Nellikkai Thokku

Directions

• Boil 3 to 4 cups of water in a pan until it boils. Add the whole gooseberries along with little salt and turmeric powder. Allow to cook for five minutes. Then switch off the stove and close the vessel with lid. Let it stand for few more minutes.
• Then remove the gooseberries from the water. Take the gooseberry and gently press it on the top. The seed will come out and pods get separated. This is an easy method. If you cannot do this, then just remove the seed using knife and separate the gooseberry pods.
• Put all the unseeded gooseberries in a mixie and grind it to a paste.
• In a dry kadai put fenugreek seeds and fry till it become light brown. Remove it.
• In the same kadai add mustard separately and fry till pops up. Remove it.
• Add both the fried fenugreek and mustard in a mixie and grind it to a powder. Or using a morter and pestle pound it.
• In a kadai add the oil and when it is hot add mustard.
• When it pops up add asafoetida powder and then gooseberry paste and fry for few seconds.
• Then add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Stir continuously till it blends well and become thick.
• Add fenugreek and mustard powder and stir well.
• Finally add the lemon juice and switch off the stove.
• Mix it well and store it in a clean jar.