amla

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What is amla, Indian gooseberry?

Culinary Uses of amla, Indian gooseberry in Indian Cooking

Also Known as

Gooseberry, Indian Gooseberry, Amalaka, Amala, Amlaki, Nellikai, Aonla

What is amla, Indian gooseberry?

A native of India, amla is the round-shaped, vertical-striped fibrous fruit of the deciduous tree "Euphorbiaceae". It is greenish-yellow in colour and has a distinctive sour flavour, which nevertheless lends itself well to many culinary uses. With cooling and antioxidant properties, amla is also used extensively in Indian medicine for treating a variety of conditions ranging from hair loss and indigestion to inflammation and dry cough.

There are four types of amla found in India. They are:

• Banarasi – A variety of amla that matures earlier than other varieties, but also has a shorter shelf life. It is not used much for culinary purposes.

• Chakaiya – It yields heavily every alternate year, and has fibrous and smaller fruits compared to other varieties of amla. However, there are some less fibrous varieties of the small Chakaiya amla, which are popularly used for making candies and preserves.

• Francis – Certain varieties of the Francis or Hathijhool amla give high yields, and frequently too, which makes them a favourite choice with manufacturers of amla based products.

• Wild Himalayan amla – This is a special strain of amla that yields small fruits, and is well adapted to cold temperatures. It is sometimes planted in other continents such as North America.

How to select amla, Indian gooseberry

• Choose the small or large variety of amla as required by the recipe, or suggested by your Ayurvedic doctor.

• Ensure that the fruit is clear and free of any patches or cuts.

• It should have a round shape with vertical stripes.

• Ensure it is greenish yellow in colour. Avoid those that are brownish or spotted.

Culinary Uses of amla, Indian gooseberry in Indian Cooking

Amla is the round-shaped, vertical-striped fibrous fruit of the deciduous tree "Euphorbiaceae". It is greenish-yellow in colour and has a distinctive sour flavour, which nevertheless lends itself well to many culinary uses.

1. Amla, due its sour taste, is mostly used in the preparation of variations of pickles along with other ingredients, the most common ones being the spicy pickle and Amla Murabba, a dish of candied amla.

2. It is considered to be healthy due to the numerous health benefits it has. Because of this it is advised to be consumed in the form of freshly-prepared amla juice, with a dash of honey to make the bitterness palatable.

3. Dried and powdered amla powder can be sprinkled over fruits or also can be used in the preparation of health drinks.

For complete uses of Amla read this article.

How to store amla, Indian gooseberry

• Place the fresh fruit in a Ziploc bag or other sealed bag, and store it in the refrigerator.

Nutritive Information for Amla (Indian Gooseberry):

1 amla is about 35 grams

RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Energy - 17 calories

Protein – 0.2 g

Carbohydrate – 4.1 g

Fat – 0.03 g

Fiber – 1 g

Vitamins:

180 mg of Vitamin C = 450% of RDA (about 40 mg)

Minerals:

15 mg of Calcium = 2.5% of RDA (about 600 mg)

0.4 mg of Iron = 2% of RDA (about 20 mg)

6 mg of Magnesium = 1.7% of RDA (about 340 mg)

67.5 mg of Potassium = 1.4 % of RDA (about 4700 g)

Health benefits of amla, Indian gooseberry

• Amla is rich in natural vitamin C. The high content of vitamin C helps to boost the functioning of the immune system of the body and thereby helps in preventing a wide range of diseases. It is said that a single amla is capable of fulfilling a day’s vitamin C requirement.

• Amla is therefore included in several Ayurvedic tonics as a general ingredient. Interestingly, it is also the main ingredient in Chyavanprash.

• Apart from vitamin C, the fresh fruit contains more than 80 per cent of water besides protein, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene and vitamin B-complex. These minerals help ensure proper metabolism.

• It has cooling, diuretic and laxative properties, and helps in detoxification.

• It also aids in cleansing the mouth, and strengthens teeth and bones.

• Amla has antibacterial properties and helps in preventing infections and healing ulcers.

• Its cell rejuvenating properties help in maintaining healthy skin and hair. Apart from keeping the hair shiny and fresh, it also prevents dandruff. As expected, it is widely used in the preparation of hair shampoos.

• Amla also helps to prevent respiratory disorders such as common cold, bronchitis, and other respiratory tract infections.

Click here to know more about the Health benefits of Amla.

chopped amla

The ideal way to chop amla is to cut it along the vertical lines, prise it open and remove the core, so you will have the segments intact. While this is easily done with parboiled or blanched amla, it can be difficult with raw ones. So, place the amla with its core vertical on a cutting board, and make four cuts around the stem, like you would cut an apple. Discard the core, chop up the remaining segments, and use as required. If you have a taste for it, you can have the chopped amla as it is, otherwise you can use it to make pickles and conserves.

grated amla

Hold the amla firmly and start grating it along one of the sides. (Do not start with the edges where the stems are seen.) Once you reach the core, turn around and grate the other side. Discard the core, and use the grated amla as required. It is widely used to make murabbas and pickles.

amla wedges

Select a sharp knife. Place the amla with its core vertical on a cutting board, hold your knife comfortably, with your forefinger running down one side of the blade and your thumb pressed against the opposite side and make four cuts around the stem, like you would cut an apple. Discard the core, and chop the amla into thick segments. Amla wedges can be used in making pickles, mouth freshener, detox water.