Star Gooseberry Pickle

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There are many fruits in the world that are lesser known, but packed with nutrients and are great ingredients to make condiments. One of them is the humble star gooseberry – the tart, distant cousin of the Indian gooseberry or amla. This recipe is thus a Star Gooseberry Pickle (called Harfi Achar in Hindi) and which requires no sunlight. Also, this Kerala style Star Gooseberry Pickle is fuss-free and easy to make too.

star gooseberry pickle served in a bowl with a pickle jar on the side.

What is Star Gooseberry

Before you begin with this Star Gooseberry Pickle, you must know a little about this unique berry. These fruits are highly effective in treating digestive disorders, piles, diarrhea, bronchitis and are known to stimulate the appetite and purify the blood.

The star gooseberry, also known as Malay gooseberry, country gooseberry, Tahitian gooseberry, arbari, starberry, etc. is a species found popularly in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Caribbean, Asia, Central America and South America.

In India, this tree is abundant in moist regions of Kerala to Manipur. The taste of this berry is sour and pungent from its crisp, juicy and watery flesh.

The star gooseberry has many names in different Indian regional languages. For instance, ‘nallikai’ in Kannada, ‘arai nellikai’ in Tamil, ‘nellikka puli’ in Malayalam, ‘narakoli’ in Oriya, ‘nora/noyal/loboni’ in Bengali, ‘raya awala’ in Marathi, ‘kawlsunhlu’ in Mizo, etc.

Star Gooseberry Uses

Since this fruit has a typical texture and flavor, it is great for pickling and this Star Gooseberry Pickle recipe is one of those easy ones that you can definitely try at home.

Other culinary and general uses of star gooseberry are:

  • Besides pickles, it can be consumed raw or cooked into murabbas too. Here’s another murabba that you must try: Mango Murabba
  • You can make yummy preserves, relishes and chutneys with star gooseberries.
  • The raw fruit can be used as a souring agent or used to make unique vinegars.
  • Star gooseberries can be juiced, mixed with some sweetener and consumed as refreshing beverages.
  • In addition to the fruit, star gooseberry leaves can be cooked, the wood of the tree can be used as fuel and the bark as a tanning agent.

About Star Gooseberry Pickle

Summers definitely mean a Punjabi Mango Pickle getting prepared at home. But when there are cloudy skies with the chances of rain, this Star Gooseberry Pickle recipe is what I bank on, as it doesn’t require any sun-drying.

For this Star Gooseberry Pickle recipe, I referred to a recipe from one of the cookbooks that I have and changed the quantities accordingly. This resulted in about 500 grams of a spicy, tangy pickle, which can stay good for 6 months.

This Star Gooseberry Pickle stays well and doesn’t get spoilt because of the oil and salt in it. These act as natural preservatives. You can use the same method to make a pickle with Indian gooseberries too. I have also shared earlier an Andhra style Amla Pickle that you must give a try.

About This Recipe

This Harfi Achar is simple as there’s really no cooking involved, other than the tempering with oil and spices. Prepare the spiced star gooseberries, pour the temper on it, mix everything well and fill properly sterilized glass jars or bottles with the pickle.

After this, you’ve got to just wait for this Star Gooseberry Pickle to mature after you keep it in a dry place. Make sure you shake the jar or stir the pickle every 2 to 3 days with a clean, dry spoon. It is ready to use in 7 days.

You can relish this pickle with any Indian meal. Tastes fab with sambar-rice, curd rice and dal-rice too. One more favourite combination is steamed rice topped with some ghee and served with this Star Gooseberry Pickle.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Star Gooseberry Pickle

Prep Star Gooseberries

1. Firstly rinse 400 grams star gooseberries and dry them with a kitchen towel. There should be no trace of moisture. These are small in size and are deliciously tart.

I have not removed the seeds as they were too small. If using a larger variety, then chop and remove the seeds. Slice off the sides which are bruised, if any.

rinsing star gooseberries and drying them on a kitchen towel.

Mix Spices and Salt

2. Take the gooseberries in a large bowl. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons red chili powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and ¼ cup rock salt.

adding red chili powder, turmeric powder and rock salt to star gooseberries.

3. Mix very well. If you taste the gooseberries now, you will find them salty. After adding oil and the pickling process, the saltiness is not felt. The flavors mellow down.

mixing spices with the star gooseberries.

Make Tempering

4. In another pan, heat ½ cup sesame oil (gingelly oil). Let the oil become hot. Not smoking hot, but hot enough to fry the spices.

heating sesame oil in a small pan.

