amla pickle recipe with step by step photos – andhra style spicy and tasty amla avakaya recipe. the pickle is made from indian gooseberries, which are also called as amla in hindi.
i had prepared this amla pickle last year in december and the recipe was still in drafts. its time i shared the pickle recipe as summer is the season of preparing pickles. on youtube i had seen some videos for the method of preparing amla avakaya. later using my own proportions of ingredients and including a few more steps, i made the pickle. the result was a spicy pickle with the sour taste of amla merging with the rustic flavors of the mustard seeds and sesame oil.
this pickle was so good, that it got finished quickly. we used to have it with parathas and our everyday meals.
you don’t need sunlight to prepare this amla pickle. the recipe makes a small batch of pickle and goes very well with dal-rice, curd rice and sambar-rice. in fact you can even mix the pickle with steamed rice and have. its more on the spicier side, so you can add less red chili powder, if you do not want a less spicy pickle. also i use good amount of oil while making pickles, so that the pickle stays for a long time. if you want you can add less oil.
two more pickles where sunlight is not needed are star gooseberry pickle and gujarati mango pickle recipe.
if you are looking for more pickle recipes then you can check instant mango pickle, green chilli pickle, lemon pickle, andhra mango pickle and punjabi mango pickle recipe.
amla pickle or amla avakaya recipe below:
amla pickle recipe
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
- 250 grams amla OR about 2 cups chopped amla
- ⅓ cup sesame oil (gingelly oil) for frying amla
- 2 to 3 small to medium garlic cloves (lahsun) - slightly crushed
- 2 tablespoons mustard seeds (rai) OR 3 tablespoon mustard seeds powder
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 3 tablespoons red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 to 1.5 tablespoons salt or add as required
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup sesame oil - to be added later
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
how to make amla pickle recipe
preparation for amla pickle
firstly rinse the amla very well in water. then wipe them dry with a clean kitchen towel. or you can spread them on a cotton napkin or a plate and let them dry naturally.
then in a grinder, add 2 tablespoons mustard seeds and ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds.
grind to a semi fine powder. keep aside.
chop the amla and remove the seeds. chopping amla takes time. if the amla are small in size, then you can keep them whole.
making amla pickle
heat ⅓ cup sesame oil (gingelly oil) in a kadai or pan.
add the chopped amla pieces. mix well.
cover the pan and let the amla pieces cook in oil. in between do check.
you don't need to cook the amla pieces till its golden. they should be cooked till they soften. slid a knife through a few pieces and it should slid easily. this cooking on a medium-low flame takes about 6 to 7 minutes.
once the amla pieces are cooked, then switch off the flame. add 2 to 3 medium garlic cloves (crushed). mix well and let this mixture become warm. keep aside for about 10 minutes and let the amla pieces be in the pan only.
then add 3 tablespoons red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 to 1.5 tablespoons salt and the ground mustard seeds + fenugreek powder. first add 1 tablespoon salt. mix very well. if less salt, then add some more salt. if the pickle tastes salty, then its fine as when it matures, the extra salty taste goes away.
mix very well. let this mixture cool down at room temperature.
now add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. mix again.
spoon the pickle in a clean sterilised jar. cover with a lid and keep aside
now heat ¼ cup oil in a small pan or tadka pan. this step is optional and can be skipped.
keep the flame to a low and add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing).
mix well and then switch off the flame. let this oil cool down
then pour this oil in the pickle jar. some oil will float on top and its fine. cover the jar with a lid and let the amla pickle mature for 3 to 4 days. keep in a dry place.
serve amla avakaya with your everyday meal. after you begin to use the pickle, refrigerate it.
recipe notes
- add less red chili powder for a spicy pickle.
- you can reduce the amount of oil if you want.
- instead of sesame oil, peanut oil or sunflower oil can be used.
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how to make amla avakaya or amla pickle recipe:
1. firstly rinse the amla very well in water. then wipe them dry with a clean kitchen towel. or you can spread them on a cotton napkin or a plate and let them dry naturally. there should be no traces of water or moisture on the amla.
2. then in a grinder, add 2 tablespoons mustard seeds and ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds.
3. grind to a semi fine powder. keep aside.
