Aam Ki Launji Recipe (Sweet & Spicy Raw Mango Chutney)
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Aam Ki Launji (Kairi Ki Launji) is a sweet and spicy North Indian style chutney made with tangy green raw mangoes, jaggery, and simple spices. It is sweet, savory, sour, and spicy, all at once, with a nice bite from raw mangoes. It keeps well in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, so consider making a big batch and enjoying it over time. Here is my easy recipe to make it in under 30 minutes.
Here are some more raw mango recipes that you may like: Raw Mango Rice, Aam Panna, Raw Mango Rice, Raw Mango Chutney, and Green Mango Kadhi.
Table of Contents
One spoonful of aam ki launji on a hot paratha, and suddenly it’s May in my mom’s kitchen. Raw mangoes bubbling in mustard oil, nigella seeds popping, the whole house smelling of jaggery and summer. This khatti meethi chutney is the reason I start watching for green mangoes the minute April ends. It’s sweet, tangy, smoky, spicy, and it turns the most boring dal-chawal into a full-blown feast.
Here’s the thing most recipes won’t tell you: launji isn’t a pickle, and it isn’t quite a chutney either. It lives in that gorgeous in-between: cooked enough to be shelf-stable for a few weeks, chunky enough to feel like relish, sweet enough to spoon over khichdi, and sharp enough to cut through a rich paneer butter masala on a heavy-meal day. No sun-drying, no fermenting, no waiting. You can make a jar of it today and eat it tonight.
Mom swore by three non-negotiables: mustard oil (never refined), jaggery (never white sugar), and a whole seed tadka that includes kalonji. Skip any of those, and you’re making something else.
What Is Aam Ki Launji?
Aam ki launji (also called kairi ki launji or aam ki khatti meethi launji) is a traditional North Indian instant chutney made by simmering sliced raw green mangoes with jaggery, mustard oil, and a tempering of nigella seeds and fennel.
It tastes sweet, sour, spicy, and mildly smoky all at once.
Unlike aam ka achar (raw mango pickle), which requires 8–10 days of sun-drying, launji is ready in under 30 minutes and keeps for 2-3 weeks in the fridge.
Ingredients
- Raw Mangoes – Use raw, green mangoes that are tangy and slightly firm to the touch. Avoid those with black and soft patches. This pickle is best made using Indian varieties of raw mangoes. They are sour, with a nice bite. You can get them at any Indian grocery store near you. You can also use frozen raw mangoes to make this recipe. Just thaw them to room temperature before using.
- Mustard Oil – Non-negotiable for authentic flavor. If mustard oil isn’t available, ghee is the next best option; neutral oils will work, but the launji will taste flatter.
- Jaggery (Gud) – It adds a sweetness that perfectly complements the tanginess of raw mangoes. Use organic dark-colored jaggery. The lighter one contains many chemicals added to lighten the color, which is very harmful to the body. You can replace jaggery with organic sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, palm sugar, or raw cane sugar.
- Whole Spices – You will need kalonji (nigella seeds) and saunf (fennel seeds). I sometimes use Panch Phoran instead of individual spices to temper the launji.
- Others – You will also need hing (asafoetida), salt, and Kashmiri red chili powder.
Skip adding asafetida (hing) for a gluten-free version.
For a change of taste, add fenugreek seeds (methi dana), cumin seeds, brown mustard seeds, and turmeric powder to this aam ki meethi launji recipe.
Adding a little chaat masala, black salt, and garam masala powder gives this raw mango relish a slightly different taste. You can try adding these ingredients to change the taste.
How To Make Aam Ki Meethi Launji
Preparation
Rinse 500 g of green raw mangoes well with water. Peel them using a sharp paring knife. Cut the flesh into thin wedges. If using frozen mangoes, then thaw them to room temperature.
You can either discard the pit or add it to the launji.
Crush the jaggery. I roll the jaggery block in a thick kitchen towel, then beat it with a heavy rolling pin until it breaks into small pieces.
