Indian Style Gooseberry Pickle |Ara Nellikaai Oorugai | Usirikaya Uragaya

Fresh from the garden- This was the Recipe ReDux theme for the month of July.My backyard boasts of a gooseberry tree, a few coconut tree,a drumstick tree and a few herb varieties.

The gooseberry tree is bent with produce right now and I thought it would be good to make something out of it.I made this sometime back for my SIL.

The tree that we have is not the one which produces the big gooseberries/ cape gooseberry, but the one that give small tart ones like the ones in the pic below.

It is so good to eat them as such or cook them in sugar syrup to get a dish that looks like something in between a thick syrup and a jam.

But I love this simple pickle that can be made adding a little spices and it surely goes well steamed rice and yogurt.

I used:

Aranellikai /Small gooseberries- 1/4 kilo
Sesame oil-200ml
Mustard- 1 teaspoon
Red chili powder- 2 tablespoons / adjust to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/8 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder- a large pinch
Salt to taste
Curry leaves- a few

1. Grate the gooseberries and drain the juice if there is more of it.[Use the juice to make a beverage / discard it.]
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, asafoetida powder .
3. When the mustard pops, add the curry leaves, wait for a few seconds and then add the grated gooseberry, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and mix well.
4. Cook on medium flame. The gooseberry will first absorb the oil fully and on further cooking will release the oil.
5. Once the oil releases from the pickle, remove from heat and let it cool completely.
6. Transfer into a clean ,dry jar and store.

Note:

• The same procedure can be followed for Cape gooseberry as well.
• Be sure to saute it well, else it will spoil easily.
• Last for a while when refrigerated. 
• Add more oil will increase the shelf life of the pickle.
• Always use a clean dry spoon when taking the pickle out of the jar. 
• The pickle tastes best when made with sesame oil. But you can also use any other neutral flavored oil.

Bon Appetit…