Pickles from Andhra (ఆంధ్ర ఊరగాయలు)-7

Pickles and Chutneys with Gooseberries-I


My previous posts on Pickles are here:
http://spiceomylife.blogspot.com/search/label/Pickles


Please read the introduction part before attempting this if you are making pickles for the first time. Its here:
http://spiceomylife.blogspot.com/2010/05/pickles-from-andhra-i.html

Gooseberries are a favourite in Indian Kitchens  These berries come into market after the festival Diwali-that is in the month of Karthika and are available till the end of December or even first of January. These days most of the fruits are available through out the year. But during the season when they are naturally available, they are cheap, tasty and healthy too. 

For us South Indians, Gooseberries known as Usirikaya (Telugu) and Amla (Hindi) is a sacred fruit perhaps as much sacred as the holy Tulasi(basil) leaves. These berries are very good for health being rich in Vitamin C. It delays ageing process and keeps us young. It is good for our health in general and especially eye sight and hair. External application to hair makes it black, lustrous and healthy. It is extensively used in many medicinal preparations in Ayurveda system of medicine.

Here is a glimpse of the fruit:

This is how it looks on the tree. The trees are very tall with many branches. The leaves are very small. The fruit grow close to the branches in bunches.

Before making the pickles or chutneys or jams, wash the berries in water and wipe them dry with cloth thoroughly. Spread them on a clean dry cloth and dry them under fan for an hour or two till you are sure that there is no moisture left.


Use gingelly or sesame  oil for pickles.

1. Goose Berry Pickle(ఉసిరి ఆవకాయ / आमला आचार)

Ingredients:
Goose Berries    500gms
Red Chilly Powder  100gms
Mustard Powder     100gms
Salt   100gms
turmeric Powder      1tsp
Fenugreek seeds    1tbsp
Oil     250gms


Method

• Pierce the berries with a fork  few times or put little slits with a knife  here and there
• Now in a deep pan heat oil on low heat. Add the berries to oil, mix well so that the oil is coated all over the berries. Fry for five to ten minutes till the berries are somewhat fried. Stir in between so that the berries are fried on all sides.
• Remove from fire and coll completely
• Now add salt, chilly powder, mustard powder, turmeric, fenugreek seeds to the berries and mix thoroughly
• Store in a glass bottle or a ceramic container and close the lid tightly
• Keep for two or three days and then use it
• This tastes very good with hot boiled rice.

NOTE: 

• Some people heat one or two table spoons of oil separately, add 1/2 tsp of Asafoetida powder and immediately remove it from fire. Cool it add to the berries and mix thoroughly.
• In some regions, tamarind is soaked in hot water or boiled along with . Say lemon sized or more in enough water. Then it is cooled and the tamarind is squeezed thoroughly to extract a thick paste. This is then cooled completely and added to the berries mixture. In this case one has to add more salt and chilly powder  to balance the sour taste. But adding of tamarind pulp, not only lessens the slight bitter taste of the berries, but enhances the taste and also adds more stuff to the pickle. 

Try this out and let me know please....More to be posted in my next posts