Gulamba - Indian mango relish recipe

Indian Summer recipe - Gulamba Mango relish 

Gulamba, Indian mango relish recipe is made with raw green sour mangoes or with ripe mangoes. It is made in Maharashtra. 'Gul' means jaggery and 'amba' means 'mango.

You may also make it with sugar. In that case, it is called as sakharamba.

Gulamba is served with chapati, poori, paratha, dosa, bread etc. Spread it on a toast as you do with a jam. You may also have a spoonful of gulamba whenever you feel like it.

Gulamba - Green mango Jam - Relish

Children as well as grown ups love to eat this at every meal. You don't really need vegetable accompaniments with chapati when you have gulamba.

It is a mixture of sourness of a raw green mango and sweetness of jaggery taste that is a great combination.

The balance of the sour and sweet is made according to your taste.

The start of summer brings out the green mangoes in the market.

If you have a mango tree in your garden, the way I have, you can make gulamba in a jiffy.

Gulamba is one of the highlight of the summer meals, along with other mango items. You can make and keep gulamba in the fridge and use it when you want.

A festival meal or an everyday snack, lunch or dinner, this Indian mango jam, gulamba enhances the taste.

How to make Green Mango gulamba

Raw green Mango Aam - Kairi

Jaggery - Gud

Ingredients

• Raw Green Mango, peeled and grated or sliced thin - 1 cup
• Jaggery or Sugar - 1/2 to 1 cup (quantity depends on the sourness of the mango)
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt (optional) - a pinch

Optional Ingredients

• Cinnamon (dalchini) powder - 1/4th tsp
• Clove (lavang) powder - a pinch

Making gulamba

Note : If your mangoes are too sour, you will need to add a lot of jaggery. If you wish to avoid that, you can reduce the sourness of the mangoes.

Scroll down to find the steps to reduce the sourness of the mango before making gulamba or using sour mangoes in any other recipe.

Now to make Gulamba.

Step 1 -

Add the mango pieces in the pan and add jaggery. Mix well and place the pan on the stove. Keep the flame low. Jaggery will start melting.

Peeled Chopped Mango

Step 2 - Stir once in a while till jaggery dissolves. As the mango pieces start cooking in the jaggery liquid, their colour will change. Continue cooking till the mixture thickens.

Keep stirring once in a while.

Step 3 -

Add cinnamon and clove powder, if adding.

Cook some more till it reaches your desired consistency.

Remember, this mixture will thicken as it cools. So do not cook it till it is too thick.

Let it be at a pouring consistency.

Cinnamon powder added

Ready Gulamba

Tips :

• Choose mangoes that are a little sour. And also use more or less jaggery accordingly.
• You can keep it in the fridge and use it as long as it lasts.
• When cooked properly, gulamba does not need refrigeration. It gets over fast.
• You can use gulamba as a sandwich spread.

Gulamba is usually served with Indian Breads such as Chapati, phulka, poori, paratha, dosa etc. 

How to reduce sourness of a raw mango before using in any recipe

Do the steps 1, 2 and 3 only if you are using too sour mangoes. These steps will reduce the sourness. After that you can use them in any recipe.

Step 1 -

Do this step only if the mangoes are too sour. 

Put the mango pieces in a pan. Add water to cover the mango pieces and heat the pan. Bring the water to boil. Boil the pieces in water for 2-3 minutes or longer.

Chopped mango in water

Step 2 -

Place a strainer over a bowl

Strainer over a bowl

Step 3 -

Pour the boiled mango pieces in the strainer and let all the water drain in the bowl.

This water is quite sour. And the sourness of the mango pieces is reduced.

Now use the mango pieces in any recipe you wish.

• You may use the sour water to add sourness to dals and curries.
• You may also make mango sharbat by adding sugar/ jaggery, cardamom powder and salt.