Gooseberry chutney is a condiment made from tart gooseberries found in Asia, Africa, and Europe. In India, it is a spicy side dish, while in the West, it’s a sweet and tart sauce. Gooseberries are rich in vitamin C and used in traditional medicine. Chutneys are an easy way to incorporate gooseberries into your diet. The spicy version involves grating the gooseberry and mixing it with other ingredients, while the Western version involves simmering the berries with onions, sugar, spices, and vinegar. Chutney can last up to a year when stored properly.
Gooseberry chutney is a dip or type or condiment made from gooseberries, a fruit that has a tart taste. This berry is found in parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, and there are several ways to prepare it. In India, gooseberry chutney is a spicy concoction that is used as a side dish with foods such as steamed rice, idli, a type of steamed rice cakes, and dosa, which is a roasted pancake made of rice flour and lentils. When prepared in a Western style, gooseberry chutney is a sweet and tart sauce that is used to accompany roast goose, charcuterie and cheese cuts.
In India, the berry is called nelika in Tamil and amla in Hindi. The chutney can be called nellika chutney, nellika chammanthi or amla chutney. Rich in vitamin C and well known for its antiaging properties, Indian gooseberry can be found in many traditional medicines. It is used in a variety of ways to boost the immune system, lower blood sugar in diabetics, increase hair growth and reduce the risk of cancer.
Incorporating nutritious gooseberry into your daily diet is easy with chutneys as many do not prefer to eat it on its own due to its sour taste. Many roadside vendors sell Indian gooseberries from small handcarts that they push from house to house. Aside from chutney, it can be made into pickles or added to curries.
The spicy version of this chutney involves grating the gooseberry and mixing it with other ingredients in a blender. These can include shredded coconut, shredded carrot, and red or green chilies. Coriander powder, curry leaves and asofetida can also be added to the mix. Some preparations involve frying the spices and onion in oil and then roasting the gooseberry until its raw fragrance disappears, while other methods call for grinding the pre-salted gooseberry with the other ingredients without frying it in oil. In both cases, the dough is ground into a semi-rough paste and eaten immediately, served hot with various Indian dishes.
When prepared in a Western style, this chutney takes the form of a thick, watery sauce with gooseberry chunks. The gooseberry name is thought to come from the use of these berries as a tart condiment for roast goose. Rich in seeds, this fruity sauce pairs perfectly with roast pork, lamb, smoked mackerel and fried brie.
In the past, people made gooseberry chutney to preserve the fruit for long periods. Stored in the right conditions, it can last up to a year. Generally though, gooseberries aren’t very popular as a summer fruit due to their really sharp and bitter flavor. For those accustomed to sweet berries, gooseberry chutney has emerged as one of the best ways to consume this berry on a regular basis.
Making Western-style gooseberry chutney involves simmering the seedless berries with onions, sugar, spices, and vinegar until the berries are soft and the mixture thickens. Some cooks may add herbs such as chopped rosemary, mint or other ingredients such as sherry, cayenne pepper and ground ginger to alter the taste. The mixture is cooked until it is reduced in volume by about one-third and then poured into hot, sterilized jars. The jars are sealed with wax discs and cellophane covers and labeled when fresh. Chutney made this way not only lasts for about a year, but also tastes sweet the longer it is stored.
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