Amla/Gooseberry/Nellikai Pickle/Orugai

November is the season for Indian Gooseberry/Amla, a humble fruit known to be a rich source of Vitamin C, and which can definitely keep a number of diseases at bay. Pitted berries can be stored by crushing coarsely adding salt and turmeric powder. There are many ways of preparing pickle with these , and some of them can be preserved for a year long too. We get tiny gooseberries/star gooseberry. Today I made ready -to- eat easy Amla pickle with the big size Gooseberry. They have 6 vertical grooves on them.
This pickle can be stored for a week in the refrigerator and can be made in small batches. I used 250 grams of berries which were around 12 in number. It was also easy to deseed since the number was less.
I removed the seeds by making '+' slit on both the sides of the fruit. Then placed in the microwave on high power for one minute and one more minute after turning the side. This will almost cook the berries. Once the seeds are removed it is easy to assemble the freshly made spice , salt etc with hot mustard oil. This goes well with curd rice and as  accompaniment with any rice.

INGREDIENTS

Amla/Gooseberry	250 grms
Methi seeds/Fenugreek	½ tsp
Coriander seeds/Dania	1 tsp
Mustard seeds/Rai	1 tsp
Saunf	2 tsp
Cumin seeds/Jeera	1 tsp
Mustard oil	8 tblsp
Haldi/turmeric powder	½ tsp
Asafoetida/heeng	½ tsp
Green chillies	4
Salt	To taste

METHOD:
Microwave on high, the gooseberries and remove the seed.
Alternatively they can be pressure cooked for one whistle in a cooker and deseeded.
Cut the Amla into four parts and keep.
Dry poast all the masala/spice items, cool and make powder.
Slit green chillies and cut them .
Heat the mustard oil until it smokes and switch off flame.
Add asafoetida/heeng and haldi/turmeric powder.
When it is still hot, add masala powder made, along with salt and green chilli.
Add Amla pieces and mix.
This can stay for a week when refregerated.

Navadaniya Adai/mixed pulses crepes

Here is a vegetarian  protein powerhouse to your meals. This dish has eight types of pulses combined with cereal to form a balanced diet, especially for vegetarians. I viewed this in a Tamil TV channel, and was tempted to try it as I had most of the pulses mentioned. Thanks to Navrathri which made me buy pulses for Navagraha neivedhyam. The recipe requires assembling of all ingredients the list of which is quite long. But once the batter is ready it can be stored in refrigerator for long.
Since we are combining many pulses and rice the quantity of batter we get is more. Hence we can try variations while preparing the Adai, using vegetables by using a portion of the batter. This will definitely be a boon to mothers in feeding their children with a healthy diet. Can be packed for lunch or given as snack when they return from school.
This requires soaking of pulses and rice separately  overnight or minimum eight hours.
Here is the recipe with equal proportion of protein and carbohydrate with colourful vegetables to add vitamins and minerals.

INGREDIENTS TO SOAK:

Cowpea	1 measure
Green peas	1 measure
Chicpea/Garbanza bean	1 measure
Mung bean/Whole moong	1 measure
Kidney bean/Rajma	1 measure
Ground nuts/peanuts	1 measure
Double bean	1 measure
Soya bean	1 tblsp
Boiled rice	7 measure

INGREDIENTS TO GRIND ALONGWITH THE SOAKED GRAINS:

Dry red chilli	8
Green chilli	6
Ginger	2” piece
Salt	To taste

INGREDIENTS TO BE ADDED BEFORE MAKING ADAI/CREPES

Grated coconut	1 measure
Grated carrot	1 measure
Shredded cabbage or Spring onion	1 measure
Greens preferably Amaranth /drumstick leaves	1 measure
Coriander leaves/cilantro	1 measure
Mint/pudina leaves	1 measure
Asafoetida	1 tsp

METHOD:
Decide the measure of pulses and rice to be soaked. ( I used 1/4 cup measure each for pulses and
1 1/2 cups of boiled rice).
I had only 6 varieties of pulses,  So not added cowpea/blackeyed bean. I used Mochai(lima beans) instead of soya beans.
The above measure will yield 15 adai/crepes. One adai per person will be enough when served as a breakfast or lunch.
Rinse and soak pulses together and rice separately. Grind after 8 hours or in the morning if soaked before night.
Grind rice after draining the water, adding red chilli, green chilli, ginger and salt  coarsely.
Grind the pulses too, coarsely duly draining the water.
Combine both the batter. Now the adai can be made immediately  after adding the vegetables.
Keep the vegetables, coriander leaves, pudina and coconut ready ready.
Take the required quantity of  batter and store the balance batter in refrigerator.
Add grated coconut, coriander leaves and mint/pudina.
Adding the vegetables is your choice. The combination of  any two will be fine.
Each day a different vegetable can be used while using the stored batter.
While using spring onion cabbage can be omitted.
Only greens can be used one day.
I used carrot and spring onion today.
The batter when mixed with vegetables, cilantro, pudina and coconut should not be very thick. So adjust consistency so that the batter drops from laddle and spreadable consistency.
Heat a tavva preferably tradition cast iron type,
Pour two laddleful batter and slightly spread.
Make a hole in the centre and spread oil around the adai and keep the flame on medium low.
Turn side when it is golden and crispy on sides. Spread oil around and press evenly.
It takes five minutes for each adai/crepe to be ready.
Serve with Tomato or Mint chutney

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