Nellikaayi uppinakaayi | Indian gooseberry pickle
By Leena Hegde, Puttanamane
Nellikaayi or amlaki or amla or Indian gooseberries or call by any other name, this wonder fruit would taste as wonderful. This super berry is one of my favored. By the way, it is hard to say which fruit or vegetable I do not like, especially the awesome countryside wild berries. These are seasonal, but worth the wait.
Nellikaayi uppinakaayi or amlaki pickle tastes as delicious as this wonder fruit. This spicy, tangy, and super tasty pickle uses a few basic ingredients and easy to make. This is an instant version of nellikaayi or amlaki pickle and the shelf life is less. But it tastes so good with five different tastes of amlaki, earthy flavors of the mustard seeds that this pickle gets over soon.
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
0
Cool off time
0
Total time
30 mins
Course
Side dish
Diet
Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty level
Easy
Servings
1 small jar
Ingredients
-
8 to 10 Indian gooseberries (Nellikaayi or Amla)
- 2 tablespoons groundnut oil or any cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons red chilli powder or as required
- 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds (Mente or Methi)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (Saasive or Rai)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (Ingu or Hing)
- 1 teaspoon salt or as required
Cookware / Utensils
-
Pan
- Bowl(s)
- Spoon
- Mortar and pestle
Instructions
Instructions
How to make Nellikaayi Uppinakaayi / Amla pickle
- Wash the berries until clean. Wash with salt water if bought from market.
- Slow cook them in a pan on stovetop. You can pressure cook the berries, but make sure that they do not lose their shape. Let them cool.
- While the berries are cooling, dry roast 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds and 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds till they turn aromatic.
- Once the spices are cooled down or warm, powder them using mortar and pestle. You can use mixer to powder the spices.
- Once the berries are cooled down, de-seed them.
- Take the de-seeded berries in a bowl.
- Add 2 teaspoons red chilli powder or as required, 1 teaspoon salt or as required, and powdered spices.
- Mix them with the berries. Cover and keep aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of any cooking oil. Once the oil is heated, add 1 pinch asafoetida and 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
- Switch off the heat and add this to the berries. Mix well.
- Instant pickle is ready to eat or serve or to store.
Step by step guide
How to make Nellikaayi Uppinakaayi
1. Wash the berries until clean. Wash with salt water if bought from market.
2. Slow cook them in a pan on stovetop. You can pressure cook the berries, but make sure that they do not lose their shape. Let them cool.
3. While the berries are cooling, dry roast 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds and 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds till they turn aromatic.
4. Once the spices are cooled down or warm, powder them using mortar and pestle. You can use mixer to powder the spices.
5. Once the berries are cooled down, de-seed them. See the beauty of this wonder fruit; it opens itself to equal segments.
6. Take the de-seeded berries in a bowl.
7. Add 2 teaspoons red chilli powder or as required, 1 teaspoon salt or as required, and powdered spices.
8. Mix them with the berries. Cover and keep aside.
9. Heat 2 tablespoons of any cooking oil. Once the oil is heated, add 1 pinch asafoetida and 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
10. Switch off the heat and add this to the berries. Mix well.
11. Instant pickle is ready to eat or serve or to store.
Notes
-
Ingredients: You can add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (arishina or haldi) to this pickle. You can increase or decrease oil quantity as per your preferences. Increasing oil quantity may increase pickle shelf life as well. Pickle stays good for longer time when preserved in oil or salt.
- Instant pickle: Though this is instant pickle, I keep it for 2 to 3 hours or even overnight before using so that the berries can absorb salt and the spices. This makes the pickle more delicious and flavorful.
- Storage: Let the pickle cool down completely before transferring to a jar. Store the pickle in a clean and dry jar. Keep it in clean, cool and dry place. Use clean and dry spoon to scoop out. This pickle stays good for about 2 to 3 days at room temperature. However, the shelf life depends on climate and room temperature condition.
