Amle Ka Murabba (Indian Gooseberry Preserve)

Indian Gooseberries cooked and preserved in delectable and flavoured  Green Cardamom , Crushed black Peppercorn and Rock Salt Sugar Syrup.

Soaking Time of Amla: Overnight

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time:35 to 40 minutes

Post Cooking before consuming it, store in an Airtight Glass Jar in a Dark and Cool Place: 2 days

Shelf-life , If stored properly: 1 Year

Serves : 4

Ingredients and Quantity:

Indian Gooseberries (Amla)- 1 kg.

Water- 2 cups

Green Cardamon seeds, coarsely ground- 3/4th tsp.

Freshly ground black peppercorn- 1/2 tsp.

Rock salt- 1/4 th tsp.

Saffron – ½ gm (Optional)

Almonds blanched , dried and slivered- 12  (Optional)

For the sugar syrup:

Granulated Sugar- 1 ½  kg

Reserved Water- 750 ml.

For Clarifying the Sugar Syrup:

Fresh Lemon Juice- ½ tsp.

For the straining of Sugar Syrup:

Muslin cloth -1/4th metre

Method

Wash the amla thoroughly and soak in 2 cups / or more….water overnight in a covered glass bowl. 

Discard the water and pierce the amla with a fork in the morning.

Boil water till it bubbles add the pierced amla and cook it covered for 2 minutes.

Switch off the flame and let the amla be in the hot water for 5 minutes , covered with a lid.

Drain the amla and reserve the liquid for the syrup.

Place amla in a non-stick pan, add the sugar, mix well.

Now add the reserved water.

Let it simmer ,ensure stirring.

Now add the lemon juice.

With a ladle, discard the dirt / scum that comes on top.

Stir and cook on a slow flame for 15 minutes, till the amla is tender and the water reduces to ½ its quantity and you get the sugar syrup with one string consistency.

Remove the amla in a glass bowl. Reserve the syrup in which the amla was cooked and let it cool down.

Strain the sugar syrup through a muslin cloth to remove the impurities / dirt from the sugar syrup.

Pour the sugar syrup on the cooked amla.

Add the ground green cardamom, crushed black peppercorn and rock salt.

Mix well.

Cool the murabba completely and store in airtight jar. 

Check after 2 days and your murabba is ready to be relished.

Stays good for a year, if stored properly and ensuring that a dry spoon is used to remove murabba from the glass jar.

Chef Tips:

1. Choose amla which are bigger in size.
2. Do not overcook the amla in water as they tend to break.
3. You may add black cardamom powder instead of ground green cardamom seeds.
4. You may add saffron strands and blanched, peeled, dried and slivered almonds too.
5. Do not cook amla in Aluminium or Iron vessel/ utensils.
6. Use a dry air-tight glass container to store the murabba.
7. Use a dry spoon to remove the murabba from the air-tight container to prevent it from spoiling.
8. The consistency of the syrup in Murabba should be like honey.
9. Ensure That the Amla is completely immersed in the syrup while it is stored.
10. If you are a Jaggery lover , you can make Jaggery syrup instead of Sugar syrup.
11. I suggest that if you are making jaggery syrup then use organic jaggery.