Usirikaya dehydrated (Indian Gooseberry dehydrated)

 Usirikaya which is called amalika in Sanskrit, amla in Hindi, Bettada nellikkayi in Kannada, amloki in Bengali, nelli in Malayalam and Tamil, is available all over Asia. In India, the tree is considered sacred by Hiindus, as they believe Vishnu dwells under this tree. Amla is a deciduous tree of the family of Phyllanthaceae. Amla is sour, bitter and astringent.

Amla is very rich in vitamin C and is known for its anti-oxidant properties. Amla fruits are low in calories and known for health-benefiting effects against cancer, aging, inflammation and neurological diseases.

Amla fruits are available only from November to February or so. In view of the health benefits, there is a demand to find ways of preserving or dehydrating them. A friend of mine gave me this recipe which is very simple and not at all complicated. During the hot summer, you can chew on the dehydrated amla and drink a glass of water afterwards. It is known for relieving flatulence and quenching thirst!

When the dehydrated amla is ready, I wanted to try making a simple chutney with the dehydrated stuff. The end result is very tasty and I shared the chutney with friends. Unanimous comment is, it is yummy!
I am giving the details of dehydrating and also making the chutney with the dried amla.


   Dehydrated with salt                                                                              Dehydrated without salt

Ingredients:

•      1kg (2 lbs)  usirikayalu (Indian gooseberry) cut into pieces
•      250gm  ginger peeled and cut into pieces
•      Salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

1.      Wash dry and cut usirikayalu into medium sized pieces. Discard the seeds.
2.      Wash ginger, peel and cut into pieces.
3.      Place the pieces in mixer along with salt (optional) and grind them together.
4.      The pieces are soft and you get a nice mixture.
5.      Pick the mixture with a spoon, and drop a small portion on a plastic sheet.
6.      If you want, you may flatten the portion a little bit.
7.      Put the plastic sheet in hot sun to dehydrate.
8.      On the second day, reverse the pieces and let them dry thoroughly.
9.      When the pieces are completely dehydrated, they are ready  to be stored.
10.      You may place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag.

How to make usirikaya pacchadi from the dehydrated usiri:

Ingredients:

•      A few dehydrated pieces of usirikayalu
•      1 or 2 green chiles
•      A few twigs of cilantro
•      1/4 Tsp. turmeric powder
•      A pinch of hing
•      1 Tsp. methi mustard powder
•      1 or 2 Tsp. lemon juice
•      2 Tsp. oil

Directions:

1.      Add turmeric powder, methi mustard powder, and a little bit of hing to the dehydrated pieces.
2.      Add some hot water (less than half cup).
3.      Soak for a few minutes and mash the mixture.
4.      Crush green chiles and cilantro together.
5.      Add chiles paste and lemon juice to the chutney and mix well.
6.      Heat oil in a pan and add hing.
7.      When the oil is giving fumes, add it to the chutney.
8.      Cover with a lid for a few minutes.
9.      Mix well and serve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chintakaya (fresh) pacchadi (Raw Tamarind Chutney)

Tamarind is grown in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand and Indian Subcontinent.

It is cultivated all over India. Tamarind is a very large tree with long, heavy drooping branches and dense foliage.

The fruit pulp is edible.  It is used in South Indian cooking to make chutneys, dal and sambar etc. The hard green pulp of a young fruit is sour, and is often used as a component of savoury dishes, as a pickling agent etc.

Its sticky pulp is a good source of dietary fiber which binds to toxins in the food thereby help protect the colon mucus membrane from cancer causing chemicals.

Tamarind is rich in tartaric acid which gives sour taste to food and is a powerful antioxidant.

Tamarind pulp is used in many traditional medicines as a laxative, digestive and as a remedy for bile disorders.

 Sweet and tangy tamarind is one of the widely used spice-condiments found in every South-Asian kitchen!
 

In South Indian cooking, raw tamarind is used in many recipes making chutneys etc. In this recipe, I am making a spicy chutney using raw tamarind. Chutney is easy to make and tastes very nice using raw tamarind, when the pods are without any seeds (available during September or so) till the seeds are soft and not very hard.  This chutney is not a pickle. It can be preserved for 2 to 3 weeks when refrigerated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

•      2 cups Chintakayalu cut into pieces
•      8 to 10 green chiles
•      1 cup kothimira (cilantro/hari dhania)
•      2 Tsp. methi mustard powder
•      Salt to taste
•      1/2 Tsp. turmeric
•      1/2 Tsp. hing
•      3 Tsp. oil

Directions:

1.      Wash and clean green tamarind.
2.      Remove any stems or strings from tamarind.
3.      Cut tamarind into half so that the seeds (tender and not too tough) and remove the inner portion of the seed. (If you are making the chutney during September/October seeds are not formed in the tamarind, you need not do this process) .
4.      Wash, remove the stems of chiles and cut them into large pieces.
5.      Grind tamarind, green chiles and cilantro together.
6.      Add turmeric, methi mustard powder, some hing and salt.
7.      Process together till the tamarind pieces are finely ground.
8.      Transfer to a bowl.
9.      Heat oil in a small pan, add some hing.
10.      When oil is fuming, add to the chutney and close the lid for a few minutes.
11.      Mix well and serve.
12.      Makes a nice and spicy side dish for rice.