Sweet and Spicy Amchur Ki Launji
The Guajillo (wha-hee-oh) chile is the most common dried chile in Mexico after the Ancho. The flavor of the Guajillo is distinct, slightly fruity with a strong piney, berry under taste. Guajillo flavors dished easily so a little goes a long way. This chile is between a 2-4 on the heat scale of 1-10. Guajillo, combined with the Passilla and Ancho, form the holy trinity of chiles used to prepare the traditional mole sauces.
Suggested Use:
A mildly hot chile. Use in sauces, salsa, soups and your favorite chile. A little goes a long way.
Ingredients
200 gram/7 oz whole dried mango slices (sabut amchur)
100 gram/3.5 oz jaggery crushed
6 – 8 dates, soaked in warm water overnight and then sliced
1/4 Cup raisins
Salt to taste
5 – 6 dried red chile
1 tsp red chili powder
1 1/2 tsp dried ginger powder (saunth) ( buy it here )
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana) ( buy it here )
1 tsp oil
Method
First soak dried mango slices (sabhut amchur) in 2 – 3 Cups of warm water overnight.
Next day morning, drain the water from the amchur. Reserve the drained water as it will be added back in the launji at a later stage.
Pressure cook the soaked soaked amchur with the 1 Cup of reserved water and salt.
1 – 2 whistles over medium heat are good enought to soften the amchur slices.
While the amchur is cooking, in a pan dry roast the coriander fenugreek seeds.
Pound the roasted seeds in a stone mortar and pestle. We are looking for roughly crushed seeds and not a fine powder. Set aside.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat.
Add the cumin seeds, once the seeds release aroma add the red chiles. Fry for a minute.
Next add the mango slices in the pan. Fry for 2 – 3 minutes over medium heat.
Next add the raisins, ginger powder, red chili powder, crushed jaggery, date slices and the reserved water from the soaked amchur. Stir to combine.
Add the crushed seeds of coriander and fenugreek. Stir and reduce the heat to low.
Now let the Launji simmer till it reaches a one thread consistency, dark sweet and spicy syrup.
It is always best to taste the Launji in the process of making and adjust the sweetness and spiciness accordingly.
Keep on stirring occasionally in between. No need to add more water except the one reserved after soaking mango slices.
Once the Launji is ready, let it cool down at room temperature.
Store in an airtight, clean jar. If stored at right conditions, Amchur Ki Launji stays good for a year.
From funfoodfrolic.com