Amla pickle also known as nilava usirikaya pachadi, nellikai oorugai or gooseberry pickle. Andhra amla pickle is a spicy yet tangy pickle from Andhra region. This Usirikaya pachadi is made with amla, tamarind, spices, oil and garlic. Pickles vary from home to home, each family has a unique way of making pickle. My mom’s gooseberry pickle and nellikai thokku is slightly different from this recipe. Making a delicious amla pickle that can last longer needs few process, I have covered all my tips and tricks for making a delicious pickle in this blog post. Learn how to make amla pickle or gooseberry pickle with step by step pictures and video.
Wash and dry gooseberry with a clean towel and set aside.
Make tamarind pulp. Soak tamarind in 2 cups hot water for 15 minutes. Take the mixture in a blender and puree till smooth. Pass the ground tamarind puree through a sieve and extract the tamarind pulp. Now take the tamarind pulp in a pan and cook that for 10 minutes stirring constantly to evaporate the water content. Once the mix gets thick, take it in a clean glass bowl. Set aside and Allow this mixture to cool completely.
Make the Fenugreek mustard powder. Take fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds in a dry pan and roast till toasted. Take this mixture in a blender and powder to a fine texture. Set aside.
In a large kadai, heat sesame oil.Add in the gooseberry one by one carefully. Gently mix this using a spoon. Cover this with a lid and cook till gooseberry is cooked and gets golden brown. Once the amla is golden brown, remove them to a plate. Use a spoon or potato masher to slightly press over the gooseberry to crack them open so the pickle masala can enter the amla. Set aside to cool.
In the same gooseberry fried oil. Add in garlic cloves and fry till golden brown. Once the garlic is fried, add in mustard, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida and mix well. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Now add in turmeric powder and mix well. You have to allow the oil to cool completely.
Now in a mixing bowl, take cooled tamarind pulp, chilli powder, salt, powdered fenugreek mustard mixture and mix well. Pour the cooled tempered oil and fried gooseberry into the masala. Toss well to coat.
Transfer to a clean sterilised glass jar, set aside for 2 days and enjoy after 2 days.
Video
Notes
Use medium to large size gooseberry. Make sure amla is cooked till golden.
Use seedless tamarind, if you use tamarind with seeds make sure you remove the seeds and fibre.
Chilli powder can be adjusted to your taste. Use kashmiri chilli powder for mild taste.
If you are using sea salt, powder them fine and use.