Gather the remaining ingredients.
Make The Launji
Step 1: Heat 3 tablespoon of mustard oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium-high heat until it shimmers and smokes lightly. Lower the flame immediately. This step is crucial; smoked-then-cooled mustard oil loses its raw bite and adds a smoky backbone to the launji. Let the oil cool down for 2 minutes.
Step 2: Put the flame back to medium-high. Add the following ingredients to the hot oil and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- ½ teaspoon asafetida
- ½ teaspoon nigella seeds
- 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
Step 3: Add mango wedges, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 teaspoons of Kashmiri red chili powder to the pan.
Step 4: Mix well.
Step 5: Stir in 1 cup of water.
Step 6: Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the mangoes are tender and soft. Stir a few times while cooking.
Do not overcook the mangoes; otherwise, the launji will become mushy. The mangoes must be cooked, but they should still have a bit of bite.
Step 7: Add 1 ½ cups of crumbled jaggery.
Step 8: Cook until the jaggery has melted, stirring continuously.
Step 9: Cover the pan once again and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Step 10: Remove the pan from the heat and let the launji come to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Aam Ki Launji FAQs
While launji is traditionally made with raw mangoes, you can experiment with other fruits like pineapple or apple to create similar sweet and tangy chutneys.
Traditionally, kacche aam ki launji recipe is made using raw or unripe mangoes. The tartness of raw mangoes adds a unique flavor to the pickle. However, if raw mangoes are unavailable, make a similar chutney with ripe ones; the taste and texture may differ.
Mango Launji can be stored in a clean, dry, airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. To remove it, use a clean and dry spoon.
You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw and use.
Pro Tips By Neha
You might need to adjust the amount of sweetener based on the mangoes’ taste. If they are very sour, use more sweetener; if they are less sour, use less.
Add the sweetener only once the mangoes are cooked; otherwise, they will become chewy and not cook properly.
Instead of discarding the pit, you can add it to the launji.
If the raw mangoes are not tangy enough, consider adding white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lime juice to enhance their tang.
Serving Suggestions
Mango launji tastes best with stuffed parathas, like Aloo Paratha and Gobhi Paratha. I love to serve it on the side with dal-chawal, moong dal khichdi, or curd rice.
You can also slather it on bread slices when making cheese sandwiches or serve it as a dip with Punjabi samosa, Aloo Pakora, or Bread Pakora.
You can also serve it as a dip with Paneer Tikka, Tandoori Chicken, or Hara Bhara Kabab.
Other Mango Recipes We Recommend
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Aam Ki Launji Recipe (Sweet & Spicy Raw Mango Chutney)
Ingredients
- 1 pound green raw mangoes (500 g, peeled and cut into thin wedges)
- 3 tablespoons mustard oil
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free)
- ½ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji, onion seeds)
- 2 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 cup water
- 1 and ½ cups crushed jaggery (gud)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium-high heat until it shimmers and smokes lightly. Lower the flame immediately. This step is crucial; smoked-then-cooled mustard oil loses its raw bite and adds a smoky backbone to the launji. Let the oil cool down for 2 minutes.
- Put the flame back to medium-high. Add asafetida, nigella seeds, and fennel seeds, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add the mango wedges, salt, and red chili powder to the pan and mix well.
- Stir in water.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the mangoes are tender and soft. Stir a few times while cooking.
- Now add jaggery and cook till it melts, stirring continuously.
- Cover the pan once again and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the launji come to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
For how long can I store it and what is the best way to store it?
I have mentioned it in the post. It can be preserved for 2-3 weeks if you keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
You can freeze it for up to 6 months.
So simple and so delicious!
Thanks
i tried it with the mangoes from the tree in our garden and i will bet that i have never eaten anything better
Awesome 🙂
Hi. Can I make this recipe with Alphonso raw mango.
Yes, sure.
I made it and it turned out very yummy
Happy to hear 🙂