Amla or Indian Gooseberry is a very nutrient-rich fruit with numerous health benefits. It is a sour-tasting fruit that can be had as a powder or candy. After a heavy meal, consuming amla can help the digestive process perform its duties smoothly. It is also a rich source of Vitamin C. If you are trying to look after your hair in a better way, consuming amla is a step in the right direction.
The fruit helps keep grey hair strands away and enriches hair growth. Amla has diuretic properties and stimulates metabolism. So today, we’ll make a recipe that will help you incentivize consuming this wonderful fruit. Let’s make amla candy!
Commercial vs Homemade Amla Candy
Commercially made amla candies are great. There are plenty available in the market in various types of quality. The only problem with this is the level of sugar. Manufacturers could add more sugar to the candy to make these treats tastier. This is not ideal for anyone looking for health benefits from these candies. Thinking about making such a recipe at home might feel daunting, especially when we don’t know how to do it. Commercially made amla candies also have preservatives and a lot of hidden calories.
While making this recipe at home, you’re in total control of everything that goes into it, including the sugar content and skipping the preservatives. The homemade version of this candy is very easy to make, contrary to general perception. You can make the candy within 15 minutes and let the whole thing dry to get the perfect texture. You can even use frozen amla packets and make the candy in small batches. Preservatives in the commercial version exist to give the product long shelf life.
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
- Amla or Indian Gooseberries
- Sugar
- Black Salt (Kala Namak)
- Powdered Sugar (for Garnishing)
- Steamer
- Sieve
- Baking Tray
- Oven
Recipe
Step 1: Gooseberries are naturally a frozen fruit. Their flesh is hard to bite and yet very juicy. To make amla candy, the first step is to soften the flesh. For that, you must steam the amla for 15-20 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer, you can also boil or pressure cook them. Remember, you don’t have to overcook the berries since it would make them too soft.
Step 2: After they are boiled or steamed, it is time to deseed them and cut them into their natural flakes. If they are still hard, you must boil or steam them for a little while longer. Once you’ve cut them, add the sugar and black salt to marinate the amla. Leave it be for one day.
Step 3: Drain the excess sugar syrup, which has a lot of that amla flavour. This can be used to make amla flavoured coolers. Just add a spoonful of this syrup to some plain soda for an amazing instant beverage.
Step 4: Once the berry mix is free from loose liquids, spread them out on a baking sheet and leave them out in the sun for drying for 2-3 days. Preferably keep them in the shade so that the harsh sun doesn’t evaporate any flavours.
Step 5: After the first day, the amla will start drying up significantly. Keep the amla drying for two more days till you see the colour change.
Step 6: After the amla has done its time in the sun, bring it in and keep it in a warm oven for a while for the last bit of the drying process. Keep in mind that the oven must not be hot or running but warm.
Step 7: Your homemade amla candy is ready! Store it in tight air bottles and have them after meals.
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