Amla (Indian gooseberry) Achar is an instant achar which can be easily made at home with very basic masalas and ingredients. Not a very long recipe. I learnt making achar from watching my mother-in-law making them. She was adept in Achars. I loved her Aam ka Achar and Mirch ka achar. The best thing about her Achars were that they were quick and simple. Earlier I had this feeling that making an Achar would be a big project but really it was not that if you have basics done. So first and foremost thing about any Achar is that you must have clean jars, clean hands, clean spoons and clean kitchen towel and not a bit of moisture on anything(dry). Because moisture leads to bacteria and spoils the achar. So to do that, wash the jars a day before and keep them in sufficient sunlight for drying up. Similar to the ingredients like Nimbu, Mirch etc. You may wash them under tap water and keep in sunlight for drying up. Sunlight pays an important role in making achar. As we are done with the achar, it is always recommended to keep jars safe in sunlight for few days. the number of days we should keep in sun really depends on the type of achar. Some take longer and some are done in a few days. In winters, I prefer making Nimbu(Lemon) Sweet Achar, Mirch and Amla ka Achar. The nimbu is in the process and Amla is done.
Gooseberry is a rich source of fibre, Vitamin A & C and its low in saturated fats and cholesterol. It has a tangy and bitter taste so eating it raw or in juice becomes a challenge for some. Having it as a achar is an easy way to incorporate it in daily diet and it helps in digestion too. I am calling it an achar although the process of making it is just like any vegetable. Its just that I have added the spices liberally to add the flavour and its made in mustard oil. Mustard oil is the best for Vegetables and achars. A word of caution for people with high BP or heart issues, I have used the oil and salt as much as required, yet its an extra food item with salt so must be avoided if doctor has advised so.
We have it with paranthas in breakfast and also with chapati and dal. This time it really turned out to be great and everyone liked it.
So, are you gonna try them? Do share your experience with me. Enjoy!!
Gooseberry Achar Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 gm Amla Indian gooseberry
- 2 tablespoon mustard oil
- 2 teaspoon Jeera(Cumin)
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 teaspoon Saunf Powder(Fennel Seeds Powder)
- 2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 3 teaspoon Black Mustard Seeds(Rai)
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (Methre)
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper Sabut
- 1 piece Sabut Red Chilly
- salt as per taste
- 3 cups Water
Instructions
- Take amla in a sieve and wash thoroughly under tap.
- Take a large pan and add amla with water to it, Water should be sufficient to submerge Amlas. Boil this for 3-4 min. This would make the amlas tender and they would be cooked quickly.
- In the mean time, make the masalas ready in the bowls,
- Take the blender jar and add all sabut spices that have to be grounded. We would grind them coarse (dardara). That enhances the taste and flavour.
- It would look like this.
- Take it in a bowl for adding later.
- Take a Kadai and add mustard oil and burn it to change its color from dark yellow to light yellow.
- Now are amlas are done and they are tender.
- Sieve them to drain extra water.
- You may chop the amlas in four pieces.
- Add all the spices together in warm oil (NOT in HOT OIL as it would burn the masala).
- Without a delay add some amlas along with masalas and mix well. Always use the small burner gas and flame should be off as the oil takes time to cool off and we just need a warm temperature for adding masalas.
- Add rest of the amlas and add salt. Mix well. Cover with a lid. Since the amlas should be tender, they wont take much time for cooking. We just wish to mix masalas well with the Amla. That should take maximum of 2 min or so. Keep sauting in between to judge that.
- The Tangy and spicy Amla Achar is ready!! Enjoy it with Paranthas..
Notes
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Serving size: 1 tsp | |
Servings: 15 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 22 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 1.4g | 2% |
Saturated Fat 0.2g | 1% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 0mg | 0% |
Total Carbohydrate 2.3g | 1% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
Total Sugars 0g | |
Protein 0g | |
Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
Calcium 3mg | 0% |
Iron 0mg | 0% |
Potassium 0mg | 0% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Share your Views