Mrs Meena Subbu
The Indian gooseberry (Nellikai) is a greenish yellow fruit that tastes sour and tangy. Its health benefits are so numerous that ayurvaids label it simply and profoundly, as the fruit that rejuvenates.
Nutrition
• The fruit contains Vitamin C, B, and minerals like phosphorous, calcium and Iron. It contains various amino acids, tannins, polyphenols and pectins.
Health Benefits
• Natural Antioxidant: Indian Gooseberry is a very powerful antioxidant. Consuming one to two gooseberries a day can strengthen your body’s immunity and remove the toxins from your body. Say good bye to the common cold, cough, fever and allergies.
• Hair Care: Used in many hair tonics because it enriches hair growth and hair pigmentation. It strengthens the roots of hair, maintains color, and improves luster.
• Eye Care: Drinking Gooseberry juice with honey is good for improving eyesight, and studies have shown it to improve nearsightedness and cataracts, while reducing intra-ocular tension.
• Calcium Absorption: Gooseberry helps the body absorb calcium in a positive way. Calcium is an essential component of our bones, teeth, and nails, and also ensures that we have beautiful lustrous hair.
• Diabetes: Gooseberry contains chromium, which has a therapeutic value for diabetic patients. Indian Gooseberry stimulates the isolated group of cells that secrete the hormone insulin, thereby reducing blood sugar in diabetic patients and keeping their body balanced and healthy.
• Heart Disease: Gooseberry strengthens the heart muscles, so the heart pumps blood smoothly throughout the body. By reducing excess cholesterol buildup, the chromium can reduce the chances of atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in the vessels and arteries.
• Digestion: Gooseberry is very high in fiber, like most fruits. Fiber adds bulk to the stool and helps food move through the bowels and keeps your bowel movements regular. This reduces the chances of constipation, and fiber can also bulk up loose stools and reduce diarrhea.
• Anti-Aging: Gooseberry prevents health-related hyperlipidaemia by reducing the amount of free radicals in the body through its antioxidant qualities. Free radicals are associated with signs of aging like wrinkles and age spots.
Nellikai Thayir Pachadi and Nellikai Chutney
1) – Nellikai Thayir Pachadi
Ingredients
Nellikai – 4 to 5
Grated Coconut – 4 tbsp
Asafoetida – 2 pinches
Green Chilli – 4
Salt – As needed
To Temper
Oil – 2 tbsp
Mustard – 3/4 tbsp
Urad Dal – 1 tbsp
Asafoetida – 3 pinches
Curry leaves – Few
Method
1. Wash nellikai and slice the sides to get rid of the seed in the middle. Place the grated coconut, nellikai, green chillies in the mixer.
2. Grind it with little water to a paste. In a mixing bowl, beat the curd and add salt, ground mix and mix together.
3. Add asafoetida and temper with the items given under ‘to temper’ table. Mix well.
Notes
o According to the saline (thuvarpu), adjust the curd and coconut to balance it.
o Adding asafoetida both while tempering and while mixing adds a great flavor.
o Use thick curd and beat it before mixing.
o As nellikkai is said to be coolant, avoid having it at the night.
2) – Nellikai Chutney
Ingredients
Nellikai – 4 to 5
Onion – 1
Tomato – 1
Curry leaves – Few
Salt – As needed
To Temper
Oil – 2 tbsp
Mustard – 1/2 tbsp
Urad Dal – 1 tbsp
Channa Dal – 2 tbsp
Red Chillies – 4
Preparation
Chop onion and tomato roughly. Cut gooseberry into small pieces and discard the seeds.
Method
1. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal, channa dal and red chillies.
2. When dal turns golden brown, remove from pan.
3. In the same pan, saute onions until it turns transparent, then add tomatoes, chopped nellikai and curry leaves.
4. Once tomatoes becomes mushy, switch off the flame and let it cool.
5. Grind the dal first, then add the onion tomato mixture and grind it to a coarse paste adding needed salt.
Notes
Vitamin C packed Gooseberry chutney is ready
It goes well with curd rice and plain rice. Mix chutney with hot rice topped with a tsp of ghee or sesame seed oil and enjoy!!
Variation
You can do the same recipe without the onion and tomato.