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Amla (Indian gooseberry)

Fruits · Fresh fruit

Amla (Indian gooseberry)

Small, hard, pale-green Indian gooseberry: intensely sour and astringent, used in chutneys, pickles, murabba and juices.

Also called: indian gooseberry, amalaki, aonla, avla, nellikai, nellikka, emblic, awla

Around the world: आंवला (hi) · आवळा (mr) · આમળા (gu) · நெல்லிக்காய் (ta)

1 recipe with it

Photo: L. Shyamal, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-2.5)

What it is

The round, translucent green fruit of the Phyllanthus emblica tree, about the size of a large marble, with six faint vertical segments and a hard, ridged stone. Despite the English name it is not related to the European gooseberry. It is in season in North India from about November to February, when it is sold by the kilo for pickles, sweet murabba, chutneys and juice; it is also sold dried and powdered.

Phyllanthus emblica

How it’s used

  • Ground raw with coriander, chilli and jaggery into fresh amla chutney
  • Steamed and preserved in sugar syrup as murabba
  • Cut into segments for oil pickles
  • Pressed for juice, usually diluted with water
  • Dried and powdered for cooking and herbal preparations

Characteristics

Taste
Very sour and astringent, then faintly sweet on the aftertaste (water tastes sweet after a bite).
Texture
Crisp and juicy but fibrous; the flesh separates into segments around the stone.
Appearance
Smooth, pale green to yellow-green skin with faint ribs; flesh translucent.
When cooked
Softens and turns yellow when steamed; darkens when cut and left in the air.
Sold as
fresh, dried, powder
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked
Common in
Indian

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep whole and unwashed in a paper bag in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Discard fruit that is soft, brown or wrinkled.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
44 kcal
Protein
0.88 g
Carbohydrate
10.18 g
Fat
0.58 g
Fibre
4.3 g
Sugars
— g

USDA FoodData Central: Gooseberries, raw (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Raw green mango — Use raw mango for a sour fresh chutney; the flavour is fruitier and less astringent.

Related ingredients

Recipes with amla (indian gooseberry)

More fresh fruit