Amlas(Indian Gooseberries) are considered very good for healthand as they are rich in vitamin-C, it is suggested to include them in one's daily diet.As these are available only in a particular season, we usually make various varieties with it and preserve it for the rest of the year.We make niluva pacchadi,pickle,dried amla gratings-salted version and candied amla varieties with it.
These candied amlas are quite addictive and they can be eaten as a post meal digestive or when ever you want to eat something which is tongue tickling.This is a special recipe which my MIL prepares using rock candy(not the sugar) and hence it is suggested even for diabetic people.I must warn you that these candied amla berries are extremely addictive,we have already finished a huge batch of them and are planning to prepare the next one!
Special Candied Amla Recipe:
stores upto 5-6 months
Ingredients:
1 kg Amla/Gooseberries
200 gms Kalakanda(Patika bellam)/Rock Candy/Mishri
1 tbsp Cumin powder
2 tbsp Ginger juice
2 tbsp Lemon juice
Method:
- Clean and wipe the gooseberries and place them in a bowl.
- In a cooker fill water in the bottom and place a rack to get some height in it and place this vessel with gooseberries and pressure cook for 2 whistles.You should not pour water in the container which is filled with gooseberries.
- Once they are cooled down,cut them into pieces and discard the seeds.
- Crush the rock candy(patika bellam/mishri) into a powder and take it into a bowl.
- Grate approx 2 " ginger and press it in your hands to extract juice.
- Add cumin powder,ginger juice to the powdered rock candy and mix well.
- Add the chopped gooseberry pieces to it and mix well.
- Transfer this to a kadai and keep it on low-medium flame and mix it occasionally.
- You can stir it in between carefully,try not to crush them while mixing it.
- Cook it for 12-15 mins until the mixture becomes sticky and sticks to the gooseberries.
- Remove it from stove and add lemon juice and mix well.
- Dry them on a clean plastic sheet in sun for 2-3 days until they are dried completely.
- Store it in an air tight container.It stays good for several months.
Eat them after a meal and also during journeys or just like that.
Notes:
- Do not get confused with rock candy which is patika bellam and patika(which looks similar to patika bellam but it is totally different).
- Patika bellam is called Kalakanda in telugu,mishri in hindi,rock candy in english,kallu sakkare in kannada.
