Chunda Recipe | Aam Chunda | Mango Chunda
Shredded raw mango, cooked with sugar and spiced, just the right way to result in a golden, sweet and sour Aam Chunda recipe. This is one of the jewel pickles from Gujarati cuisine and is easy to prepare too. Aam Chunda (also called Chundo in Gujarati) or Mango Chunda is also vegan-friendly and gluten-free. So, make it, store it and turn your meals fantastic!
About Chunda Recipe
I happened to make the Aam Chunda recipe the day I made this Aam Ka Murabba. Both these recipes have a similar method of preparation.
It’s just that this particular mango preserve, the Aam Chunda, has some ground spice powders that make a difference. While the murabba is flavored with cardamom and saffron, the chunda has red chili powder and roasted cumin powder.
Going by tradition, both Aam Chunda and the murabba are made with a green mango-sugar mixture which is kept to mature in sunlight during the sweltering Indian summers. And after some days, both these are ready for consumption.
However, this Aam Chunda recipe is a quick version that can be cooked on the stovetop and consumed instantly.
The Aam Chunda tastes just fab when paired with any Gujarati or even North Indian meal. Or you can also have it with your regular poori, roti, chapati, thepla or dhebra.
How to make Aam Chunda
Prepare Mangoes
1. Rinse and wipe dry 2 large raw mangoes. Then peel them.
2. Grate or shred the mangoes.
Cook Mangoes
3. In a pan, take the grated or shredded mangoes, 1.5 cups sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt. The addition of sugar depends on the sourness of the mangoes and your taste.
I added 1.5 cups raw sugar. You can also use white sugar or add powdered jaggery instead of sugar.
4. Switch on the heat. Mix and combine the mango-sugar mixture evenly.
5. On low heat, cook the mango and sugar mixture. Towards the beginning you will see the sugar melting and the consistency will become liquid, runny and watery.
6. Stir often so that the sugar does not crystallize and keep on simmering the mixture.
7. When the sugar syrup starts to cook, you will see the mixture bubbling.
8. Keep on stirring and cooking.
Make Aam Chunda
9. Gradually the mixture will begin to thicken.
10. When the sugar in the mixture reaches a 1 to 2 thread consistency, switch off the heat.
Remember if you cook more, the aam chunda will become chewy, stringy and hard. The consistency should be like a jam with a translucent appearance. There should also be a slight crunch in the mangoes.
11. Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder and ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder. For a spicy chunda recipe, you can increase the amount of red chili powder to 1 teaspoon.
12. Mix very well and cool the mixture completely at room temperature.
14. Once cooled, spoon Aam Chunda in a clean sterilized glass jar or bottle. It stays good for more than 3 months in the refrigerator and about 15 to 20 days at room temperature.
15. Serve Aam Chunda as a side condiment with a Gujarati or North Indian meal or you can also have it with paratha, roti or poori.
Mango Pickles in India
While pickling involves soaking of a vegetable or fruit in brine or vinegar solution in other parts of the world, here it is a different ball game all together. Thus, Indian pickles are quite unique than their western counterparts.
In India, a pickle is much more than just the fruits and veggies in a certain liquid solution. It is also about the addition of various herbs, spices and other flavorings. Some of the common ingredients that are used in pickles here are red chili powder, turmeric powder, mustard, fenugreek, nigella seeds, cumin powder etc.
Just like any other dish in Indian cuisine, the mango pickle has its variations as you traverse through the length and breadth of this country. No doubt, this ‘king of fruits’ is one of the most popular choices for a pickle or chutney here.
Along with this Gujarati Aam Chunda recipe, these are some more regional versions of the mango pickle:
- Avakaya or the Andhra style mango pickle – spicy and robust, made with green mangoes, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder and more in cold pressed sesame oil.
- Rajasthani Mango Pickle – a spicy version with raw mango, spice powders, star anise, etc. in mustard oil.
- Aam Ka Achar or the Punjabi Mango pickle – another robust one with raw mangoes and a handful of spices made in mustard oil.
- Nurukku Manga Achar or the Kerala style instant mango pickle – a quick green mango pickle mixed with spice powders, salt, and tempered with whole spices in sesame oil.
- Stuffed Mango Pickle – green mangoes stuffed with a fried ground spice powder mix, soaked in oil and kept for maturing.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 2 mangoes large or 400 grams unripe green raw mangoes or 250 grams grated or shredded mangoes or 1.25 cups tightly packed grated mangoes
- 1.5 cups raw sugar – 300 grams or add as required
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder or add as per taste
- ½ teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt or as required
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse and wipe dry the mangoes. Then, peel them.
