ARACHUKALAKKI

This is made as a side dish for non-sour koottaans (gravy dish) like molagoottals, molagooshiam and erissery. This can also be prepared as a koottaan especially when vegetables are not at hand and eaten with any thoran / mezhukkuvaratti!

Arachukalakki is made with Nellikkai (amla) or ‘Kannimanga’ (small mangoes) - stored in brine.

Amla (in brine) – During the amla season, buy 1 kg, wash well and dry them. Boil about 3 - 4 cups of water with ½ tsp turmeric powder and 3- 4 tsp of salt. Turn off the heat and cool a bit. Then add the amla to the water. Cool. Store in a clean, dry bottle. After 4-5 days, keep it in the fridge. Use as and when required.

Kannimanga (in brine) – Buy 1 kg of small mangoes (not very tiny) which do not have hardened seed. Wash well, dry. Put them in a vessel. Add 3-4 tsps of salt. Shake well and mix well every 4-5 hours. In 3-4 days, the mangoes will shed water and also become shriveled. Store them in the water in a clean dry bottle. You can add some more salt if needed. Keep shaking the bottle in between. After a week the bottle can be put in the fridge.

Nellikka (amla) arachukalakki

Ingredients -

Amla – 6-7 – taken out of brine, washed, deseeded and cut into pieces

Coconut – 6 tbsp

Green chilli – 3 - 4

Yogurt – 3 - 4 tbsp (whisked)

Salt to taste (remember the amla is already salty)

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp

Whole red chilli – 2 pieces

Curry leaves – 5

Oil – 1 tsp

Method -

Grind together amla pieces, coconut, and green chillies in a mixer.

Whisk the yogurt and add it to the ground amla mix.

Add salt. 

Add required amount of water. It should have the consistency of chutney. 

Heat a tsp of oil. Add mustard and fenugreek seeds. When they splutter, turn off the heat. 

Add curry leaves and then add it to the arachukalakki.

Kannimaanga arachukalakki

The recipe is the same as above. Use 4-5 kannimanga instead of amlas. This will require less yogurt or fresh yogurt as the mango has sourness.

Tips

Remember to add less salt as kannimanga and nellikkai have the retained salt.

© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.