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Amla murabba
Gooseberry preserve
आंवले का मुरब्बा: whole Indian gooseberries simmered and soaked in cardamom-saffron syrup until golden (plus overnight resting)
Murabba is the old North Indian way of keeping amla through the year, and a single gooseberry in syrup each morning is still the winter habit of many grandparents in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, who swear by it for digestion and colds. Fresh amla are sour and astringent; pricked, briefly steamed and simmered in sugar syrup, then left to steep overnight, they turn golden, translucent and soft, sweet with a sour heart and a gentle bitterness at the end. Cardamom, black pepper and saffron perfume the syrup. Eat one on its own, chopped into yogurt, or with a paratha. Choose large, firm, unblemished amla in November–February, when they are in season. Common mistake: steaming them too long; they split into segments and fall apart in the syrup. Steam only until they turn pale and the lines on the skin show clearly. Store in a dry, sterilised jar with the amla under the syrup, use a clean dry spoon, and discard if mould or fermentation bubbles appear. Chef's tip: the overnight rest is what lets the syrup soak right to the centre; reboil the syrup the next day so it thickens again.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the murabba
- 1 ⅛ lb fresh amla (Indian gooseberries)about 12 large
- 1 ⅓ lb sugar
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 6 green cardamom podslightly crushed
- ½ tsp black peppercornscoarsely crushed
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- 1 tsp lemon juice
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Wash 1 ⅛ lb fresh amla (Indian gooseberries) and dry them. Prick each one all over, about 20 times, with a fork, going right to the stone.
10 minStep 2: Steam the amla over boiling water for 6–8 minutes, until they turn pale and the segment lines on the skin show clearly, but they are still whole. Common mistake: steaming longer, which makes them split.
8 minStep 3: Put 1 ⅓ lb sugar and 1 ¼ cups water in a heavy pan and stir over a medium heat until dissolved. Add the amla and 6 green cardamom pods and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the amla look translucent at the edges.
15 minStep 4: Turn off the heat, cover and leave overnight (10–12 hours). The amla release juice and the syrup thins.
Step 5: Next day bring back to a simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes, until the syrup reaches one-string consistency. Stir in ½ tsp black peppercorns, 1 pinch saffron strands and 1 tsp lemon juice.
12 minStep 6: Sterilise the jar and lid: wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then dry in a 250°F oven for 15 minutes (or in strong sun for a few hours). Cool completely; jar, lid, bowls, spoons and your hands must be bone dry.
Step 7: Cool completely, then spoon the amla into the jar and pour the syrup over them so they are fully covered. Store in a cool cupboard for up to a year, or the fridge in hot weather; use a clean dry spoon, and discard if mould or bubbles appear.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 53 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does amla murabba take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of green cardamom pods?
- A pinch of ground cardamom per 2 pods.
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