Preparations:

Select gooseberries which are firm, big and juicy. Wash, clean the gooseberries & let them dry completely.

Take mustard seeds onto a paper plate and microwave on high power for 20 seconds. Stir the seeds once with a spoon and again microwave on high power for 20 seconds. Stir the seeds once with a spoon and again microwave on high power for 10 seconds. Cool the seeds till they are warm to touch. Take the seeds into a mixie jar and grind them to a fine powder. No need to sieve the powder, use it to prepare the pickle. In a clean and dry bowl mix well salt, mustard powder and red chilli powder. Heat a pan and add 150ml oil. When oil is warm add the gooseberries and cook covered on low flame. Shake the pan in between so that the gooseberries turn their sides and get fried all over. Cover and cook so that even if the gooseberries burst they will not come out of the pan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or till the gooseberries are soft. When done, switch off the stove and let them cool completely.

Method:

Remove the seeds with your fingers and separate the gooseberries into pieces as shown in the movie clip. Add the prepared masala and mix well. Mix with fingers so that the pickle gets mixed well. Transfer this pickle to a ceramic bowl or a glass jar. The pickle will be ready when the bitterness of mustard powder vanishes, i.e., after 2 days.

Points to Notice:

Do not roast the mustard seeds in microwave oven for a long period because they will turn bitter. Just when they are warm to touch remove it from oven and let them cool a bit and powder them. By roasting them in microwave oven they get the sun dried effect. By stirring & roasting in intervals the seeds will not be over roasted. Over roasted seeds when powdered, that powder will taste bitter. There is no need to sieve the powder as it will be just having the right texture for making this pickle.

Use a ceramic or glass bowl only to keep the pickle in.

Take care to use all dry things only while preparing the pickle so that the pickle will last longer without getting spoiled.

Important Point:

Salt is the main ingredient which will decide for how long the pickle remains fresh without spoiling. If the pickle comes in contact with water it will not last long.

It is advisable to use this pickle after 2 days of preparing it, so that the mustard powder loses its bitterness. With the fresh aroma of mustard seeds powder this pickle has a special taste.

If using small gooseberries, then it is not necessary to remove the seeds or separate them into pieces. However be careful while selecting small gooseberries as they taste bitter if they are not ripe enough. It is better to use medium sized berries or big ones for preparing the pickle.