Revealed on Jan 27, 2026 by Srividhya · Modified on Jan 27, 2026 · This submit could comprise affiliate hyperlinks.

A tangy, irresistible immediate gooseberry pickle—often known as nellikai oorugai in Tamil—made utilizing frozen gooseberries! Sure, you learn that proper: a pickle ready with frozen gooseberries. Let me present you make this extremely easy and flavorful gooseberry pickle at dwelling.

I completely love pickles, and this gooseberry pickle is one among my all-time favorites, proper after candy and spicy lemon pickle. Rising up, I loved each forms of gooseberries—the small star-shaped ones (referred to as arai/ari/aru nellikai in Tamil) and the bigger spherical ones.

There are certainly two primary kinds of gooseberries. The smaller, star-shaped selection—often known as arinellika in Tamil—is extra bitter, tender, and juicy. The bigger spherical gooseberries, then again, are firmer and fairly bitter however go away behind a pleasing candy aftertaste, particularly after ingesting water.

Amla Pickle (Indian Gooseberry Pickle) – A Childhood Favourite

After we lived in Pannaipuram, we had a star-shaped gooseberry (arinellika) tree proper in our quarters. My mother used to make each candy and spicy pickles with these gooseberries. The candy model was really the perfect—she would simmer the entire gooseberries in sugar syrup and permit them to relaxation. These bitter gooseberries soaked in sugar syrup had been such a delight. Oh, how I miss contemporary gooseberries!

Alright, let’s refocus and get again to at this time’s recipe. In India, contemporary gooseberries—each the spherical and star-shaped varieties—are simply obtainable, particularly throughout peak season. Nevertheless, right here within the US, contemporary gooseberries are arduous to seek out, and even when they’re obtainable, they are usually fairly costly. That’s after I turned to frozen gooseberries.

Nowadays, a number of manufacturers promote frozen amla, making it far more accessible. Right here’s the model I bought (PS: this isn’t a sponsored submit).

Everyone knows that amla, or gooseberry, is filled with vitamin C and helps immunity, metabolism, and general well being. The web is filled with details about its advantages, so I gained’t go into element right here. However one vital query stays—do frozen gooseberries provide the identical dietary advantages as contemporary ones?

Contemporary Vs. Frozen Gooseberry-

It’s true—nothing can absolutely exchange the style of contemporary fruit. Nevertheless, when contemporary gooseberries aren’t obtainable, frozen ones are a sensible various.

So, do frozen fruits retain their dietary worth? The brief reply is sure. Frozen fruits are nutritionally corresponding to contemporary fruits, assuming they’re frozen at peak ripeness. Whereas there could also be a small nutrient loss, it isn’t important. Healthline explains this clearly in one among its articles.

After studying this, I now confidently decide up frozen gooseberries from the grocery retailer at any time when wanted.

Now, let’s get into the South Indian–fashion amla pickle recipe.

Tips on how to make gooseberry pickle?

• Strain prepare dinner or steam the gooseberries for two to three whistles in a strain cooker (confer with recipe notes for timing changes). You could use your most popular pressure-cooking methodology.

• Enable the strain to launch naturally and let the gooseberries cool fully.

• De-seed the cooked gooseberries. This step may be very straightforward—merely press every gooseberry, and it’ll cut up into two.

• Take away the seeds and chop the gooseberries into small items.

• Warmth oil in a pan or kadai. As soon as the oil is scorching, add mustard seeds. After they start to splutter, cut back the warmth. Add the chopped gooseberries, pink chili powder, fenugreek powder, turmeric powder, hing, and salt.

• Combine all the things properly. Should you choose a thokku-style pickle, you possibly can mash the gooseberries whereas mixing. I selected to not mash them fully. Discuss with the recipe notes for extra choices.

• Cook dinner over medium-low warmth for five to 7 minutes, till the oil separates and oozes out alongside the perimeters and floor.

• Enable the pickle to chill fully, then switch it to a clear, hermetic container for storage.

