Nellikkai Urugai - Amla Pickle

Nellikkai - amla- goose berry is a rich source of vitamin C.
Many recipes can be prepared with nellikai. Here let us see the method of preparing pickle using nellikkai.

Ingredients :
Nellikai ( amla )                               : 1/4 kg
Tamarind                                        : 2 nellikkai size ball
Mustard seeds                                : 1 Tsp
Fenugreek seeds                             : 1/2 Tsp
Red chilly powder                            : 2 Tsp
Asafoetida powder                           : 1 Tsp
OR
Asafoetida                                       : 1 small piece
Turmeric powder                              : 1/2 Tsp
Oil ( gingelly oil preferred )                : 6 Tsp
Salt                                                 : 2 Tsp ( adjust )
Fresh green coriander seeds            : 2 Tsp [ if available ]

Method :
Soak tamarind in lukewarm water.
Take washed nellikkai in a cooker container/vessel.
Take 1 cup of water in the cooker.
Keep the cooker vessel with nellikkai inside the cooker.

Close the lid and do not put weight over the nozzle.
Cook over high flame until steam starts coming through the nozzle.
Now reduce the flame and steam cook for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes the nellikais would have become very soft.

Remove seeds and coarsely grind using a mixer grinder.
keep aside.

Keep a kadai with a Tsp of oil on a stove over slow flame.
First fry fenugreek until it turns to golden color and transfer into a plate.

Now add 6 Tsp of oil in the same kadai.
Spluttrer mustard seeds then add asafoetida, turmeric powder and ground nellikkai.
Saute well for few minutes.
Now add chilly powder, salt and mix well.
Now strain tamarind water into the kadai.
Mix well and let it simmer until water dries up.
Keep stirring at regular interval.

Now adjust salt, add coriander seeds and keep stirring.

The oil comes out and the pickle ( urugai ) leaves out of the kadai's surface.
At this stage powder the roasted fenugreek and add.
Mix well and keep stirring for a minute.

Now turn off the stove and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
Store in a clean and dry bottle.

Always use dry spoon to take out the urugai from the bottle.
Keep urugai in the Sun to avoid fungus formation.
If don't have sunny place, stir in a kadai over slow flame for 5 minutes once in 2 days.

This urugai can be stored in fridge or outside for a week to a month.
Of course!! urugai/thokku ( pickle ) is very very good with curd rice.
This goes well with paruppu rice, idly, dosai, chappathy/roti, paratta, and the list goes on!!..






Other pickle recipes you might like to try

lemon in salt

avakkai - mystyle

kothamalli thokku

thakkali thokku

maangai thokku