Guyanese Mango Sour Recipe
This Guyanese mango sour is a bold, spicy, and tangy Caribbean condiment made with green mango, garlic, and roasted geera. The sharp tart flavor and heat make it the perfect dipping sauce for pholourie and other fried snacks.
Ingredients
- 1 green mango (about 1 lb) peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper roughly chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon roasted geera cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 lime juiced
Instructions
- Wash and peel the mango, then give it a rough chop and discard the seed or pit.
- Place the chopped mango into a pot along with the smashed garlic and the chopped scotch bonnet pepper, including the seeds for heat. Traditionally in Guyana, Wiri Wiri peppers are the pepper of choice, so if you can source them you can use about five instead.
- Add the water and roasted geera, then bring everything to a boil.
- Reduce to a steady rolling boil and cook for about 25 to 35 minutes, or until the mango softens and begins to fall apart, filling the kitchen with that warm aroma of garlic and toasted geera.
- Reduce the heat or take the pot off the stove for safety, then use a potato masher or stick blender to puree everything. You can control the texture of the finished Guyanese mango sour, whether you prefer it rustic or smooth.
- Taste and adjust the salt if needed. As you sample it, you should feel that familiar tartness hitting the sides of your cheeks, the same kind of sharp sour taste many of us remember from childhood and our first encounter with this wicked condiment.
- Finish by stirring in the fresh lime juice. I prefer lime over white vinegar (traditionall used in most Giyanese homes) because the citrus brightens the finished Guyanese mango sour and lifts the natural tang of the green mango. If the finished mango sour is ovely tart, add sugar, starting with 1/2 teaspoon.
Video
Notes
Can I make this quicker?
Quick Method for Guyanese Mango Sour Wash, peel, and roughly chop the green mango, discarding the seed. Place the chopped mango into a blender along with the smashed garlic, the chopped hot pepper of choice, and about 3/4 of the water. Blend until you get a coarse puree. It does not need to be perfectly smooth. Pour this mixture into a pot and place it over medium heat. Add the roasted geera and salt, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the raw mango flavor softens and the sauce thickens slightly. The aroma of the garlic and roasted geera will begin to come through as it cooks. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. You should still get that sharp tartness on the sides of your cheeks, the same sour punch that makes mango sour so memorable. Finish by stirring in the fresh lime juice, which brightens the sauce and lifts the natural tang of the green mango. This method keeps the same flavor profile, but cuts the cooking time roughly in half. Cooking Notes • Pureeing the mango first helps it break down faster, which shortens the cooking time.• You still want to simmer the sauce so the raw garlic and mango flavors mellow slightly.
• Keeping the puree slightly coarse gives the finished mango sour a more traditional texture.
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