Usirikaya Pachadi / Andhra Style Indian Gooseberry Pickle

(This was originally published on 8/4/2010.)

Today's post is about a pickle prepared using the Indian gooseberry which is called amla in Hindi and usirikayi in Telugu. Indian gooseberries which are rich in vitamin c, come in two sizes. One is tiny variety which are called nellikayi in Kannada. These are shaped like pumpkins, are pale green colored and are about or little smaller than a grape in size. These are mouth puckeringly sour and I have fond memories of greedily snacking on them while growing up. The bigger variety which is called bettada nellikayi in Kannada is used to make dishes like spicy pickle, murabba, spicy rice and other dishes in India. The big berries are also used to light the lamps during Tulsi festival in south India where cotton wicks greased with ghee would be placed on them and lighted. 

My mother mostly uses the berries to prepare usiri avakaya, a popular pickle from Andhra Pradesh, made with gooseberries and ground mustard. I don't prepare that as I don't find fresh gooseberries locally. I however find frozen berries at Indian stores and I use them to prepare this style pickle, following my sister-in-law's recipe. 

The process of making pickle using frozen berries needs a little improvisation. I wash and thaw them for half a day and then squeeze them to get rid of excess of water. People who are familiar with Indian pickle making know that even a trace of moisture would ruin the fate of pickle. This pickle, if prepared with frozen berries needs refrigeration since water keeps oozing out of them as you squeeze them even after thawing. The pickle prepared with frozen gooseberries stays fresh for 2 tp 3 weeks, refrigerated. And the one made with fresh gooseberries stays fresh longer.

Ingredients: 
Indian gooseberries / amla / usirikaya - About a dozen (I had 14 berries in the frozen pack)
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder 
1/2 cup (or more) oil 
Salt to taste
Chili powder to taste (I had used 6 tbsp.)
Lemon juice as needed (optional)
Ingredients for tadka:

1 tbsp. oil

1 tsp. mustard seeds

2 pinches of ground asafoetida 

Method:
1. Wash and wipe dry the usirikaya if using fresh ones. If using frozen ones, wash and thaw them for a few hours. Wipe them dry using a towel or paper towels.
2. Keep your hands and the utensils dry. Chop the berries into small pieces and discard the seeds. Chop away the skin if you notice any blemishes. Transfer the berries to a bowl. 

3. Add turmeric powder, salt and oil to the chopped gooseberries. 

4. Mix it well, cover and let it sit overnight.
5. Next day, stir the mixture well.

6. Transfer the mixture to a dry blender and grind the mixture coarsely without adding any water. 

7. Heat a tbsp. of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add asafoetida and turn off the stove. Let it cool. 

8. Transfer the ground gooseberry mixture to the bowl back, Add chili powder to the mixture and mix well. Taste and adjust the quantities of chili powder and salt if needed. Add the lemon juice as needed (1 tsp. or so) and mix one more time. Add the tempering from step 7 and mix well.

9. Refrigerate the pickle to store longer, especially if preparing with frozen berries and use a dry spoon whenever using.

Note:

Use salt, chili powder and lemon juice to taste.

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A - Z Andhra Recipes ~ U for Usirikaaya Pulihora

 
Time sure flies by. We are already into the final week of this month long blogging marathon. I am on alphabet 'U' in my A to Z series of Andhra vegetarian recipes, going in an alphabetical order. 

The first ingredient that came to my mind when planning for 'U' dish has been usirikaaya which is 'gooseberry' in English, 'bettada nellikaayi' in Kannada and 'nellikayi' in Tamil. I wanted to post about usiri aavakaaya, a spicy Andhra gooseberry pickle in mustard and chili powder base. Meanwhile, my husband suggested another regional recipe. I had both the stuff at home and so my pictures were taken and ready. And I thought this was going to be one of the easy alphabets which involved no cooking from my side until I called my mother for the recipes and she burst my bubble of excitement. I had called her to see whether she would give me the correct quantities of ingredients that go into the dishes and she used the word 'andaajuga' to my annoyance which is like saying a novice cook to use the ingredients as much as needed. She never measures her ingredients while cooking and so it was hard for her to give me the correct quantities for my blog sake. And so I had to strike them off from my list.

Coincidentally, I happened to see usirikaaya pulihora on a Telugu T.V. show, a couple of months back. I had seen the dish earlier too on shows and over online but gave real attention to the recipe this time and noted it down. I finalized it for my today's post as I hadn't picked any of the regular rice fare for this marathon. Usually a rice dish like pulihora, a spicy and tangy dish prepared sans onion and garlic would be the main course of a festive meal in Andhra brahmin households. It may be chintapandu pulihora (tamarind rice), lemon rice (nimmakaya pulihora), mamidikaya pulihora (green mango rice) and so on.

