This was done some time back but I kept in on hold for a while as I couldn't locate where I had saved these pics. Luckily I found them. Amla, Nellika or gooseberry is one of my husband's favourite fruits. When I watch him nibble on them as though they were a bunch of sweet seedless grapes, makes me cringe. I know how bitter it is!
His mother usually pickles them for him whenever we visit them. This time when I bought them I did not have any other veggie at home to prepare a dish and that is when this struck me that he would be very happy with this curd based dish. As is seen in the above pic, I sliced them after removing the seed. If you wish, you can grind them coarsely in a blender.
Took a handful of coconut, a tsp. each of cumin seeds, pepper corns, green chillies, a tsp. of water and ground them well in a blender to a paste. The sliced gooseberry was placed in a saucepan with oil and sautéed well. Add a little bit of water to it as well for it to cook down and reduce further.
Once the water and the gooseberry reduced down, I added the ground coconut paste and let it stir through. Added sufficient salt and once they all blended in well, I added adequate curd to reach the consistency of the pachadi I desired-neither too loose nor too thick.
This was mixed well with the gooseberry and the ground paste and not boiled for long as the curd would spilt and the pachadi would appear very unappealing! After this mix is stirred in well, the flame is switched off and a tadka or a tempering is done to this dish.
The tempering is finely sliced shallots browning in a tbsp. of coconut oil to which mustard splutters, three dry red chillies are torn and thrown in along with curry leaves.
If you desire you can add a tsp. of urad dal to the tempering, I didn't! Add the tempering to the resting curd based dish and stir through. Check for salt and spice. You can sprinkle in a bit of hing as well and stir through.
The pachadi is done. Goes well with Kerala red rice. It is a bitter dish and ages beautifully as it sits through. Ideal for the summer heat as it is a coolant!
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