- Grate or shred the mangoes.
Making mango chunda
- In a pan, take the grated or shredded mangoes, sugar and salt. Note that the addition of sugar depends upon the sourness of the mangoes and your taste preferences. I have added 1.5 cups raw sugar. You can use white sugar or can add powdered jaggery instead of sugar.
- Switch on the heat. Stir and mix the mangoes and sugar to an even mixture.
- On low heat, cook this mixture. At first the sugar will start to melt and consistency will be liquid and watery. Stir often so that the sugar does not crystallize while cooking the mixture.
- When the sugar syrup starts to cook, you will see a lot of bubbling in the mixture.
- Keep on stirring and cooking.
- The mixture will begin to thicken gradually.
- When the sugar in the mixture reaches a 1 to 2 thread consistency, switch off the heat. Note that if you cook more, then the chunda gets a thick, sticky and hard consistency. The consistency should be more like a jam and look translucent. There should also be some crunch in the mangoes.
- Lastly, add red chili powder and roasted cumin powder. You can also add more red chili powder for a spicier chunda.
- Mix very well. Cool the mixture completely.
- Once cooled, spoon Aam Chunda in a clean sterilized glass jar or bottle.
- Serve Aam Chunda as a side condiment with a North Indian meal or you can also have it with chapati or roti or paratha.
Notes
Nutrition
This Aam Chunda recipe post from the archives first published in June 2015 has been updated and republished on April 2023.
Hi! Which type of raw mango should i use ? Thanks
you can use any variety of raw mango which is sour, firm and not fibrous.
Hi Dassana, thank you for your recipes. Would like use jaggery. Will you please tell me how much of jaggery? Any vegan recipe always tried yours. Forwarded to others too. Thank you ❤️
Thanks a lot Nancy and welcome. I think 2 cups of jaggery should work.
Hi dasana, I made aam chhunda by ur recipe of 7 kg Raw mangoes , I followed the steps but it turns hard !! Tell me something to remove that hardness & make it again in smooth jam condition .
madhuri, the chunda has got cooked too much. what you do is take all the chunda in the pan. add water as required just to liquify it. then begin to heat on a low flame and stir continuously. the hardened sugar will dissolve in water and the chunda will come to a liquid consistency. continue to simmer and cook till you come to the 2 thread consistency. then switch off the flame. for checking, just take some of the sugar syrup from the sides in a spoon. let it cool a bit and then with your fingers check the consistency.
Hi Dassana, I am newly married with zero experience in cooking and your website and the amazing recipes are godsend for people like me.
I tried this chhunda recipe and it came out perfect. Since the mango season is about to end, I was thinking of making a huge batch and relishing for the rest of the year. Can we make and store it for long and if yes, then how? Should it be kept in fridge or in the freezer and in what type of container? Please help. Thanks a lot in advance.
thanks a lot arunima. definitely, you can make a huge batch of aam chunda. it stays good for a year. yes do keep in the fridge. glass is always better for storing and preserving. so if possible use a glass jar.
Hi Dassana, I have tried several of your recipes and each and every one of them have turned out fabulous. Infact,at vegetarian dinner parties, I have dished up complete menus with your recipes and they have always had excellent comments. You are indeed a blessing for every new cook keen to learn cooking, many housewives and working mothers am sure. God bless you, your family and your work.
I have tried your chunda recipe last year and it turned out very well but for some reason this time its got too dense. Its cooled and I havent added the chilli and cumin powders as I was wondering if there is any way I could quick fix the texture of the chunda to slighly runny. Do you think adding some vinegar or making a thin sugar syrup and adding to the entire quantify would help? Awaiting your response. Thank you
thanks a lot ash. so nice to read your comment. the chunda recipe has got cooked a too much. just add some water in it and again reheat it, till it comes to the desired consistency. the sugar thread will break down with water, when being heated and go back to the melted stage. thereafter again the sugar syrup will start thickening.
hi Dassana! sharing with u vagharelo chundo ( tempered chundo) recipe. simply begin the above process by heating some oil, mustard seeds,cinnamon sticks,cloves,boria chillies,hing and then adding grated mango & proceed as above.(to avoid crystallisation add a bit of citric acid when lukewarm )& add red chilli pwdr once chundo has cooled completely.i normally prepare the chundo using combination of ladvo ( round shaped)& rajapuri mangoes as ladvo mango tends to release more of its juice.this tempered chundo does not need refrigeraton & stays good for 6-8 mths.tastes great with theekhi/ masala puri & sponge gourd chilas as well
thank you meveera. so sweet of you to share the recipe. will give a try if possible this summer as my hands are full. lets see. but have noted it down.