This usirikaaya pulihora aka gooseberry rice may be not a traditional dish but definitely a tasty one. And healthy one too considering that gooseberry is rich in vitamin C and is good for one's eyes and hair. This rice is a flavorful, quick meal idea for any time or even to pack for lunch boxes. I used frozen gooseberries since I don't have access to fresh variety locally. I delegated the cleaning job of gooseberries to my husband who loves rice dishes and so, this dish got done in no time. I pulsed the prepared berries in a food processor since grating frozen gooseberries is next to impossible. If using, fresh ones, the gooseberries can be grated and refrigerated in advance to make it quicker in the morning rush hours. We loved the dish immensely and I recommend it to anyone who loves Indian variety rice dishes.
 
'U' ingredients from Pantry:
Uddipappu / Minapappu - Urad dal / Black gram
Ulavalu - Horse gram
Uppu - Salt
Uppu Mirapakaya - Sundried chillies

Produce:
Ullikaadalu - Green onion 
Ullipaaya - Onion
Urla gadda / Ulla gadda - Potato
Usiri kaaya - Amla / Gooseberry

Some 'U' dishes:
Uddi vadalu - Vada, Black gram fritterso
Ugadi Pachadi 
Uggani - Puffed rice upma
Ulava Charu - Horse gram rasam
Ulli garelu - Onion & black-gram fritters
Ulli pakodi - Onion pakoda
Ullikaram / Erra karam - Onion paste
Undrallu - Steamed semolina balls
Uppudu Pindi / Uppindi / Upma - Spicy semolina breakfast
Usiri Aavakaaya - Gooseberry Pickle in mustard base
Urumindi - A chutney is referred so in a traditional Rayalaseema kitchen

Ingredients: (Yield 6 servings)
5 cups cooked rice (I used sona masuri rice.)
1 cup grated / usirikaaya / amla / gooseberries
2 to 3 tbsp. oil
3 tbsp. peanuts
1 tbsp. split chickpeas / chana dal
1 tbsp. black gram / urad dal
1 tsp. mustard seeds
2 dried red chillies, broken into bits
2 green chillies or as needed (I used 2 long, spicy ones.)
12 to 15 curry leaves
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/8 tsp. asafoetida powder or to taste
Salt to taste
Juice from a small lime / lemon (optional)

Method:
* If using fresh gooseberries, grate them and discard the seeds. If using frozen variety, wash them and leave aside for one hour in a colander. Get rid of the skin and seeds and chop them into bits. Dry them with a paper towel if needed and pulse them in a food processor until they are crumbly / resemble grated stuff.
* Heat oil in a wide pan and add peanuts, split chick peas, black gram, mustard seeds and red chillies in that order. When the dals turn reddish, add green chillies and stir. When they start to look blistered, add curry leaves, turmeric, asafoetida and salt. Finally add the gooseberry/ usirikaaya grating and saute on low flame until the raw smell is gone. Turn off the stove.
 
 * Next add the rice to the pan and mix well with a spatula to combine. Each grain of the rice should look separate and if there any lumps, break it with the back of the spatula and  mix. Taste and add lime / lemon juice if needed and mix well.
* Let the rice sit for 10 minutes before serving so that the flavors get incorporated into rice.

So far on my 'A - Z' Andhra Cuisine,
A for Alasanda Vada
B for Bellam Garelu
C for Chiyali
D for Dondakaaya Kaarapu Kaaya
E for Endu Kobbari Podi
F for Fine Biscuits 
G for Gongura - Mamidikaya Pappu
H for Halwa Holigalu
I for Idli Karam Podi
J for Janthikalu
K for Kobbari Koora

L for Lauzu
M for Matikkaaya Kaaram Koora
N for Nimmakaaya Kaaram
O for Ottotti
P for Perugu Vadalu  
Q for Qubani ka Meetha 
R for Ragi Sangati
S for Satyanarayana Vrata Prasadam
T for Theepi Dibba Rotte

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 63.
 

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Banana - Gooseberry Milkshake

 

My son always has loved milkshakes and even now he likes to be surprised by a new variety each time he drinks one. I see no problem in it as I see shakes/smoothies as a healthy way to serve milk and fruit to kids instead of offering junk food as snacks. Sometimes during time crunches, they can be a quick, filling breakfast too. I like to whip up new ones just keeping him in mind and this goose berry one was made at the spur of the moment since I happened to notice the gooseberry preserves bottle in the refrigerator while I was grabbing the milk can. Recently my husband got a bottle from IKEA and instantly we fell in love with it. The small sized, sweet bananas (the elakki balehannu kind) I used lend creaminess and sweetness to the shake. 

Milkshakes are hardly recipes. Just by the title, you can guess what went into a milkshake. Nonetheless here is what you need for this shake. For one serving - blend a cup of cold milk, 2 small bananas and 2 Tbsp gooseberry preserves. And a rich, creamy, nutritious drink is ready to enjoy.

Check what other marathoners are cooking during this month long marathon.

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