Nellikkai Arachu Kalakkiyathu

This is an easy to make side dish. This is more a Kerala style Kitchadi recipe. Since nellikkai kitchadi wil be sour, it will taste better if the other side dish is of bland taste like Kuttu, Olan etc. That is why the traditional "Sadya" will have each side dish kindling different taste buds. Kitchadi is sour, whereas Pachadi is sweet, Thoran and avail may be more spicier.

See previous post for preparing neer nellikkai.

Ingredients
1. Neer Nellikkai - 4 or 5
2. Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
3. Green chilli -1
4. Oil - 1 spoon
5. Mustad - 1/2 spoon
6. Curry leaves
7. Red chilli -1
8. Curd - 1/2 cup

Method:

Remove the seeds from the "neer nellikkai". Mix the ingredients 1 to 3 above in a mixer to form a fine paste. Mix the curd and stir to mix it uniformly.

Heat oil in a tawa. Put mustard seeds and Red chilli. When the mustard sputters, add the curry leaves. Add this as garnish on top.

This is a favourite for many children, as it retains the sour, bitter and sweet tastes of the gooseberries.

Neer Nellikkai

You need:

Nellikkai (Gooseberry)
Turmeric powder
Salt – 2 to 3 spoons
Water – enough quantity so that water level is above the berries.

Method:
Boil the water in a bowl; add the salt and turmeric powder. Bring the flame to low and add the gooseberries. Boil the gooseberries for some more time, till the berries become little soft. When cool, keep in Glass or porcelain jars. DO NOT use plastic containers.

This is the traditional way to preserve gooseberries for quite long time. It can be kept in refrigerator also to preserve for a longer time.

This can be used as pickle along with Curd rice, especially for children. Also these preserved berries can be used to make chutneys and pickles, which I will write in later posts.

For an additional Flavor, add 1 or 2 green chilies and little chopped ginger.