Amla Gojju

Ingredients

Alice and Grandson!

My late mother was very fond of amla and always used to tell us its health benefits. She used to advice us to have one amla every day to keep the colds away!

Here's a tangy gojju which can serve as chutney for iddli-dosas or just as a side-dish on your lunch or dinner plate. What's more it can be added to the butter milk too to make a tasty drink in summer! Once tasted, it is addictive for sure!!!

This recipe is given to me by my grandson's nanny Alice, who also happened to be my son's nanny when he was a kid!!

 Here's the receipe:

Ingredients:

Amla               :   3 to 4 ( deseed and keep)
Green chillies  :   5 to 6 (as per taste, but little more than you usually add for chutney)
Peeled garlic pods
 or
1/2" piece of raw ginger

coriander leaves: 2 Tbs cleaned, chopped fresh
Salt                    : to taste

In a mixie grind amla, garlic/ginger and green chillies with salt to a coarse paste. Now add chopped coriander leaves and grind for 3 seconds. The leaves should not become very pasty with over grinding.

Collect and keep in a bowl. You can now use this gojju as chutney or as a side dish for lunch/dinner. Finish in a day or preserve in fridge.

To avoid discoloration while preserving a little sweet curd or lime juice can be added. But as days go buy the sourness will increase, so better to prepare for one/two days of consumption only.

Now come the variations:

1. You can add 2 tbs coconut scrapings while grinding and make a chutney. Season with mustard, urad dal and curry leaves. Use for dosa, chapati or with rice. You can skip seasoning, that's also very nice and yummy!

2. The paste in para1 can be made very smooth and added to butter milk to make a tasty cool drink in summer.