North Indian · Sweet
Amla Murabba
आंवले का मुरब्बा · Aamle ka murabba · Indian gooseberry preserve
Amla murabba is a North Indian sweet preserve of whole Indian gooseberries in cardamom-scented sugar syrup. Prick and briefly soften the fruit, simmer it gently in syrup, then rest it overnight before the final cooking. The finished amla should look translucent, with tender flesh and a glossy one-string syrup.
- vegetarian
- vegan
- gluten-free
Ingredients
- 500 g (about 12 large fruits)Fresh amla Organic MandyaWhole-fruit weight includes stones; expect about 450 g edible flesh after removing the stones at serving. Choose firm fruits of similar size. Measures: 1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tbsp = 15 ml; 1 tsp = 5 ml.
- 500 g (2 1/2 cups)White sugar Organic Mandya
- 1.5 litres (about 6 cups)Water for rinsing and boilingUse 500 ml for rinsing and 1 litre for boiling; discard both after use.
- 240 ml (1 cup)Water for sugar syrup
- 1 g (about 4 pods)Green cardamom pods Organic MandyaGrind the seeds and discard the husks.
- 30 ml (2 tbsp), only if neededWater for adjusting thick syrupReserve separately; use only if the syrup becomes too thick.
Method
Wash and prick the fruit
Rinse the amla in the 500 ml rinsing water, discard the water and wipe the fruit. Prick each fruit all over with a clean fork, making holes into the flesh without splitting it. Allow about 10 minutes for this preparation.
⏱ 10 minSoften the whole amla
Bring the 1 litre boiling water to a boil in a pan that holds the fruit in one layer, allowing about 5 minutes. Add the amla and simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, until a small knife enters the flesh with slight resistance but the fruit remains intact.
⏱ 10 minDrain the fruit
Lift the amla into a sieve and drain for 5 minutes. Discard the boiling water; do not use it for the syrup. Handle the softened fruit gently so it does not separate along its natural grooves.
⏱ 5 minDissolve the sugar
Heat the sugar with 240 ml syrup water over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring until no sugar crystals remain. Keep the syrup pale and clear rather than letting it caramelise.
⏱ 5 minSimmer the fruit in syrup
Add the drained amla and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes, turning gently occasionally. Keep the fruit surrounded by syrup and stop when it looks glossy and slightly translucent at the edges; the syrup can still be thinner than its final consistency.
⏱ 20 minRest in the syrup
Transfer the fruit and all its syrup to a clean shallow heatproof container. Cool for about 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, keeping the fruit in contact with the syrup. This cooling and overnight rest are included in the preparation time.
⏱ 12 h 30 minFinish the gentle cooking
Return the fruit and syrup to a heavy pan and add the ground cardamom seeds. Warm over low heat, then simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, until the flesh looks translucent and a knife slides in easily. If the fruit becomes tender before the syrup thickens, lift it out temporarily.
⏱ 20 minCheck one-string syrup
During the final simmer, put a few drops of syrup on a saucer and let them cool before touching. Bring a cooled drop between thumb and forefinger and separate them gently: one fine unbroken thread should form. Stop cooking at this stage and return any lifted fruit. If too thick, stir in the reserved adjustment water 15 ml at a time and warm just until smooth. This test is included in the final cooking time.
⏱ 1 minCool and refrigerate
Transfer the murabba with all its syrup to clean shallow heatproof containers and cool for about 60 minutes. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of finishing cooking. Keep the fruit coated with syrup and remove its hard central stone when serving.
⏱ 60 min
Shop the ingredients
Tips
- Prick through the skin into the flesh without tearing the natural segments apart; the holes help syrup penetrate.
- Stop the initial boiling at just tender, since the fruit will cook twice more in syrup.
- Keep the heat low during syrup cooking and turn the fruits gently instead of stirring vigorously.
- Lift out tender fruit while reducing a thin syrup, then return it as soon as the one-string stage is reached.
Serving
Serve a fruit with its share of syrup as a sweet accompaniment to a meal. Cut away the hard central stone before eating.
Storage
Refrigerate in clean covered containers within 2 hours of the final cooking and use within 2 weeks, keeping the fruit coated with syrup and using a clean dry utensil. Discard the whole container if mould, active bubbling or an unexpected fermented smell appears.
Variations
- For jaggery murabba, replace the 500 g sugar with 500 g finely chopped jaggery, dissolve it in the same 240 ml water and strain before adding the fruit. Follow the same gentle cooking and refrigerated rest; expect darker syrup and check its cooled one-string stage carefully.
- For ginger-scented murabba, add 5 g peeled ginger cut into fine matchsticks during the final syrup cooking, keeping the cardamom quantity unchanged.
Nutrition per serving
| Energy | 170 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 43.3 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g |
| Fibre | 2.9 g |
Approximate, calculated from 450 g edible amla flesh, all sugar and cardamom seeds, divided into 12 portions with equal shares of fruit and syrup. Stones and discarded boiling water are excluded; losses into that water are not quantified, so the fruit contribution is a conservative input estimate. Carbs use available carbohydrate for amla.
Questions people ask
Why should I prick the amla before cooking?
Small holes through the skin help the syrup reach the flesh while the whole fruit keeps its shape. Prick evenly with a clean fork and avoid splitting the segments. The overnight rest also matters; cooking an unpricked fruit quickly can leave a sharply sour centre.
How do I know the murabba syrup is ready?
Cool a few syrup drops on a saucer before testing them between thumb and forefinger. A single fine thread should stretch briefly without breaking immediately. The fruit should also be translucent and tender. Never test boiling syrup directly, and stop before the syrup becomes thick and grainy.
Can I make amla murabba with jaggery?
Yes. Use the separately described variation with the same weight of jaggery, dissolving and straining it before adding the fruit. Jaggery gives a darker colour and a stronger flavour, so translucency is harder to judge. Keep the same refrigerated rest and storage guidance as the sugar version.
Why did the fruit become hard or the syrup crystallise?
The fruit may have been under-softened before meeting the sugar, or the syrup may have cooked beyond one string. Undissolved sugar on the pan sides can also encourage crystals. Soften the fruit first, dissolve sugar completely and stop the final cooking promptly; loosen over-thick syrup with the measured reserve.
How should I store homemade amla murabba?
Cool it promptly, refrigerate within two hours and keep the fruit coated with syrup in a clean covered container. Use within two weeks and take portions with a clean dry utensil. Discard the container if you see mould or active bubbles, or notice an unexpected fermented smell.
Photo: Organic Mandya · © Organic Mandya