4. chop the amla and remove the seeds. chopping amla takes time. if the amla are small in size, then you can keep them whole. i chopped them as i do not want the seeds coming in the mouth, when its eaten.
5. heat ⅓ cup sesame oil (gingelly oil) in a kadai or pan.
6. add the chopped amla pieces.
7. mix well.
8. cover the pan and let the amla pieces cook in oil. in between do check.
9. you don’t need to cook the amla pieces till its golden. they should be cooked till they soften. slid a knife through a few pieces and it should slid easily. this cooking on a medium-low flame takes about 6 to 7 minutes.
10. once the amla pieces are cooked, then switch off the flame. add 2 to 3 medium garlic cloves (crushed). mix well and let this mixture become warm. keep aside for about 10 minutes and let the amla pieces be in the pan only.
11. then add 3 tablespoons red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 to 1.5 tablespoons salt and the ground mustard seeds + fenugreek powder. first add 1 tablespoon salt. mix very well. if less salt, then add some more salt. if the pickle tastes more salty, then its fine as when it matures, the extra salty taste goes away.
12. mix very well and let this mixture cool down.
13. now add 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
14. mix again.
15. spoon the pickle in a clean sterilised jar. cover with a lid and keep aside.
16. now heat ¼ cup oil in a small pan or tadka pan. this step is optional and can be skipped.
17. keep the flame to a low and add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing).
18. mix well and then switch off the flame. let this oil cool down
19. then pour this oil in the pickle jar.
20. some oil will float on top and its fine. cover the jar with a lid and let the amla pickle mature for 3 to 4 days. keep in a dry place.
21. serve amla avakaya with your everyday meal. after you begin to use the pickle, refrigerate it.
Hi Dassana, I have been following your blog since many years now…….and must say I really like it…….specially your no onion no garlic recipes. You explain the recipes so beautifully through the pictures. I am also a student of Home Science (M.Sc, B.Ed). Feels so nice to see people from my subject prospering so much……thank you for all the recipes…….I love amla so thought of trying this.
thank you anwesa. glad that you have liked the recipes and their presentation. yes of course, whatever we study and learn always help us and we can apply it in our lives to help ourselves as well as others.
welcome and do try the amla pickle. you will like it.
Thanks for the easy recipe for a yummy pickle. Dear can I use tamarind instead of lime juice. How much tamarind paste should i use for 250 gms of the amla.
Thanks in advance.
welcome jaya. you can use tamarind pulp. you can use about 2 tablespoon tamarind paste. but cook or boil the paste with some water so that its raw aroma and taste goes away. the cooked tamarind should be thick. for a more sour taste you can add 3 tablespoons tamarind paste also.
Hi Dassana, here in US we don’t get fresh amla fruit(at least not in Chicago area). However, we get vacuum packed frozen whole amla or sliced amla. Do you think that frozen amla can be used to make this pickle? I am not sure but it may not taste as good as the pickle made with fresh amla but just wondering even if I can give a try using frozen amla. Please let me know. Thanks for your great recipes. You are doing a great service to the Indian (and even to some non-Indians) community by popularizing ‘desi recipes’ with your blog.
rom, you can use frozen amla. thaw them first. then rinse them. drain all the water and place them in a kitchen paper towels or cotton napkins for all the moisture to dry. then you can proceed with the recipe. with frozen amla, the taste will be different. but you can try when there is no option to get fresh amla.
welcome rom. i am glad that the recipes are helping everyone who love indian food.
Thanks very much. I will try making this pickle one of these days.
welcome rom.
Can v use Sarso oil in amla pickle?
Ashoo, You can use sunflower oil. Sarson Oil may not go well.
Hi dassana, can I add vinegar in place of lemon juice?
joji, you can add vinegar in place of lemon juice.
Dear dassana..not able to c my comment…will u pl tell me that can gingelly oil b replaced by olive or any other oil….
shubha, have already replied to you. please refresh the page and you will see my comment.
Dear dassana… Is gingelly oil must..can it b replaced with olive or any other oil
shubha, best flavors come from gingelly oil. in avakaya pickle varieties traditionally gingelly oil is used. you can use sunflower oil instead of gingelly oil. even mustard oil can be used, but only use mustard oil if you are fine with its taste and pungency.