How to Make Anardana at Home

In Germany, around the mid of May, the days start getting sunny. Temperatures rise, and rains become less frequent. This is a perfect time to make things that require drying in the sun. Pickles, Papads etc., are common things that are made in India in summer when the days are hot. I try to keep up with the tradition in Germany and make the best of the sunny days.

Recently I made a delicious Punjabi Mango Pickle, which I kept in the sun for seven successive days, after which it was ready to eat. After making the pickle, it was time to try something more. So, I made Anardana.

What is Anardana?

Anardana is a Hindi word that means Pomegranate seeds. While the fresh ones are also called Anardana, the general meaning when someone uses the word Anardana is – dry, dehydrated seeds & pulp of the pomegranate fruit. Anardana is used in many Indian recipes like stuffing in paranthas, gravies etc. It adds tartness to foods. It is also said to have health benefits, like improved cardiac health, better digestion etc.

How to make Anardana?

Typically, the anardana that we get in shops is made by commercial drying processes. However, it is pretty straightforward to make Anardana at home. I suggest making it in summer and choosing a day when ample sunlight (at least 8 hours) and temperature above 25 deg C is expected. Start the process before the sunlight hits your balcony/terrace, and finish it by the end of the day.

Let’s see the process in detail:

INGREDIENTS  

Pomegranates ( I took 2. You can take as many as you want)

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 150 deg C for 10 minutes.
• While the oven is heating, separate all the seeds from the pomegranate. Discard the rest.
  
  
  
• Spread them evenly on the baking tray/plate and keep them in the oven at 160 deg C with the fan on for about 40 minutes. This will take away most of the moisture. This is how they will look.
  
  
  
• Now remove them from the oven and keep them out in the sun for about 8 hours so that they get entirely dehydrated.
  
  
  
• Once dried, transfer to a clean and dry airtight container.
  
  

I shall soon share recipes in which I use Anardana 🙂

Check out other recipes from my kitchen here.

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