Are you looking for a condiment that's a flavour bomb, a powerhouse of nutrients, keeps you young and beautiful, and fights diseases as well?
Yes, all of these perks are from one single condiment – "Amla Achar or Indian Gooseberry Pickle".
Amla has been a part of Indian medicinal practices for ages. All parts of the amla plant have some medicinal usage. Our ancestors made sure that everyone got its benefits, and hence, they introduced amla in many fun forms like Amla murabba, Chyawanprash, Amlaprash, or Amla pickle.
Now, everyone loves their pickles. It’s difficult to say which is the best-tasting amla achar recipe. Some love amla as it is, while others like to cook, steam, or boil them to make amla ka achar.
Why don’t you join us to find out the two most popular and different ways of making amla achar or gooseberry pickle? Later, you can also learn about the 10 amazing health benefits of amla.
Alright, let’s begin!
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Amla Achar Recipe or Gooseberry Pickle Recipe
Amla achar is made from the fruit of the amla plant. It’s round, juicy, and yellowish-green in colour. Amla fruit or Indian gooseberry tastes sour, bitter, and slightly sweet and has an astringent aftertaste. Some people find it delicious. But, for many, it's too sour to handle.
However, Amla Achar is loved by all. It is a perfect blend of spices like chillies, fenugreek, mustard, lemon, and salt, which gives it a nice hit; enough to add oomph to any simple dish.
Here are two Amla Achar recipes: one that requires boiling, and the second one that does not. You can see both of them and pick the amla achar recipe that works for you.
Recipe 1- Traditional Amla Achar Recipe
This amla achar recipe is easy, and anybody can make it. Just make sure you have good-quality amla and a little patience, and you can rejoice in the delicious homemade amla achar in 3 to 4 days' time.
Here’s what you need to make Amla Achar.
Ingredients for Amla Achar Recipe
- 500 gm Amla
- 200 gm Mustard Oil
- 3 to 4 pinch Asafetida
- 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 50 gm Salt
- 2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- 3 tsp Yellow Mustard seeds (grounded coarsely)
- 2 tsp Fennel seed powder
Steps to Make Amla Achar
- Take amla and wash them in clean water.
- Then, boil 500 ml of water in a pot. Once the water comes to a boil, add amla to it.
- Let the amla boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Now, turn off the flame.
- Cover the pot and leave the amlas until they cool down.
- Take out the amlas from the water and let them dry.
- Then, cut the amlas into small pieces and remove their seeds.
- Add 100 ml of oil to a frying pan and heat it. Then, add asafoetida and fenugreek seeds and let them sputter.
- Now, add turmeric powder, fennel seed powder, red chilli powder, yellow mustard seeds, and salt to the frying pan.
- Then, add the amla pieces to the pan and mix the amla with the spices.
- Transfer the mixture to any dry glass container.
- Now, pour the remaining oil on top of the pickle and shake it well.
- Let it sit for 3 to 4 days so that it pickles well. Stir the mixture with a clean and dry spoon every day.
- That’s it; the Amla Pickle is ready!
Recipe by Nisha Madhulika
You can consume it from the very first day. However, giving it 3-4 days enhances the flavours. When kept properly, Amla Pickle can easily last up to 1 year or more.
It’s time to see the second recipe that can be prepared without boiling the amlas.
Recipe 2- Amla Achar Recipe Without Boiling
This recipe is quick and easy. It just takes 30 minutes to do the preparations and cook the amlas with spices. And another 2 to 3 days for pickling.
Ingredients for Amla Achar Recipe Without Boiling
- 150 grams amla
- Oil – Sesame or Mustard as needed to fry amla
- 1 tbsp salt
- 3-4 tsp red chillies
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp methi or fenugreek seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Garlic pods 2 to 3
- 1 large lemon
Steps to Make Amla Achar Without Boiling
- Wash the amlas in clean water and wipe them dry.
- Make a few small cuts all around Amla or chop them into small pieces.
- Grind the mustard and methi seeds to a fine powder.
- Now, fry the amla in the oil till they are partially cooked, close to a light golden colour.
- Add minced garlic and mix. Switch off the flame.
