Indian gooseberry is a sour and tangy fruit with many medicinal values as it is a rich source of vitamin C. Indian gooseberry is called as Nellikai in Kannada, and Amla in Hindi. This berry has been used for years in Ayurveda medicines as well as in Home remedies.
I used to get Amla thokku from an “Iyengari shop”. I wanted to replicate this particular thokku at home, so I began my experiment with the same. I tried this a couple of times with some minute tweaks. I finally achieved the taste of the original Thokku. Today I am sharing the recipe of this lip smacking, easy to prepare Nellikai thokku with you, my lovely readers.
Now to the recipe:
Ingredients:
Amla – 300 grams.
Green chilli – 100 grams
Mustard seeds – 2 tbsp.
Salt –to taste
Turmeric powder – 1tsp.
Method:
-Wash amla, pat dry them and remove the seeds.
-wash green chilli and pat dry them as well.
-put mustard and turmeric in a small mixer jar and powder it. Now add cleaned gooseberry and green chilies little by little and churn (dry grinding), take this out and keep it in a clean bottle, mix in salt and keep this bottle tightly closed in a cool, dry place.
-Every day mix this Thokku with a dry spoon/spatula, until it is set (almost 10 days), check for salt (it should be a little salty)
– After it sets, store this in a fridge.
Ways to Use this Thokku:
- You can have this thokku with white rice and little ghee.
- You can also have it with curd rice.
- Lassi: mix 1 tsp. of thokku in thin buttermilk and drink as spicy, tangy lassi
- Make raita with curd: In a vessel take one tablespoon of thokku, add a little curd and chopped onion, mix nicely and relish this raita with plain rice or curd rice.
