Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Gooseberry Compote / Nellikai Paagu / Usurikai Paakam

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A bite into a raw gooseberry will take you to hell first and then show you heaven !! 

Yup the sourness would bring goosebumbs and the facial expression would turn funny and then if you try to have a sip of water, it would show you the sweetness of the heaven ;) 

This fruit reminds me of my childhood days at my grandma's place. They had a big tree and all the kids at home used to enjoy throwing rocks at the berries and collecting as many or even more than what the little hands could hold. We used to eat it along with salt and chilly powder!! :) Yummmmm. The expressions on the faces and the taste can never be forgotten :)

My Aunt used to make this compote back then and I was the only soul at home who loved it and would finish the entire bottle. A bottle of gooseberry compote became the return gift from my aunt's place every holidays :) 
 
This time I happened to get some gooseberries from Hyderabad and here comes my compote reminding me the good old days :)

The berries when cooked in sugar gives you a very distinctive sweet and sour taste and the soft flesh makes it all the more delicious.

All thanks and credits to the aunt who shared the recipe with me and the aunt who lovingly gave me these berries.

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Ingredients:

Small Gooseberry - 2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups

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Step 1: Wash and pat dry the gooseberries. They should be completely dry before making the compote.

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Step 2: Measure and take the sugar in a pan. 

Step 3: Add water to it and stir well.

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Step 4: Stir until sugar completely dissolves and the syrup starts to boil. 

Step 5: Drop in the gooseberries and simmer the stove completely. Let this boil in the syrup until they are well cooked and soft. Meanwhile the syrup would have become thick as well.

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Step 6: Just in case the berries get cooked well but the syrup is still not thick or orange in color, strain and remove all the gooseberries from the pan and allow the syrup to boil for some more time until it thickens and the color changes to orange. The color change happens due to the acidity of the gooseberries. 

Step 7: Add the gooseberries back to the syrup and once it comes to room temperature, store them in sterilized bottles.

Step 8: Store them in the fridge and use for 6 months. See to that the syrup is coating the fruit completely and is until the top of the bottle. 

Enjoy eating as it is or have them with chapathi :)

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Written by: Nithya
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19 comments:

Unknown said...

Just by reading this post, I am drooling over gooseberries. Looks very tempting

Home Cooked food said...

In gujarat also we make this dish. called murabbo.

subhashini said...

looks extremely delicious.

divya said...

looks so delicious and inviting..

deepaksaagar said...

My Grandma used to make this. They were yumm! Thanks for reliving the memories!

turmericnspice said...

I agree with salt and chill powder, it was heaven. Love the recipe but we don't get gooseberry here :(

Manju said...

hardly get to see these now a days...i like it eat them raw... :)

Unknown said...

Just looking at it my mouth is watering.. so tempting!

AparnaRajeshkumar said...

one of the name of this goosbery is "arainellikai " that is half gooseberry

Happy Kitten said...

can you use honey instead of Sugar? or how can you use honey with gooseberry to create something like this? Thank you..

Priya Suresh said...

With definitely tickle my tastebuds,wish i get this arinellikais here.

Unknown said...

very well written post!!! those cute berries are making me drool!!! and you have done it in such a beautiful way!!! bookmarking it!!
Sowmya
Ongoing Event - Breakfast
Ongoing Event - Tried and Tasted - Raks Kitchen

Zareena said...

Amazing compote recipe. Very easy and kids will love to have them all.

Suja said...

looks yummy... I have tasted this when mom used to make this..

Binys Recipes said...

wow nice recipe....the recipe very different than the usual way

ushaprashanth said...

Hi!!!!
This recipe is mouth watering. Looks delicious!!!!

Unknown said...

Slurrp...looks that tempting!!

Manjusfoodbites said...

Usurikai paakam looks yummy. first time here happy to follow u.

Unknown said...

Just tried this! It is so yummy! Thanks for the simple step by step recipe!

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