Karinelika Achar (Black Gooseberry Pickle)

Ingredients

 Nellika  ( amla / gooseberry)  - 3 kg

 Sea Salt                       - 2 cups

Water   -   4 ½  cups

Sesame seed   oil   -  ¾  cup

Asafoetida    -   1 big piece (3 inch)

De-seeded dry   red   chilli  -  12

Mustard   -   ¾  cup

Fenugreek   -    3tsp

Crushed   black pepper   -  4 tbsp

Turmeric   powder  - 1tsp

Red chilli powder  - 3 tbsp

Sugar  -  2 tbsp

Garlic   - 1 cup heap

Julienned   ginger  - 1 tbsp

New  earthen pot 

Preparation

In a saucepan , boil water and add sea salt , stir and let it cool.

Wash and clean the new pot and put the amla in.

Pour salt water and close the pot with banana leaf.

Keep the pot on wood fire.

(as salt water might drip from the pot, the  metal burner stove is likely to

get damaged)

Let it  boil . Stir in between.

As the fire settles, the red hot wood will give steady low heat.

Preferably, next day, repeat the same process  till  the water is fully dried and the amla turns black .

Heat sesame seed oil in a wok  ;  fry asafoetida piece. Take it out and powder it.

(readymade asafoetida powder lacks sharp flavour)

In the same oil, fry red chilli, garlic and ginger and keep aside;

Add turmeric powder in the remaining oil. Now, add mustard and

fenugreek, as it  splutters  ,add  crushed  black pepper and chilli powder.

Finally add fried chilli and all remaining  ingredients and sugar.

Take the pot  from  fire and   let  it cool and then mix in the black  amla.

Store in clean glass jars  or (barani).

As it ages, it is really   YUM.

Even the seed of the amla  tastes  good.

This pickle is worth all the effort put in it.

The fire, the smoke, pepper, asafoetida, mustard ,garlic  all add  taste to the

Sour, sweet  amla.