HEALTHY AMLA PICKLE

 

So, our own wonder-fruit Amlas are back in season since long now. Light green and glowing, tightly packed with immunity-boosting vitamin C.

 

 

Here's my recipe for making a sweet-n-sour-n-spicy pickle, that's just perfect on the side of just about any food.

 

Ingredients are typed in BOLD.

HEALTHY AMLA PICKLE  

Take 250grams fresh AMLA. Wash, dry, remove seed and slice them in wedges.

 Clean and finely chop -

100grams fresh tender GINGER, 
100 grams fresh HALDI ( Both Haldar and Amba Haldar) 
6 to 8 GREEN CHILLIES.

Add a handful of RAISINS and chopped KHAREKS ( DRIED DATES). 

 

 

Add WHOLE SPICES -
Black pepper (Kali mirch) -2 spoons, 
Saunf (Fennel seeds)- 2 spoons, 
Methi (Fenugreek seeds)- 1 spoon.

Add POWDERED MASALA : 

For that, heat two spoons of oil, add 4 spoonfuls of Rai (Mustard seeds), 4 spoons Methi(Fenugreek seeds), 2 spoon dhania (coriander seeds), 4 or 5 whole red chillies - Roast them a bit, till it gives out a nice warm aroma. Turn off the heat, add 2 spoons salt, 1 spoon turmeric powder, 1/2 tea-spoon hing. Let it cool. Grind the mixture to a fine powder.

Add Juice of 5to6 LEMONS.

Add half a cup of Gud.(JAGGERY)

Finally, Heat half a cup of Til Oil or Groundnut oil , but do not let it smoke. Then cool it. Mix in.

 

Mix everything quite well.

Cover and keep in a stainless steel vessel for 3-4 days, stir twice a day, till gud melts & everything soaks & spices blend nicely in a sweet and sour sauce. 

 

When ready, the pickle becomes juicy and looks lovely & smells yummy.
Store in a sterilized glass jar and refrigerate. It keeps good for 4-6 months, tastes great.

 ENJOY

Gajar Ka Halwa...All time favourite, only Healthier & Quicker.

A reason I look forward for winter, is because in this season, I can have Gajar Ka Halwa made from lovely Red Gajar.  

I wonder...why do we need to have white sugar in our kitchens, really! Plan to improvise on all the sweets recipes one-by-one. 

So, how i improvised the all time favorite is, add more goodness. And the best news is, it's ready in just 10 minutes.

Quick, No-Sugar Gaajar ka Halwa

What you'll need:

1/2 kg Red Gaajars, grated

1 tbsp Ghee 

1 cup chopped black dates

2 to 4 tbsp malai (Fresh Milk cream)

Raisins, Chopped nuts of your choice

2 tbsp Coarsely ground almonds, cardamom powder 

How to make:

Simple. 

In a heavy bottomed pan, Stir fry grated red carrots in ghee for 2 minutes. Add finely chopped black dates. Add malai. Mix well. Cover & cook for 5 minutes, so the mixture becomes soft. 

Stir well again for a minute, so all the ingredients get well blended. Adding powdered almonds will give a nice khoya-like texture, and richer taste.

When you like the look and it smells just right, done. 

Add raisins and nuts.

Enjoy.

Isn't it perfect?

This recipe is very healthy, prepared as per the ayurvedic principles of cooking. It's good to eat Dates, Carrots, almonds, Ghee in winter. Desi cow's ghee, all the better.

Carrots for Vitamin A and fibre, dates for natural sugar, iron and minerals, nuts for Vitamin E, small amount of Ghee and malai for a healthy dose of fats...Dieticians are better placed to comment on the nutritional value...

So, Gaajar are in season. Making this today? It's Sunday! I'm heading to my kitchen now..