- Add red chilli powder, turmeric, and salt to the amla mixture. Mix everything well.
- When the mixture is at room temperature, squeeze the lemon juice and mix.
- Taste the mixture and adjust salt, chilli, or lemon.
- Transfer the mixture to a clean, dry jar and let it rest for 2-3 days before consuming.
The amla pickle is ready to serve.
Recipe source: Swasthi’s recipe
How often does it happen to you that after buying or cooking healthy food, it’s left untouched? Well, of all the foods, it shouldn't happen with amla achar. Check out these ten health benefits of amla and get motivated to include it in your daily diet.
10 Amazing Benefits of Daily Consumption of Amla
There are more than just ten benefits to consuming amla. Amla’s praises know no bounds and have been approved by Ayurveda, Japanese, Chinese, and European medicine experts. Let’s learn about them without further ado.
The presence of high amounts of vitamin C and antioxidants in amla helps fight bacteria, fungi, and viral infections. Research at Japan’s Niwa Institute of Immunology has shown Amla to be a potent scavenger of free radicals.(Substances that can cause damage to our cells)
The outer skin of amla is crushed, mixed with ghee, and applied to boils and zits to quickly dry them.
The astringent properties of amla help with regulating bowel movements. They have been used as a laxative to cure constipation for a long time.
Amla has been used in the formulation of dental care for ages. Its antibacterial properties make it an excellent treat for our teeth.
- Amla is diabetic friendly
Amla has ellagic acid, a type of polyphenol that helps control blood sugar levels. Daily consumption of amla is often recommended for diabetes patients.
The presence of high amounts of vitamin C, zinc, iron, and polyphenols in amla helps with fertility issues in men (low sperm count, decrease in sexual drive, etc.) and improves stamina, mood, and sexual life.
Amla has been used in different types of concoctions to provide relief from fever, nausea, nosebleeds, and other health issues like vaginal infections, diuretic problems, etc.
The antioxidant and vitamin C-rich amla are helpful in controlling hair fall, adding luster to hair, fighting the signs of aging, and removing blemishes and dark spots. All of the doctors and nutritionists are recommending amla to combat these issues.
Amla is rich in gallic acid, chebulagic acid, geraniin, ellagic acid, and corilagin polyphenols. They have anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective activity. The presence of chemicals like emblicanin A and B, punigluconin, and pedunculagin polyphenols in amla is linked to neuroprotective activity ,and helps in protecting the brain cells that further helps in conditions of Dementia, Alzheimer's, and frequent memory loss.
The presence of polyphenols like pyrogallol, emblicanin A and B, and gallic acid has anti-cancer activities and is useful in cancer treatments.
FAQs:
What happens if we eat amla daily?
A serving of 100 grams of amla has around 300 mg of vitamin C, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, and antioxidants like polyphenols, alkaloids, and flavonoids. Consuming amla regularly improves immunity, reduces the risk of cardiac and age-related macular degeneration, and improves eyesight due to the presence of vitamin A and more.
How to eat amla for health benefits?
Amla can be consumed raw, in pickled form, as a dried powder, in candied forms, chyawanprash, or as amla murabba, which is highly beneficial for health. It can be consumed as a raw drink, along with jaggery, or as chutney and pickles.
Does amla produce heat in the body?
Amla has a cooling nature and helps regulate the body’s temperature.
Conclusion
We hope that you have the right knowledge and the perfect amla achar recipe to make this delicious pickle at home. The recipes don’t require too many ingredients and can be prepared any day. Make amla achar a part of your daily diet and enjoy its benefits for healthy hair, skin, bones, brain function, and more.
All you need is some good-quality organic amla to get started. But if you can’t find them, there is no need to panic. You can still enjoy Amla Achar in the off-season.
Try out Two Brothers Organic Farms Spicy Amla Pickle made from farm-fresh Amlas and traditional hand-pounded spices, followed by Lacto fermentation technique which is an age-old method of making pickles. These pickles are made in small batches and are free of synthetic colours, binders, and preservatives.
Read more :
Mastering Pickling: A Beginner's Guide to the Pickling Process 2023
How to Make Lemon Pickle ? - All You Need To Know !
