Christmas is incomplete without wine and cake. Wine made from gooseberry has the added attraction of being of medicinal value along with it being a popular drink. A sweet , non alcoholic wine it is good for children too.
Sweet Gooseberry Wine
Ingredients
Gooseberry (‘Nellikya') - 1 kg
Jaggery - 1 kg, grated
Black raisins - 250 gm, ripe and sweet
Sugar - 5 tbsp
Hot water - 1/2 cup, for the caramel syrup
Method: Boil and cool two and a quarter litres of water to room temperature. To prepare the gooseberries, begin in the morning. Wash them and the black raisins separately and place each in a strainer until evening.
Wash and perforate the gooseberries all over with a fork. Drop directly, juice and all, into a ceramic jar or ‘bharani'. Place the gooseberries in layers interspersed with layers of powdered jaggery.
Add the dried sweet black raisins. Pour the water. Close the lid. Cover with a cloth and secure with a string. Leave undisturbed in a cool, dark place for three weeks. On the final day, melt sugar to a honey or wine red colour in a pan and remove from heat. Pour half a cup of hot water and return to heat until the crystals melt to create caramel syrup. Cool completely. Through a metal strainer, sieve the gooseberry liquid. Do not squeeze the gooseberries which are good to consume separately. Mix the caramel syrup with the gooseberry extract. Enclose and leave in a cool, dry place for 25 days, undisturbed. Pour into goblets and enjoy during the festive season.
