Manga inji is mango ginger, a relative of turmeric whose pale rhizome looks like ginger but smells and tastes of raw mango. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka make it into pickles, and it is used fresh in chutneys and salads. Hindi calls it aama adrak and Sanskrit amragandhi, mango-scented. It is neither kitchen ginger, Zingiber officinale, nor kitchen turmeric, Curcuma longa.
- Botanical name
- Curcuma amada Roxb.
- Family
- Zingiberaceae
- Tamil
- Manga inji
- Hindi
- Aama adrak
- Sanskrit
- Āmragandhi
- Parts used
- Rhizome
- Habit
- Mango ginger, a turmeric relative with a raw-mango scent
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Manga inji
It is a leafy perennial, usually waist-high, that dies back each year to its underground rhizome.
The leaves are long, broad and turmeric-like, rising on sheathing stalks.
Pale yellow or white flowers appear in a spike among green and pinkish bracts.
The rhizome is knobbly like ginger, with buff skin and pale cream to yellow flesh.
Cut, it smells strongly of green mango, unlike the sharp smell of ginger or the earthy one of turmeric.
Traditional use of Manga inji
Kitchen
Sliced manga inji is pickled with lemon juice, salt and green chilli in Tamil homes.
Tamil food practice
Kitchen
In Karnataka, ambe haldi is ground into chutneys and added to salads.
Kannada food practice
Ayurveda
Amragandhi haridra is listed as a mango-scented turmeric used externally for bruises and swellings.
Ayurvedic texts
Modern notes on Manga inji
The mango scent comes from aroma compounds such as ocimene and car-3-ene, which also occur in raw mango.
It contains small amounts of curcuminoids, far less than turmeric.
Studies on its extracts are mainly laboratory work.
Manga inji safety
It is a safe food in pickle and chutney amounts. Buy it from a trusted seller, since other Curcuma rhizomes look similar.
Ecology and sourcing
It is native to India and grown in home gardens and small plots.
It is propagated from pieces of rhizome.
Rhizomes are harvested when the leaves dry after the monsoon.
Related plants
Also in Zingiberaceae
Questions about Manga inji
Is mango ginger a ginger?
No. It is a turmeric relative.
Why does Manga inji smell of mango?
It shares aroma compounds with raw mango.
How is Manga inji eaten?
In pickles, chutneys and salads.
Does Manga inji contain curcumin?
Only a little, much less than turmeric.
Can I grow Manga inji at home?
Yes, from a rhizome piece in a pot.
Sources
- Curcuma amada Roxb. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q3031235 (Curcuma amada)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.