Usiri Avakaya / Indian Gooseberry Pickle / Amla Achar /Amla Pickle

Amla or Indian gooseberries are rich source of vitamin c & antioxidants. Hence good for treating colds. they are good for digestion too.It is used to make jam, murraba,pickles ,chutney and many more exotics .In winters we made its ready to eat pickle The process of making this gooseberry pickles is not complicated,hence you can make small batches and enjoy with your curd rice or you can even mix it with hot rice , Pappula podi and ghee.It tastes heavenly :)

Ingredients:-

Amla /Usirikaya /Indian Gooseberry - 1/2 Kg or 20 big sized ones
Tamarind  - 125 gms
Red Chilli Powder /Lal Mirch- 125 gms
Mustard seeds /Rai - 4 tsps
Fenugreek Seeds  /Methi- 2 tsps
Turmeric Powder /Haldi- 1 tsp
Salt - 135 gms
Asafoetida /Hing  -1/2 tsp
Oil - 125 gms
Dry Red Chillies - 8-9


Method:-


1) Wash goose berries/usirikayalu/amla  and wipe them properly with a  cotton cloth.  See that they are not wet.  Place them on a kitchen towel and allow them to dry for at least 20 to 30 min. Put some scars with knife to the amla.

Indian Gooseberries / Amla /Usurikaya

2) In a pan/kadai, dry roast the fenugreek seeds till they start to change color.Set aside the fenugreek seeds to cool.
3) Dry roast the mustard seeds .Cool them.
4) Grind the cooled, roasted fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds to a fine powder.
5) Soak tamarind for 20 mins then squeeze and make the tamarind pulp.
6) Heat oil in a pan. Add 8-9 red chillies and 1 tsp of mustard seeds  and hing . When mustard seeds crackle then add the usirikayalu/amla into it slowly.  Cook in a medium flame stirring at intervals for atleast 7-8 mins till amla gets light golden in colour .WHen Amla is half cooked add the tamarind pulp. Cook for another 7-8 mins or till amla gets squeezed. When Press a amla with a ladle and see whether it is cooked properly.Switch of the  flame and let it cool.

7) Now press each Usirikaya/amla with the help of a spoon and remove the seed inside.

8) While the oil  gets cool , add the asafoetida, mustard powder, fenugreek powder, salt, turmeric, and chilli powder.Mix well.

9) Let the uragai cool completely.
10) Transfer the uragai /pickle to a dry clean glass bottle or air tight glass jar.
11) You can use this  usiri avakaya immediately.

12) Serve with Curd Rice or Warm Rice and Ghee ,Sambar rice or dal rice combination.You can also serve this usiri avakaya with upma and dosa also.
13) Once the amla pickle is ready, keep outside or in the fridge. In cold climates, you can keep outside.In a hot and humid climate, keep in the fridge.
14) This Amla Pickle stays for 6 months to a year .