5. Then, add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds and allow them to splutter.

spluttering mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds in hot sesame oil.

6. Now, add 1 teaspoon asafoetida (hing). Stir and switch off the heat. Keep the pan on your kitchen countertop for the oil to cool at room temperature.

adding asafoetida in the hot oil.

Make Star Gooseberry Pickle

7. Let the oil cool completely and then pour it over the star gooseberries mixed with the spices.

adding the spice tempering to the star gooseberries mixture.

8. Mix everything very well.

mixing the tempering in the star gooseberries mixture.

9. Spoon the pickle in a sterilized jar. Close with a lid and keep the pickle in a dry corner of your kitchen for 7 days. 

After every 2 to 3 days, give the pickle bottle or jar a good shake or stir with a clean dry spoon. The yield is about 500 grams of pickle. The oil will float on the top later. But don’t worry as that’s how Indian pickles are.

spooning the star gooseberry pickle in a sterilized glass jar.

10. The Star Gooseberry Pickle will be ready in 7 days. Once it is is ready, keep outside or in the refrigerator.

In cold climates, you can keep it outside. In a hot and humid climate, keep in the refrigerator. Serve the Star Gooseberry Pickle with any Indian meal of your choice.

I prefer it with a Sambar-rice or Dal-rice combination and even Dal Khichdi or Pongal. You can also enjoy the pickle with stuffed parathas like Aloo Paratha, Gobi Paratha or Mooli Paratha.

star gooseberry pickle served in a bowl with a pickle jar on the side.

More Unique Pickle Recipes To Try!

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star gooseberry pickle in a white bowl.

Star Gooseberry Pickle

This Star Gooseberry Pickle is an easy pickle that is made with tart star gooseberries, spices, salt and sesame oil. The pickle recipe does not need any sunlight.
4.86 from 7 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Cuisine Indian, Kerala
Course Condiment, Side Dish
Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 500 grams
Units

Ingredients

Main ingredients

  • 400 grams star gooseberries
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons red chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ cup rock salt (edible and food grade) or regular salt, add as required

For tempering

  • ½ cup sesame oil – Indian sesame oil made with raw sesame seeds one and not the South Asian one made with toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

Instructions
 

  • Firstly, rinse the star gooseberries in water. Dry them with a kitchen napkin. There should be no trace of moisture on them. If they are large in size, then chop them and remove the seeds.
  • Take them in a large bowl. Add the red chili powder, turmeric powder and rock salt. Mix very well.
  • In another pan, heat the sesame oil. Add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and allow them to splutter.
  • Then, add the asafoetida. Stir and switch off the heat.
  • Set the pan aside and let the oil cool completely at room temperature. Later pour the cooled oil over the gooseberries marinated with the spices. Mix very well.
  • Spoon the pickle in a sterilized jar.
  • Close tightly with a lid and keep the pickle in a dry corner of your kitchen for 7 days.
  • After every 2 to 3 days, give the pickle bottle or jar a good shake or a stir with a clean dry spoon.
  • The Star Gooseberry Pickle will be ready in 7 days.
  • Once the pickle is ready, keep in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
  • In cold climates, you can keep the pickle outside. In hot and humid climates, refrigerate the pickle. Serve Star Gooseberry Pickle with any Indian meal of your choice or with stuffed paratha.

Notes

  • Adjust the chilli powder according to your preferences. 
  • Instead of sesame oil, you can use sunflower oil. But the flavor and taste will change with sunflower oil. 
  • Use fresh star gooseberries when in season. 
  • Either refrigerate or keep the pickle jar in a cool dry place depending on the temperature and climate conditions.

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This Star Gooseberry Pickle post from the archives first published on June 2014 has been republished and updated on 19 May 2022.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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21 Comments

  1. This time we want to undergo a variation so we followed your method instead of frying the gooseberries. Will they be soft when cut. How many days I have to wait to eat the pickle completely matured. Also I liked the name you used ‘kaur’ when I commented earlier :):) I would like to be called by this name.

    1. fine kaur 🙂 they are not soft like the fried ones. there is a crunch. but after a month, the gooseberries start becoming soft. but still some crunch is felt. you can have after 10 days.

      1. Thanks a lot. Maybe according to me if gooseberries are left marinated either spices for a week or two before adding oil they will be comparatively soft. Please try to add lemon pickle too. We foodies love it a lot.

        1. could be. but the thing is they should not get mold on them. i will add lemon pickle recipe too.