Nellikai Oorugai, Gooseberry Pickle

          I don't make pickles that much at home, because we don't have them regularly in our meals, occasionally we have it with curd rice or with parathas. It's not that we don't like pickles, somehow it has never become a habit, but after a heavy meal I always like to end it with a little curd rice and pickle. Making pickles is an art by itself, I have tried making only a few easy ones, today's Nellikai Oorugai/Gooseberry Pickle is one of them. This was the first time that I had tried it out and it turned out really good..

Need To Have

• Nellikai/Gooseberry - 12
• Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon
• Fenugreek Seeds - 2 teaspoons
• Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 3 teaspoons
• Salt - 2 teaspoons
• Sesame Oil - 5 tablespoons

Original Recipe here.

Method

          Wash and steam the gooseberries till they become cooked and break easily to remove the seeds, Cool them, remove the seeds, slice into 4 pieces and keep.

          Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and 1 teaspoon of the mustard seeds, powder it and keep.

          Heat the oil, add the 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds, once it starts sputtering, add the nellikai, salt and keep mixing on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

          Then add the chilly powder and switch off. Mix it, then add the asafoetida and the roasted fenugreek-mustard powder and mix everything together. Leave it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, till the nellikai/gooseberry pieces get soaked in the spices and then serve.

Note
Take care when roasting the spices, don't let the fenugreek seeds to turn black, it should start turning golden and you have to remove.