Nellikai oorugai, instant, spicy side dish for curd rice. Indian gooseberry pickle is a south Indian condiment made with fresh spice mix.
Indian Gooseberry is known as poor man's apple. It is healthy and we consume making nellikai thayir pachadi, both with fresh and sun dried gooseberry, neer nellikai - my favorite.
You can also make nellikai rasam or amla juice.
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I have never tasted any other gooseberry pickle. So when I saw this easy recipe in a cookbook I have, I wanted to try it out.
Tried it and turned out tasty. Its very simple, you can make it in a jiffy and enjoy with our curd rice. It has only the usual pickle ingredients.
Later I saw my MIL make another version where we need no cook it separately but you will have to give standing time for 3-4 days.
I will share both versions, you can choose which ever way you like. Now a days I make my mom in law's version.
As soon as I see fresh nellikai in shops, I get so tempted and buy. Earlier I used to waste it keeping inside fridge and forgetting about it.
New me save few for juice or thayir pachadi or rasam and chop the rest immediately the same day I buy. Mix it with salt and store in a botte inside fridge.
After few days, I make this pickle in a jiffy! No boiling/ cooking step. Proceed to step 3.
Step by step photos
1. Wash the gooseberry. Boil enough water and add the washed gooseberry to it. Bring to boil again and cook for 2 mins.
2. Drain, cool down and pit the seeds. If you cut the gooseberry, you will be able to take out the seeds easily.
3. Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard. Add half the asafoetida powder to it and add the gooseberry. Fry for a minute well.
4. Add red chilli powder, turmeric, salt and mix in low flame. Lastly add remaining asafoetida and methi seeds powder. mix well and switch off the flame.
It may take one or two day for the spices to blend together with the gooseberry. Keep refrigerated after a day or two. Serve with it's best mate curd rice.
Recipe card
Nellikai oorugai recipe
Ingredients
- 15 Nellikai Indian gooseberry
- ¼ cup Red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
- ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds Roasted & powdered
- Salt
- ¼ cup Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
Instructions
- Wash the gooseberry firstly.
- Boil enough water and add the washed gooseberry to it.
- Bring to boil again and cook for 2 mins.
- Drain, cool down and pit the seeds.
- If you cut the gooseberry, you will be able to take out the seeds easily.
- Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard.
- Add half the asafoetida powder to it and add the gooseberry.
- Fry for a minute well.
- Add red chilli powder, turmeric, salt and mix in low flame.
- Lastly add remaining asafoetida and methi seeds powder. mix well and switch off the flame.
Video
Notes
- I added all together and mixed (in hurry), but recommend you to follow the steps. Do not roast the gooseberry in oil for long time.
- For more flavorful version, use red chillies - Roast red chillies, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds and powder them to add in this recipe.
- Balance red chilli powder, salt enough to suppress the gooseberry's thuvarpu.
- I have used big variety and you can make the same with whole gooseberry without cutting.
Subashini says
Pics are too good raji..love the green setup...lovely clicks..
Thilak saravanan says
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Thilak saravanan says
Long since waited for this, thank you. How long we can use this(by refrigerating)
Thilak saravanan says
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Thilak saravanan says
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Kaveri Venkatesh says
Lovely pics and mouthwatering pickle..Perfect with some curd rice
Raks anand says
2 weeks
Thilak saravanan says
Tried it today, but that thuvarppu taste is strong and I tried to balance it with red chilli powder but still thuvarppu taste there, can't add more chilli powder as it became spicy. What can I do? Also after cooling down can I straight away refrigerate it?
Raks anand says
It could take a day or two for the spices to blend well. May be salt is less? Yes you can refrigerate as it cools down. If salt and oil is more, you can keep outside too I guess for a day and then keep inside.
Thilak saravanan says
Should check on salt, I kept out for 12 hours and refrigerated now. Will check after two days and see how it turns out with salt added (if less). Thanks for quick response.
Thilak saravanan says
Thanks Raji, now the taste is balanced and came out well. Tastes great with curd rice. Thank you again.
suguna murugesan says
yummy :)... please give mushroom pickle recipe 🙂
Anonymous says
Hi,
Is that You who Posted Some Recipes for Navarathiri Special in Sakthi Vikatan Magazine?
Raks anand says
Yes
Sudesh Kumar says
I've seen gooseberry being wiped thoroughly with clean cotton cloth after cooking and before making pickle. Is it required?
Raks anand says
Since we are boiling this, we need not pat dry.
Unknown says
How many days we can keep the pickle
Raks anand says
A month in refrigerator
Unknown says
Thanks Raks for posting this recipe just wonder if we boil the Amla and pour water out will it not loose all its nutrients ?
Raks anand says
No it will not loose its nutrients in 2 mins also we boil as whole 🙂 Not sure how true, but my mom says amla retains its nutrients what ever you do. She dries it in sun and powders to keep for year's use.
Sindu Mani says
Like you said, if I am roasting the chilies and fenugreek seeds means, how much do i need to add... I mean how many chilies and how much seeds?