Recipe Notes-

• This gooseberry pickle stays contemporary for a number of months when refrigerated. All the time use a clear, dry spoon to take care of shelf life.
• To make a thokku (mashed or grated pickle), pressure-cook the gooseberries for 4 whistles. After deseeding, you possibly can roughly mash them as an alternative of chopping, or mash them whereas mixing within the pan.
• Fenugreek Powder: Should you don’t need to purchase fenugreek powder, you possibly can simply make it at dwelling. Dry roast 1 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds till they flip gentle brown and crisp, then grind them into a rough powder. This powder works properly for pickles and kuzhambu. My grandmother roasts fenugreek, grinds it with dried turmeric root, shops it, and provides a pinch to sambar and vathal kuzhambu.
• You might also add ¼ teaspoon of mustard powder, which acts as a pure preservative.
• I choose utilizing gingelly oil (sesame oil) for pickles, however common cooking oil works simply high-quality.
• Modify salt and spice ranges based on your style.
• Yield: This recipe yields roughly 1 cup of pickle, serving about 15 to twenty parts. The serving measurement talked about is an estimate.

Extra pickle recipes from my archives

PS: Comply with me on Instagram or be part of my Fb Group for extra gardening and recipe updates. Should you do that frozen gooseberry pickle recipe, please don’t overlook to remark and fee this recipe. When you’ve got any questions, please go away a remark, and I’ll get to it asap.  Be sure to comply with me on my Pinterest for extra wholesome and scrumptious concepts!

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Indian Gooseberry Pickle | Nellikai Oorugai

A lip-smacking immediate gooseberry pickle or nellikai oorugai as we are saying in Tamil with frozen gooseberries! Simple pickle recipe with frozen gooseberries.

Prep Time10 minutes minutes

Cook dinner Time40 minutes minutes

Complete Time50 minutes minutes

Course: Accompaniment, condiments, Entree

Delicacies: TamilNadu

Servings: 20

Energy: 20kcal

Directions

• Strain prepare dinner or steam the gooseberries for two to three whistles in a strain cooker (confer with recipe notes for timing changes). You could use your most popular pressure-cooking methodology. Enable the strain to launch naturally and let the gooseberries cool fully.

• De-seed the cooked gooseberries. This step may be very straightforward—merely press every gooseberry, and it’ll cut up into two.

• Take away the seeds and chop the gooseberries into small items.

• Warmth oil in a pan or kadai. As soon as the oil is scorching, add mustard seeds. After they start to splutter, cut back the warmth. Add the chopped gooseberries, pink chili powder, fenugreek powder, turmeric powder, hing, and salt.

• Combine all the things properly. Should you choose a thokku-style pickle, you possibly can mash the gooseberries whereas mixing. I selected to not mash them fully. Discuss with the recipe notes for extra choices.

• Cook dinner over medium-low warmth for five to 7 minutes, till the oil separates and oozes out alongside the perimeters and floor.

• Enable the pickle to chill fully, then switch it to a clear, hermetic container for storage.

Video

Notes

• This gooseberry pickle stays contemporary for a number of months when refrigerated. All the time use a clear, dry spoon to take care of shelf life.
• To make a thokku (mashed or grated pickle), pressure-cook the gooseberries for 4 whistles. After deseeding, you possibly can roughly mash them as an alternative of chopping, or mash them whereas mixing within the pan.
• Fenugreek Powder: Should you don’t need to purchase fenugreek powder, you possibly can simply make it at dwelling. Dry roast 1 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds till they flip gentle brown and crisp, then grind them into a rough powder. This powder works properly for pickles and kuzhambu. My grandmother roasts fenugreek, grinds it with dried turmeric root, shops it, and provides a pinch to sambar and vathal kuzhambu.
• You might also add ¼ teaspoon of mustard powder, which acts as a pure preservative.
• I choose utilizing gingelly oil (sesame oil) for pickles, however common cooking oil works simply high-quality.
• Modify salt and spice ranges based on your style.
• Yield: This recipe yields roughly 1 cup of pickle, serving about 15 to twenty parts. The serving measurement talked about is an estimate.

Diet

Energy: 20kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fats: 2g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

I’m not a nutritionist. The dietary info is supplied as a courtesy and is an estimate solely. It varies relying upon the product varieties or manufacturers.

Replace Notes: This recipe was initially posted in 2011 however now up to date with new photographs and step-wise photos.