“The Goodness of Avalo/ Amla/ Gooseberry/ Nellikayi” cannot be described enough in words … never underestimate the power of this small tough looking edible green ball … it is God’s own gift to mankind that should be trusted and consumed by including it in any possible way into our daily diet … do not ignore it to other fancy slogans of health claiming products that crop up by dozens in a day claiming a lot but never delivering the same …
** I strongly believe “An Avalo a Day” can give tough competition to any fruit or veggie in driving diseases away … all we need to do is just travel a little back and check out on our own ancestors who led a good strong hard working lifestyle … in our quest of moving ahead we have just put a lot of things on our back shelves, those which were the outcome of hundreds of years of research and experience. The medicine/ key to good health lies in them, we just need to look around and we will find a lot of delicious recipes that can be prepared and relished by both young and old alike in our own Konkani Saraswat Cuisine using Avalo . These are just a few ones I have collage together while there are many more included in the link given below and definitely more that will be kept on being added in future.
** Avalo is a storehouse of healthy nutrients and very rich in Vitamin C the most vital one for all human beings. I have mentioned so much about this small bundle that of little about which I know in many of my posts. Again, don’t forget that you can also go through more information in google that gives you all just a click away. I am sure every health conscious human being out there is aware of the health benefits of Avalo even if they are not able to explain it. Our own ancient Indian Ayurvedic scriptures give it the topmost priority in preparation of medicines. We all have been constantly told by the blaring TV adds to have Chawanprash the store house to good health, the main ingredient of which is Avalo/ Amla. We purchase it often and consume the same too, yet funnily keep the fresh ones away. Why?? Have you ever wondered that your are brushing aside a good healthy lifestyle ??
** Before you begin to wonder if I am a nutritionist or someone promoting them for a company, NO, I am not, I am just a simple human being who suffered health issues as I ignored these things in my younger days that are irreplaceable now. Knowledge gained is health earned for me as in the last decade I have given these things importance and have begun to learn a lot about the necessity of good food and exercise for a good lifestyle free of diseases. This does not mean we eat an avalo and go about eating other fast-food and things will solve. It’s just a beginning, a step towards healthier you and your family. I will not write more on health aspect of which I have little knowledge of, but food intrigues me and by sharing a few bits of it if it helps someone out there so be it.
** It has now been almost 2 decades since I stopped having cold drinks from packed bottles or tetra packs from stores. Off course once in a way I do when it becomes difficult to say No to a friend when you are a guest elsewhere, though I do decline many a times. I cringe when children throw tantrums to have them and it fears me seeing the addiction they have to these coolants and packets of chips that God knows of when the ingredients were purchased, how and under what conditions were stored, prepared, packed, dispatched and above all reached the stores. I know it is easier said than done, I often get questioned if I never had these in my own childhood or relished them till now. I did, but not to the extent of the obsession in which I see people both young and old relishing them now, I see a sort of addiction in them.
** These are a few things we always learn with experience in the long run. My father being a foodie always brought home new dishes and asked us to learn to prepare the same at home after tasting it once or twice and my sisters always dug through magazines and cookery books and tried them out successfully and that is what I grew up observing. Unlike these days there was no net or food groups where we could browse through or question across, all there was were these written matter or a friend/ relative who had tried out something new. I always sat and watched my Mom’s activities in the kitchen as being the youngest I was never given anything much to do. But I was a keen observer and to date they have registered somewhere in my mind and I guess, that is exactly what makes me go about doing in my own kitchen.
** Mom always insisted on home cooked dishes, sweets and snacks, somehow the dabbas/ boxes were like “akshaypatra” always filled to the brim lovingly prepared by her, which we relished on Sunday and holidays. Though she was more into traditional amchi dishes, she also learned to prepare new varieties like pulav, kurma etc. I still remember Dad, calling home a friendly restaurant cook who taught about how to cook chicken curry, soups etc. I was very young then, but was really amazed at the speed in which he went about chopping the veggies etc. I have a lot to be thankful to my parents, my siblings, all of who are very good or should I say experts in culinary field in their own way and the credit for it all goes to the independence given to us through childhood to be creative by our parents, be it in any field.
** Have you ever tried the lip smacking chutney or gojjus prepared using avalo, no?? then you really have lost out on a unique taste of healthy dish. One has adapt to the bitter-tart taste of avalo to enjoy the dishes be it in chitranna, juices or as I said in chutney form. And yes, if these are not your favorite then there is always the murbaa or the jamun prepared using them which is sweet by nature and that which no child can say no to. As they are available now almost year round barring a few months you can have them fresh but there is always the method of brine too for those who would loved to have them when in scarcity. There is also the sweeter method of preserved or the sun dried ones, the choices are plenty and all you need to do is take out a little bit of time and do the same so that you can enjoy them for months in leisure.
** I do not want to lecture or deviate from the topic of “Avalo/ Gooseberry/ Amla/ Nellikayi” here and also bore you all …I just humbly urge all of you who have taken the effort to read through to understand the importance of good food in our life … Include this treasure house of health Avalo/ Gooseberry into your food list from today if you are not doing so already, it is in season now and available in plenty all round the world … I have shared a common link to the avalo dishes posted in my blog before below and I will be adding in more soon, so keep a keen watch out, try them out in your homes, making your own variations and innovations as per your family taste and likings … just take that step and go ahead, reap in the health benefits for yourself and your family … Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay Blessed …
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Thanks.