HERALEKAYI GOJJU (CITRON LIME SAUCE)

What a sweet way to start the day with a fresh n fragrant breath! 

Thanks to the juice of this citrus fruit….gargle this every day and keep bad breath at bay!

An ideal cross between sweet lime and lemon, larger than lemon with a leathery, furrowy finish, colour is green with a bit of sheen, Size: “O” (O for orange), looks roundish though it tapers towards the stylar end, tastes sourer than a small lime. That’s Citron Lime (Heralekayi in kannada) for us, a citrus fruit rich in Vitamin C. The tang of Heralekayi sends a tong strong enough to tickle our taste buds. Wanna beat the heat or heal the sickly tummy? Either way, heralekaayi shows the way… 
Read down for recipe using Heralekaayi 

Dish Type: South Indian Side Dish (gravy)

Time required: 15 min

Serves: 5 persons

Ingredients

Heralekaayi                 1 no. (cut into half and use one half only)

Jaggery                        1 tsp (optional)

Turmeric pwd             A pinch

Water                          250 ml

Salt to taste                 1 tsp approx.

Rasam powder            2 tsps

Fresh raw coconut      2 tbsps (grated)

For dry frying:

Channa dal                  1 tsp

Methi seeds                1 tsp

Jeera                           2 tsps

Til                                2 tsp

Red chillies                  5 to 6 nos. (byadagi variety)

Dry grated coconut     1 tbsp (optional)

For seasoning:

Oil                               1 tsp

Mustard seeds             1 tsp

Asafoetida                   A pinch

Curry leaves                few (optional)

Red chillies                  2 nos. (optional)

Directions

Cut heralakaayi into half and squeeze out its juice.

Dry fry all ingredients listed above “for dry frying” separately and slowly on low flame in a small skillet. Transfer each of them to a plate. Let it cool completely. Grind them to a fine powder. Transfer this gojju powder to an absolutely dry air tight container. Take out 2 tbsps of this powder and grind it along with rasam powder, raw and fresh grated coconut using just enough water to get chutney like consistency.

Heat a tsp of oil in a kadai. Transfer ground chutney from mixie to kadai. Run the empty mixie with half a glass of water. Transfer this water too into the kadai. By doing this, your mixie is cleaned and chutney isn’t wasted. Add heralekaayi juice, salt and jaggery. Keep stirring the contents frequently.  Let it boil. Continue boiling till it becomes thick. Switch off the flame and get ready for seasoning.

Heat oil in the same small skillet you used for dry frying. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle switch off the flame. Immediately put asafoetida and pour it on to the boiled gojju. No need to garnish. 

Heralekaayi Gojju is now ready.

Tete a Tete

For richer spicier taste, additional Gojju powder can also be added at the endstage of boiling. To do this, mix the powder with a few spoons of water and bring to a smooth paste consistency before adding it to boiling gojju.

Heralekaayi is known as Narthanga in Hindi, Narthangai in Tamil, Kanchi Kai in Malnad areas

Heralekaayi juice is also used to make “Chitranna”- a South Indian rice dish, pickles and jam.

This juice, taken first thing in the morning, with warm water lowers high blood pressure, acts as a blood purifier, cleansing and purifying the liver, excellent for people recovering from jaundice and other liver ailments. It cools the body, helps in digestion, relieves feelings of nausea and lessens Pitta or heat as it is called in Ayurveda.

Recipe Contributor:  Smt. Lalithamma Ramamurthy, a nonagenarian lady and an expert cook, mother of Sri. Sheshadri Mokshagundam 

Other recipes contributed by Smt. Lalithamma Ramamurthy
Vangibath Powder 
Menthyada Hittu (Fenugreek Spice Powder)
Sambar Powder
Rasam Powder
Pulgura (Greens Chutney)
Hasi Majjige Huli (Sambar with Curd n Vegetable)

Other Gojju (Sauce) recipes in this blog:
Black Grapes Gojju
Beetroot Gojju