Uppilitta Nellikka Achar / Salted Gooseberry Pickle

I love the salted gooseberries, so whenever I get some gooseberries in the market, I will buy and keep it stored in brine. After 2-3 days, it will start soaking in the salt water and I used to eat it whenever I want.

This time when my mom came, she bought the brined gooseberries after draining the salt water. As there were so many, I told her to make a pickle out of it and this is how it came out.

She bought about 1 kg of gooseberries and she made ½ kg for the pickle and the remaining ½ kg I am having it daily :-)

I am a big pickle fan, that one day I ate around 4- 5 pickles mixed in rice and I ended up going to doctor for severe acidity. But now my intake of pickle has reduced a lot. My mom is very good in making pickles that I have learnt a lot about pickle making from her. I prefer homemade pickle rather than canned ones, as they are loaded with preservatives. Try this out and you will come to know…

Ingredients:

1. Gooseberries- ½ kg
2. Red Chilli Powder- 5 tbsp
3. Asafoetida powder- 1 tsp
4. Fenugreek powder- 1tbsp
5. Gingelly Oil- ¼ Cup
6. Mustard Seeds- 2 tbsp
7. Curry Leaves- few
8. Fenugreek Seeds- ½ tbsp
9. Garlic- 1 Cup
10. Red Chillies- 6- 7 nos
11. Salt- as required
12. Vinegar- 2 tbsp
13. Tamarind- a lemon size

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind in little water and take out the thick pulp. Keep this aside.
2. Boil 2 cups of water and add salt to this. Switch off the flame, let it cool. When the water cools down add the washed gooseberries and store it in a plastic bottle.
3. After 5- 6 days drain the water and keep the gooseberries aside.
4. Heat oil in a large kadai, splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds. Add garlic and red chillies and stir for some time.
5. Switch off the flame and keep the kadai aside for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the red chilli powder, fenugreek powder, salt and asafoetida powder. Mix well.
7. Keep the kadai on low flame, add the drained salted gooseberries. Mix well till all the ingredients are blended properly.Mix the vinegar properly.
8. At last add the thick pulp and let it boil for about 10- 15 minutes and switch off the flame.
9. Store in an airtight container for weeks without damage.