Uppillitta Nellikka - Salted Gooseberries

Has anybody explored sweetness of water?!!!! Just follow here… 

When Indira featured her crunchy cucumber that just reminded me of a very simple and plain preparation in Kannur with Indian gooseberries('Nellikka'). Quickly, i legworked on Indian gooseberries at Family Food centre, a place where we get all Indian stuffs. Berries looked real fresh and glossy  when i bought them first but got myself busy with lot many things and i found these paavam Nellikka(feel-so-sorry gooseberries) hiding in the bag after a week. 

When i opened the bag,a long 'ooooooo…' went out of my mouth.  Later on, i found myself in not-so-bad situation with Nellikka. I peeled the skin off which i am not supposed to do. I had no choice but to get that freshness under the skin.

                       

Better half loves anything that gives tarty soury salty and spicy feeling to his taste.  Its interesting to watch him eating(bad manners i know:-)) his lunch.  Usually i serve afternoon lunch with some rice, curry(mostly fish), a curd preparation, a vegetable fry. He starts lunching by mixing all the curries together with little rice just to get that "right" taste.  He savor it with such a lot of love and interest, i grab a plate for myself just to know what is that feel-good-factor of food. I love to cook food for such people who enjoys just eating and no fuss:)

A small story behind this Nellikka, which i often hear from him, goes like  this. In those good old days when they were on their way to school they find these Nellikkas salted and stored in big glass jars in small shops by the side of the road and they would walk down to school rather taking a bus so as to save that paisa just to buy those tiny tasty wonders. The best part, he says, should drink water immediately after chewing these Nellikka. And nothing can erase that taste off your memory.

These small memories should be kept alive so that our little ones should enjoy when they grow up listening to this. isn't it?:)  Most nicest thing i can ever do for my pal is to rebuild all those memories of food that he enjoyed over years.

Let's get on with this simple yet mouth watering prep…..

If you can get a jar that is similar to Indira's collection from her Indian utensils section Jaadilu/ceramic pots, would be the best for uppillitta Nellikka(salted Nellikka). If not even a plastic jar will serve the purpose.

I bought less than a quarter kilo of Nellikka and washed and peeled the skin, which you can do if only the skin has some brown patches. You can add a whole Nellikka or can be cut into small bite sized pieces. Slit 8-10 green chillies depending on the spicy feeling your taste buds expect. Keep the chillies minimum, so that if there is no punch, you can always add up few more chillies for extra hot feeling. Chop 5-6 Indian garlic lengthwise into  small pieces. Coarsely powder a teaspoonful of Mustard seeds. Mix all the above mentioned spices including Nellikka in the jar. Pour in a pitcherful of water, so that the ingreidients starts floating in the jar. Add lots and lots of Salt, to make the whole mixture, saturated salt solution. Most of the salt content will be absorbed by Nellikka. Allow it to settle for 2 - 3 days.

                          

You can enjoy munching this whenever you get that itchy feeling on tongue to taste something crazy or i love its piquancy paricularly when i am on a mild antibiotic course that momentarily spoils the taste buds.

For unlimited eupuhoria, make sure to drink water immediately after chewing Nellikka to get that sweetness of water…..:)