Chyawanprash | Indian gooseberry jam
By Leena Hegde, Puttanamane
The name Chyawanprash or Chyavanprasha originates from an ancient sage Chyawan. The word Chyawanprash comprises of two Sanskrit words, Chyawan and Prash. The word Chyawan is the name of a sage, and prash means foodstuff. As per Puranas, the royal physicians to the gods, the twin Ashwini kumar brothers, invented this herbal jam to make the sage Chyawan younger. And, this was prepared at sage’s hermitage / ashram. So the jam is known as Chyawanprash – The food of sage Chyawan.
Apart from its health benefits, Chyawanprash is yummy too. With Nellikaayi or Amla or Indian gooseberries (Phyllanthus emblica ) as a main ingredient, Chyawanprash has a mixed taste – sweet, sour, spicy, pungent etc.
In this recipe, I have prepared the Chyawanprash with the ingredients that are available at that instance. You can add more ingredients like Brahmi, Ashwagandha, etc. You can check ancient original recipe for more ingredients.
Chayawanprash is prepared during winter, the season of Indian gooseberries. Also, the wild Amla (Bettada nellikaayi) collected from the forest tastes much better than cultivated Amla.
Prep time
40 mins
Cook time
45 mins
Cool off time
1 hour
Total time
2 hrs 25 mins
Course
Various
Diet
Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty level
Moderate
Servings
1 Kg
Ingredients
-
1 kg Indian gooseberries (Bettada Nellikaayi / Amla)
- 1 kg jaggery (Bella / Gud)
-
2 to 3 pinch saffron (Kasari / Kesar)
Spices
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (Kaalu menasu / Kali mirch)
- 15 to 20 cardamoms (Yalakki / Elakki / Elaichi)
- 20 cloves (Lavanga / Laung)
- 2 to 3 cinnamon sticks – 1 inch each (Dalchinni / Dalchini)
- 1 bay leaf (lavaṅgada ele / tej patta / tejpatra)
- 4 to 5 long pepper (hippali / pippali)
- Small piece of nutmeg (jaykayi / jaiphal)
Cookware / Utensils
-
Pressure cooker
- Thick pan
- Bowl(s)
- Spoon with long handle
- Mixer
- Mortar and pestle (optional)
Instructions
Instructions
Make Gooseberries puree
- Wash the berries 2 to 3 times. If bought from market soak them in salt water for some time and rinse.
- Add the berries in a pressure cooker. Add required water and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles on medium or high heat.
- Let the cooker pressure subside by itself. Then open the lid.
- Drain out the boiled berries and add them to a large bowl. Add fresh water. Let them cool for about 10 to 15 minutes
- Remove the seeds.
- Add the berries to a mixer jar. No water is required.
- Grind to get a little coarse puree. If you grind to a smooth puree, Chyawanprash will become flat. Cover and keep.
Make spice powder
- Remove cardamom seeds and rinse them. Rinse all other spices as well, if they are not cleaned and dried earlier.
- Dry fry spices in a thick pan on low heat. Do not brown spices, just heat them to make crispy. Let them cool.
- Powder spices using Mortar and pestle or mixer. Cover and keep aside.
Make Chyawanprash
- Now, add the berries puree to a thick and wide pan or kadai.
- Add spices powder.
- Mix well.
- Add jaggery.
- Mix well and heat it on a high flame.
-
Keep stirring the mix. Reduce the heat to low or medium, once the mix is heated well and you can see air bubbles.
IMPORTANT: Air bubbles would burst out from the mix as it cooks. Be careful while stirring as the mix is very hot. Take a spoon with long handle. Keep the heat to low or medium depending on flame intensity. - The mix will start thickening. Stir continuously.
- The mix will thicken further and starts leaving the sides of the pan. The colour will also darken. Continue stirring non-stop for another 5 to 8 minutes.
- Then add saffron, mix and continue to stir. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.
- Now, switch off the heat at this consistency.
- Allow the Chyawanprash to cool down completely at room temperature. (See notes)
- Then transfer it to a glass jar. Keep it in a cool and dry place. Use a clean and dry spoon to scoop it out. Homemade Chyawanprash stays good for about 1 to 2 months. (See notes)
Step by step guide
How to make Chyawanprash
Make Gooseberries puree
1. Wash the berries 2 to 3 times. If bought from market soak them in salt water for some time and rinse.
2. Add the berries in a pressure cooker. Add required water and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles on medium or high heat.
Cook the berries soft to very soft texture. But do not cook to a paste. You can also cook in a pan. But it takes time.
3. Let the cooker pressure subside by itself. Then open the lid.
4. Drain out the boiled berries and add them to a large bowl. Add fresh water. Let them cool for about 10 to 15 minutes.
This is to cool the berries fast and also to lessen the astringent taste.
5. Remove the seeds.
6. Add the berries to a mixer jar. No water is required.
7. Grind to get a little coarse puree. If you grind to a smooth puree, Chyawanprash will become flat. Cover and keep.
Make spice powder
8. Remove cardamom seeds and rinse them. Rinse all other spices as well, if they are not cleaned and dried earlier.
9. Dry fry spices in a thick pan on low heat. Do not brown spices, just heat them to make crispy. Let them cool.
10. Powder spices using Mortar and pestle or mixer. Cover and keep aside.
Make Chyawanprash
11. Now, add the berries puree to a thick and wide pan or kadai.
12. Add spices powder.
13. Mix well.
14. Add jaggery.
15. Mix well and heat it on a high flame.
16. Keep stirring the mix. Reduce the heat to low or medium, once the mix is heated well and you can see air bubbles.
IMPORTANT: Air bubbles would burst out from the mix as it cooks. Be careful while stirring as the mix is very hot. Take a spoon with long handle. Keep the heat to low or medium depending on flame intensity.
17. The mix will start thickening. Stir continuously.
18. The mix will thicken further and starts leaving the sides of the pan. The colour will also darken. Continue stirring non-stop for another 5 to 8 minutes.
19. Then add saffron, mix and continue to stir. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.
20. Now, switch off the heat at this consistency.
21. Allow the Chyawanprash to cool down completely at room temperature. (See notes)
22. Then transfer it to a glass jar. Keep it in a cool and dry place. Use a clean and dry spoon to scoop it out. Homemade Chyawanprash stays good for about 1 to 2 months. (See notes)
Notes
-
Ingredients: Indian gooseberries and jaggery are the main ingredients for Chyawanprash. Cardamom, clove, black pepper and cinnamon are the basic spices used. Rest of the spices or / and herbs you can add or opt out as per the availability. You can also add natural pure honey.
I have used dried bay leaf to make spice powder. If you are using fresh bay leaf, you have to grind that with berries while making puree.
- Cool off time: Chyawanprash takes quite long time to cool down completely. It also depends on room and climate temperature. You can transfer to a jar only after it is properly cooled. However, you can taste after an hour.
- Storage: Chyawanprash stays good for about 1 to 2 months at room temperature when stored in cool and dry place. It may get spoiled soon if you keep the lid open for longer time exposing the Chyawanprash to air, or if you use wet spoon to scoop it out, or if the Chyawanprash has not reached the right consistency while cooking. Shelf life also depends on room temperature and weather condition.
