Amla Pickle (Recipe)

This amla recipe can be adjusted to make lemon pickle by replacing the amla with chopped-up lemons. 

Amla is the common name for the fruit of the Amalaki plant (Embilica officinalis). This is not only considered by many to be Ayurvreda’s most potent fruit, but Amalaki is also one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda.

Tridoshic Fruit

One of the marvels of Amalaki is that it contains all 6 tastes except salt. Thus this fruit mitigate:

• vata by its sour taste
• pitta by its sweet taste and cold virya (energy) and
• kapha by the dry quality and astringent taste.

Benefits of Amla

• Rasayana – Rejuvenator that promotes longevity. Rasa (the essence of properly digested food) is being spread (ayana) to nourish all the rasavaha srotas: 10 dhaminis (arteries) and heart, as well as the udakava srotas: Talu (soft pallet) and kloma (pancreas/thyroid).
• Good for the lungs and immunity.
• Digestion – assists bowels and reduces inflammation in the GIT as it supports healthy intestinal “inner” skin. This accordingly improves health and lustre of the “outer” skin.
• Diabetes.
• Fantastic aphrodisiac and rejuvenator.
• Amalaki’s prabhava (special effect) is having a sattvic effect that raises the quality of consciousness and the overall wellbeing of the body.

According to the studies, the average Amla fruit (22.5gm) contains 121mg of vitamin C.
The average orange (130 grams) has about 70mg of vitamin C.

So one little Amla berry is packed with more vitamin C than the orange, which a 5.8 times bigger fruit!

Amalaki has 10 TIMES the amount of vitamin C than an orange when we measure equal weights of both fruits.

Research suggests this all-natural vitamin C content contributes to the potent antioxidant capabilities of Amalaki.

This is far from mega doses of vitamin C that people are taking. But what is compelling is the ability of Amalaki to take a small amount of vitamin C and use it to activate an entire matrix of chemicals that deliver a multitude of health benefits.

Read more benefits and information on Amalaki here.

Note this recipe can simply be adjusted to make Lemon Pickle by replacing Amlas with chopped-up lemons.

Fresh Amla is hard to get outside of Asia.

1. Finely chopped Amla fruit – 1 kg
   (or if making lemon pickle, slightly peel the outer layer off then chop 1kg lemon).
2. Rock salt – 100 gm.
3. Sea salt – 200 gm.
4. Turmeric powder – 25 gm.
5. Dry roasted ground fenugreek powder – 2 tsp.
   Dry roast until it is very good smell and brownish red colour. Then grind to powder.
6. Dry roasted ground cumin powder – 5 tsp at least.
7. Lime Juice – 1 tbsp.

Spices to add it at the end:

1. ghee
2. mustard seeds – 1 tsp.
3. cumin seeds – 2 tsp.
4. fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp.
5. garlic – 3 cloves finely chopped.
6. curry leaves – 8 leaves chopped.
7. dry chilli – 2/3 chopped (optional).

Day 6:

1. Now the pickle is just about ready but requires one last step.
2. In a pan, heat ghee then fry in the ghee:
   • mustard seeds till they pop.
   • Then cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds till they pop.
   • garlic, curry leaves and dry chilli until the garlic becomes golden colour.

Store the pickle in a glass jar and it is ready to be used.

This pickle gets better with age when stored in a glass jar.

Have you tried this amla pickle recipe? How did that go? Comment 👇