Hi Dassana, I stay in US. And here getting mangoes is a boon, I got a mango which looked green I in color but its little ripened from inside and it tastes bit sweet. Can I make this chunda with that mango or can you suggest me something. Also I don’t have good sunlight here so what can I do.
Thanks in advance.
divya, you can make chunda with this mango. just reduce the sugar a bit. you can even make aam ka panna. aam ka panna can be made both with ripe as well as sour mangoes. either you cook mangoes in a pan or pressure cooker or roast them on direct flame. the cooked version of aam ka panna i have already shared on blog, its very easy to make aam ka panna.
Ok thanks dear.
Welcome Divya
Can you plz post the method of keeping the glass jar in sun.
gauri, i will try to add the glass method. but not sure if i will be able to make chunda this summer. but i will give a try.
dassana u are amazing .your . receipes are wonderful
step by step I found your web by myself it is wonderful
if possible I am looking for receipe of ghasala fafda which in Gujarat
people eat on dashara holiday with jalabi
thanks
thanks a lot kashmira. i do plan to add fafda in some time. it is on my to do list, but not got enough time to prepare the recipe.
The recipe is too good..i am also trying the traditional method to make chunda i.e. i am keeping it in sun.it has been a day and there are still small sugar crystals present in chunda..
When my sugar will completely dissolve?
If in case it doesn’t, what so i need to do..
just keep in strong sunlight and for some more days. after a couple of days, the sugar crystals will dissolve.
i want to ask you something..what’s the difference between rava dhokla and rava idli??
sorry to ask the question in another post..in these two post there is no comment box and i have to clarify my doubt..and i’m a big fan of your website..you are like a rockstar for beginner cooks. .
thanks debarati for the rockstar comment. the preparation looks same, but the difference is in the taste as we use different spices to make both of them.
Hi,
Chunda is one exception where coarsely ground raw cumin tastes better than roasted cumin. Do try!
thanks ruchi for your suggestion.
thanks for your reply. For dhabha style aloo gobhi after going through the entire recipe I thought 2.5-3 cup water is for keeping the cauliflower florets in salted warm water for 15-20 minutes, please clarify, thanks
you are right simmi. 2.5 to 3 cups if for blanching the cauliflower. i blanch cauliflower since we get insects or worms in them at times. you can skip if there are no insects in the cauliflower. i think then 1 to 1.5 cups is enough for pressure cooking and 2 to 2.5 for cooking in a pan. i will update the post. thanks for letting me know.
I recently tried punjabi chole recipe frm ur blog it was super delicious…u deserve a huge round of applause for such wonderful recipes u post and win ppls heart…
Can you please please please post recipe of “homemade SALSA”
thanks for sharing your experience riya. i have noted down your recipe request and will try to add the salsa recipe.
Hello Dassana
For dal makhni restaurant style I didn’t see turmeric powder in the whole recipe did you forget to mention or is it not needed in this recipe please let me know, thanks
its not added in the dal makhani recipe. I generally don’t add turmeric to this recipe when i make at home. If you want you can add.
thanks for the recipe of aam ka chunda thnks a lot 🙂
welcome tannu
Hello Dassana
Sorry to leave you comment on this page but couldn’t do so on aloo gobhi page. Your dhabha style aloo gobhi looks amazing and I want to try it please let me know how much water to add after adding aloo gobhi, thanks. Keep up the good work.
No issues simmi. I have mentioned in the recipe 2.5 to 3 cups water. This gives a thin tari or curry to the dish. It also depends on the quality of both aloo and gobi and how long they take to cook. So you can adjust accordingly. If cooking in a pressure cooker, then you can add 1.5 to 2 cups water.
Hi Dassana, i just love your website. i have tried different recipes form your website and it has turned out awesome. The best part of your website is the ” step by step pics” of your recipes when it is in process, it helps me to know whether i am a on correct track or not. i have became a big fan of this website. I live with my husband in new zealand and once we had visited to a restaurant named raviz auckland and we tasted chana masala over there. since then i wanted to know the recipe of chana masala. I searched on various food website but your recipe was just like raviz recipe. i m so happy that now i can prepare restaurant style chana masala. Thank you dassana for creating such a wonderful website and encouraging me to try making new recipes. Five stars for all your recipe
welcome neha. glad to read your positive feedback on recipes. nice to know that step by step recipe presentation is helping you. happy cooking.
Very tasty…. I like your all recipes… It’s soo delicious.
thanks aksha