Nellikkai(Amla/ Indian gooseberry) thokku(pickle variety)

Here I am,  posting another recipe for Amla

Ingredients:

Nellikkai big ones frozen 5-6nos

Refined oil 50gms
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Red Chilly powder 3 tbsps

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida powder 1 pinch

Salt 1.5 tsps or to taste

Procedure:

1.) Boil nellikkai with turmeric powder for 15 mins or until it gets extremely soft.
2.) Remove it from the heat, let it cool. After it cools down, remove the seeds, mash it and keep it aside.
3.) Take some oil in a satti/vaanali and heat it. Add mustard seeds and after it splatters, add asafoetida powder.
4.) Add the mashed nellikkai and mix along with salt.
5.) Add red chilly powder and mix well.
6.) Lower the heat to medium low and keep mixing until the raw flavour of the chilly powder is gone and the oil starts oozing out.
7.) If u have the patience to cool it down :) then ur delicious nellikkai thokku is ready.

Nellikkai thokku

This is a pickle variety and can be stored for months in an airtight container. You can mix this thokku with plain rice and sesame oil and have it with poricha ulundhu appalam for a divine gastronomic experience. It can be had as a side dish with chappathis, yogurt rice, idli, dosa and a variety of ther dishes.

Nellikkai (Indian gooseberries/Amla) thayir pachadi

Here is our version of superfruit from India. The more we consume, the more are we the benefactors. How much ever we say about this fruit is so little. Amla enhances food absorption, balances stomach acid, fortifies the liver, nourishes the brain and mental functioning, supports the heart, strengthens the lungs, regulates elimination, enhances fertility, helps the urinary system, is good for the skin, promotes healthier hair, acts as a body coolant, flushes out toxins, increases vitality, strengthens the eyes, improves muscle tone and it acts as an antioxidant.

It provides remedies for many diseases so it is widely used in ayurvedic medicines. Nellikkai/Amla is very rich in Vitamin C. It contains many minerals and vitamins like Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Carotene and Vitamin B Complex. Amla is also a powerful antioxidant agent. Many health problems are conduced by oxidative damage (when body cells use oxygen they produce by-products that can cause damage). Antioxidant agents prevent and repair such damages. Vitamin C is a good antioxidant agent and so is Gooseberry/Nellikkai/Amla.

Recipe:

Servings:  2-4 

Ingredients:

Nellikkai/Indian gooseberry/Amla Frozen (Big ones) - 1
Coconut thuruval/ dessicated coconut powder -2 tsp/ 1 tsp
Pachai milagai (Green chillies) - 2 small ones or 1 big one
Salt- to taste
Curd/Yogurt - 1 measuring cup

Procedure: 

1.) Cook nellikkai when u keep rice/dhal in ur pressure cooker for samayal in a seperate cup
or boil it in water for maybe 10mins.
2.) Remove the seed when it has cooled down.
3.) Grind coconut thuruval/dessicated coconut powder along with green chillies without adding water.
4.) Mix the ground powder with nellikkai and salt 
5.) Mash it up and make the mixture to a round ball and leave it for 10-15 mins for the flavours to infuse.
5.) Add curd and mix it well for the raitha consistency. If u feel that it is too creamy, then add water to ur desired consistency.

PS: U may feel that its too much curd/yogurt for one  nellikkai... But the taste is too strong and u would want to dilute it with so much thayir :)

Gonkura- Tambram style!

Hi all,

Apologies for closing Iyer mess for a long long time, typically for no reason at all! Promising to post more often from now on.

Gonkura leaves is what we call as 'pulicha keerai' in tamizh and Red sorrel leaves in English. It is a great source for iron and dietary fibre. You would have come across gonkura pickle in grocery stores. This recipe offers a different style of consuming Gonkura.

Ingredients:

Gonkura ( Red sorrel) leaves - 2 clusters (big bunches)

Sesame oil - 50 ml

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 7 -8 nos

Black pepper - 30- 40 nos depending on your taste

Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball
Asafoetida Powder - 1 pinch

Steps to a tantalising yummy Gonkura:

1.) Separate gonkura (Red sorrel) leaves from their stems and discard stems.
2.) Wash them thoroughly before the preparation and drain.
3.) Add half the amount of sesame oil in a stir fry pan and heat.
4.) Add red chillies, black peppers, tamarind and gonkura leaves and mix them in medium heat until the leaves loose its green color, become brownish and reduces in volume. This takes between 4-7 minutes.
5.) Grind them in a blender with  little water to make it a loose paste.
6.) Add the reminder oil in the stir fry pan and heat.
7.) Add Mustard seeds and let it split.
8.) Add asafoetida powder and the ground sort of runny paste and let it simmer at low-medium heat for 10mins or until oil oozes out.
9.) Serve hot .
10.) If it is for later use, cool it down and store it in an airtight container. It can be refrigerated too. Even without refrigeration it stays good for a month.

Gonkura can be mixed with rice and had with poosanikkai morkootu, had as a side dish for idli, dosai, chappathi, upma, curd rice and can be used as a substitute for pickles.