Amchoor
Amchoor is a tangy Indian seasoning made from dried, unripe mango, usually ground into powder. It adds fruity acidity to dishes without adding liquid.
Chaat masala: An Indian spice blend with a tangy, savory flavor, commonly used on snacks and fruit. Amchoor contributes the sour note in many versions of this snack seasoning.
Organic acids: Carbon-based acids found in living organisms and foods, including acids that contribute sour tastes. Acids in dried mango help account for amchoor's tart flavor.
Mango: The edible fruit of trees in the genus Mangifera, especially Mangifera indica. Amchoor begins as mango fruit before it ripens.
Kokum: A sour fruit from Garcinia indica, dried or processed for use in South Asian cooking. Kokum supplies a different fruit-based sourness in dishes where amchoor may be used.
Chana masala: A North Indian chickpea curry seasoned with a mixture of spices. Amchoor can brighten the chickpeas with acidity without thinning the gravy.
Citric acid: A weak organic acid common in citrus fruits and widely used as a food acidulant. It provides a familiar comparison for the sharpness of amchoor's fruit-derived acidity.
Unripe mango: A mango harvested before ripening, with firm flesh and a sharply sour taste. Its sour flesh is the raw material dried to make amchoor.
Anardana: Dried pomegranate seeds used as a sour, fruity seasoning in South Asian cuisine. Anardana offers a similarly dry fruity sourness but comes from pomegranate.
Aloo tikki: A South Asian potato patty, often spiced and pan-fried or shallow-fried. Amchoor is used in some recipes to give the potato mixture a tart edge.
Tamarind: The edible pod of a tropical tree, whose pulp is used as a sour ingredient in cooking. Tamarind adds sourness through moist pulp, unlike amchoor's dry mango powder.