarind paste, Sumac
- Storage
- Airtight and dry — it clumps readily. Keep it away from the steam of the hob.
- Shelf life
- About 1 year
Cook with it
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