Aranellikka Ooruga / Kirunellikayi Uppinakayee - Star Gooseberry Pickle

ARANELLIKKA OORUGA / 
KIRUNELLIKAYI UPPINAKAYEE
I brought back a bag of Aranellikka / Kirunellikayi with me on my return trip from my native place. My mind went back to my childhood days as I ran my fingers over an old scar on my forehead. Those were the days when we siblings went foraging in our garden for the lovely fruits, berries and all that was edible in our sprawling garden. My vivacious kid brother who was only five years old then was a bundle of mischief. The impatient brat knew that a mere shake of the slender tree trunk would bring down a shower of Star Gooseberries. But to show off his expertise in stone pelting he picked up one and aimed at the tree to bring down the luscious berries that instant. But unluckily the stone landed on my forehead and what followed was a big hullabaloo! It was quite a task to 'save' my dear brother from my mother's spanks as I carried him and ran all over the garden!



INGREDIENTS


Aranellikka/Kirunellikayee/Star Gooseberries - 2 glasses (lotas)
Sesame oil - 1 cup
Chilly powder - 2 tbsps
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 2 tbsps
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Fenugreek powder(dry roasted and powdered) 1/2 tsp
METHOD
1. Remove the Aranellikka/Kirunellikayi from the stalk.
2. Wash them, spread them out on a cloth and dry them thoroughly.
3. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a kadai, add the Aranellikka/Kirunellikayi and stir in the salt.


4. The berries will release a lot of water as they get cooked.


5. Gently stir and cook till half of the water evaporates and switch off flame.
6. Heap chilly powder and turmeric powder on top of the sauteed berries.


7. Heat the remaining oil in a seasoning ladle and splutter the mustard seeds, add asafoetida and pour the seasoning all over the spice powders.
8. Add the dry roasted and powdered fenugreek powder and stir well.


9. Allow the flavoursome Aranellikka Ooruga/Kirunellikayi Uppinakayee to cool down completely.


10. Store the Star Gooseberry Pickle in a clean dry jar.
Relish the Aranellikka Ooruga/Kirunellikayi Uppinakayee with curd rice. My grand daughter loves to pop a pickled Aranellikka/Kirunellikayi into her mouth now and then!

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