Amla & Mixed Greens chutney- vegan, gluten free
Amla, the India gooseberry is widely used in Ayurveda, is known to have antioxidants, lots of fibers, and is loaded with Vitamin C. Per Ayurveda, it is great for improving digestion and reduces acidity. There were many studies done on Amla, especially it’s potent lipid lowering effect. There is a scientific study comparing the benefit of amla vs simvastatin ( a cholesterol lowering drug). The results showed amla had decent lipid lowering effect as well as reducing blood pressure. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3326920/#:~:text=Effects%20of%20Amla%20and%20Simvastatin%20Treatments%20on%20Lipid%20Profile&text=Both%20treatments%20produced%20nearly%20equivalent,Amla%20treatment%20%5BFigure%203%5D.
Amla pickle, with heavy spices is commonly eaten in South Indian households especially in fall/winter season and is priceless. But as always, we have to move from comfort and tradition to more healthier sustainable ways of living. I wanted an easier, lighter/more instant / fresh way to bring amla on to the dining table.
If there is one ingredient that I consciously add to my dishes everyday is green leafy vegetables. And this chutney was perfect to use substantial amounts of greens while hiding the tinge of bitter rawness that usually comes with stronger flavored greens like kale. So, use as much greens as you can, starting of with the ones you like may be the neutral flavored ones like spinach and then add few other varieties. Diversity is as important as the quantity of greens.
I miss fresh amlas that are easily available in India, and resorted to frozen amlas found in Indian stores in the United States. If you have not tasted a raw amla before, it is sour, astringent, with touch of bitterness but leaves lot of sweetness at the end. With the right spices and additives, you will not feel the astringent taste, and can reap the benefits from the wonderful nature’s gift along with the loads of green leafy vegetables in this tangy, spicy chutney that goes well with idli/ dosa or with rice.
Amla & Mixed Greens Chutney – vegan, gluten free
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen amla slices
- 2 cups cilantro including stems
- 1-2 cups chard roughly chopped
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup kale roughly chopped
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 2 medium tomatoes -each one cut into 8 pieces
- 4-6 dry red chilies depending on the variety, size, spice level
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp urad dal
- 2 Tbsp channa dal
- 3 garlic cloves
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp oil- optional avocado oil preferred
For tempering (optional but recommended)
- 1 tsp oil optional- can use water or broth
- 2 dry red chilies
- 2 tsp channa dal
- 1 stem curry leaves
- 2 tsp brown mustard seeds
- pinch of hing/ asafoetida
Instructions
- Let the frozen amla slices thaw a bit on their own, just leave them on the counter in a bowl for 20 -30 min
- In a non stick skillet, when hot , add the thawed amla pieces and cook them with lid on with intermittent stirring until they become softer and edges start to see slight brown spots. Usually takes about 8 min. Add the amla pieces to blender jar.
- In the same pan , add the cut tomato pieces and saute them till the flesh is soft, and skin starts to peel off. Add the tomatoes to blender jar. You can add one spray of avocado oil in between sautéing ingredients if needed.
- Now, in the same pan, add cilantro along with curry leaves. Let the cilantro wilt a bit and the stems get softer. The curry leaves will slightly shrivel. Add these to the blender jar
- In the same pan, add all the rest of the greens. Add either one table spoon water or a spray of oil and let them wilt with lid on for 2-3 min. Don't over cook them, as the nutrient content gets degraded. Add these greens to the blender as well. (If new to overload of greens, add more neutral ones like spinach)
- Now, slightly roast the sesame seeds till light brown and add them to the blender.
- Use another spray of the oil if needed, (can use water instead) then roast the red chilies, channa dal, urad dal, garlic for 2-3 min, before adding to the blender jar.
- Give it 5 min to let the ingredients cool down. Then grind until a nice paste is formed. Do not add extra water. Add salt at this stage and blitz one more time. Take the chutney into a serving bowl.
Tempering – can use minimal oil or do dry tempering
- Heat oil or few table spoons water in a skillet, then add red chilies, channa dal, brown mustard and curry leaves. Turn off stove when the mustard seeds splutter. Add the tempering to the chutney and enjoy.
- Serve with hot rice or with idli/ dosa.