Introduction to Indian Gooseberry Botanical Name - Emblica officinalis
Indian Name - Amla
Other English names - Emblica myrobalan
Other Names - There are lots of names for Indian gooseberry. They are Aamalaki, neli, emblic, Amla, Aovla, Emblica, Emblica officinalis, Mirobalano, Myrobalan, Mirobalanus embilica, Myrobalan emblic.
Origin - The Indian gooseberry plant is native to India.
Appearance - Indian gooseberry fruits are of small size and light green in color. They have 6 vertical grooves on them. The taste of the fruit can be described as strong, harsh, and rough. This fruit is round shaped with vertical stripes and has a hard seed inside.
Indian Name - Amla
Other English names - Emblica myrobalan
Other Names - There are lots of names for Indian gooseberry. They are Aamalaki, neli, emblic, Amla, Aovla, Emblica, Emblica officinalis, Mirobalano, Myrobalan, Mirobalanus embilica, Myrobalan emblic.
Origin - The Indian gooseberry plant is native to India.
Appearance - Indian gooseberry fruits are of small size and light green in color. They have 6 vertical grooves on them. The taste of the fruit can be described as strong, harsh, and rough. This fruit is round shaped with vertical stripes and has a hard seed inside.
Indian gooseberry is one of the ayurvedic medicines for thousands of years. It is an excellent herbal medicine for the treatment of conjunctivitis. It protects us from
- Cancer
- Eye problem
- Digestive problem
- Stomach upset
- Diabetes
- Organ re-establishment
- Killing Germs
- This fruit fights and prevents from skin diseases and infection.
- It purifies the blood and helps for the growth of new tissues.
- It develops good eyesight.
- It improves liver functioning.
- It is believed to improve the functions of heart and strengthen the lungs.
- It stimulates the isolated group of cells that secrete the hormone insulin.
- This helps in lowering blood glucose levels, thus improving diabetes.
- It improves functioning of nerves and is helpful in paralytic conditions.
- It is one of the best tonics for brain and improves memory power and consciousness.
- It fights against free radicals that are responsible for development of different types of cancers and cell degeneration.
- It increases the production of red blood cells and in turn strengthens nails and teeth.
- It has a calming and soothing effect on our over all health.
- It is found that it acts as a sedative, relaxes muscles and improves sleep.
- It improves our general health and makes our immune system strong.
- It controls graying of hairs and accumulation of dandruff.
Indian Gooseberry Recipes1. Amla Murabba
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of grated gooseberries
- 2 tablespoon water
- Sugar as required
- 1 tsp cardamom seeds (crushed)
- 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick
Method:
- Mix grated berries with sugar and water in a pan
- With frequent stirring heat till the sugar melts.
- After sugar melts, add cardamom seeds and cinnamon sticks.
- Simmer the heat and let it to get thick.
- Take away the cinnamon stick and allow it to cool.
- A spoon of Murabba every day cures all the diseases.
2. Gooseberry Raita
Ingredients:
- 2 or 3 Amlas
- 2 Green chilies
- 1 small cup grated coconut
- 1 Cup curd, beaten
- Salt as required
- Cooking oil as required
- 1 tbsp of Mustard seeds
- 1 Red chilly
- Pinch of Asafoetida(hing)
- Few curry leaves
Method:
- Boil the berries till it become soft.
- Allow it to cool and remove all the seeds.
- Grate all the amla and grind it with green chilies and coconut.
- Beat the curd with salt.
- Prepare seasoning by heating oil in pan, first add mustard seeds, then chilies followed by hing and curry leaves.
- Pour the seasoning into berries mixture and add the curd.
- Mix it well.
- Amla raita is ready to serve.
3. Indian Gooseberry Thokku
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of fresh field bean seeds
- Ghee as required
- Oil as required
- Salt to taste
- Chilli powder to taste
- Asafoetida, a pinch
Method:
- Clean the gooseberries remove the seeds and cut into small pieces and half cook them in the cooker.
- Heat oil in a pan, first add mustard seeds then onion, followed by garlic paste, red chili, pepper and curry leaves.
- Mix everything together and finally add the half boiled gooseberries with salt
- Sprinkle some water, cover and simmer it for 5 to 10 minutes.
