Nellikai Rasam / Gooseberry Rasam - (No Tomato, No Tamarind)

This Vitamin C rich Rasam is easy to prepare and a healthy variation to the usual rasam. In this rasam recipe, there is no tomato and tamarind, the sour taste is only from gooseberries. 

Though we know the health properties of gooseberry, it is difficult to make my kids eat.  So I always try to find a way to sneak amla / gooseberry into their diet and this is one of it.

Try and give your feedback.

Check my other recipes using Gooseberry;

Amla Ginger Juice / Gooseberry Ginger Juice / Nellikai Juice

Gooseberry Rice / Nellikai Sadam / நெல்லிக்காய் சாதம்

Gooseberry / Amla Raita using Curd / நெல்லிக்காய் தயிர் பச்சடி

PREP TIME

10 min

COOK TIME

10 mins

TOTAL TIME 

20 mins

                                                                                                                                                   

Recipe for Nellikai Rasam / Gooseberry Rasam

Recipe type: Veg

Cuisine:  Tamilnadu

Serves: 2 to 4 (approximately)

Ingredients:

Gooseberry - 2 big

Toor dhal - one tablespoon(cooked)

Ginger  - 1 " piece

Black pepper - 1 tsp

Jeera / Cumin seeds -1 tsp

Turmeric powder- ½ tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp ( chopped)

Water - 1- 1½ cups 

For seasoning:

Oil / ghee - 1 to 2 tsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 2 

Asafoetida - a pinch

Gooseberry Rice / Nellikai Sadam / நெல்லிக்காய் சாதம்

Gooseberry / Amla (in Hindi) / Nellikai (in Tamil) fruit is rich in Vitamin C; regular consumption will be helpful in preventing many diseases.  After having tried Gooseberry juice and Gooseberry raita already, I have now tried Gooseberry rice.

It is an easy to make and very tasty rice variety. The mild tangy taste similar to lemon rice is very much liked by the kids, so as me.

Let's check the recipe now,

PREP TIME

20 min

COOK TIME

10 mins

TOTAL TIME 

30 mins

                                                                                                                                                         

Recipe for Gooseberry Rice
Recipe type: Veg Rice

Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Serves:  2 to to 3  persons

Ingredients:
Gooseberry - 3 medium sized (grated)

 Rice – 1 to 1½ cup (cooked) 

Gingely Oil – 2 tsp 

 Turmeric powder- ½ tsp 

Salt - to taste 

For Seasoning: 

Gingely Oil - 1 to 2 tbsp 

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp 

Urad dhal - ½ tsp 

Channa dhal - 1 tsp 

Ginger - 2 tsp (grated) 

Red chillies – 2 or 3
Peanuts - 2 tbsp (optional)

Curry leaves - few 

Asafoetida - a pinch

  
                                           

Directions:

Wash and grate the gooseberry till you see the seed. discard it and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai and season with all the ingredients given under "For Seasoning" one by one. 

Once it splutters add grated gooseberry, ginger, salt along with turmeric powder.

Saute for 2 -3 minutes and add rice.  Mix well till it is well combined with gooseberry mixture.

Serve hot with Coconut thuvayal and Pappad.

Amla Ginger Juice / Gooseberry Ginger Juice / Nellikai Juice - Summer Special

Amla is very rich in vitamin C, also rich in other minerals and vitamins.

Here I have added ginger and honey with amla to prepare this healthy juice; perfect combination to cure sore throat and cough. 

Daily consumption of this juice has its own benefits interms of prevention and cure of many illnesses.

Ingredients:

Big Amla / Gooseberry - 2 (De - seeded)
Ginger - 1 " piece ( chopped)

Honey / Sugar - to taste

Lemon juice - 1 or 2 tbsp (optional)
Water -  to dilute

Gooseberry / Amla Raita using Curd / நெல்லிக்காய் தயிர் பச்சடி

Gooseberry is the richest natural source of Vitamin C and also having many medicinal properties.

This raita is the best to include this nutrition rich fruit in our daily routine. You can serve this as a accompaniment for rice with sambar, rasam or curd.

Ingredients:

Gooseberry / Amla - 3
Ginger - ½ tsp( chopped)
Green chillies - 2
Salt - to taste
Coconut -  2 tbsp
Thick curd - ¾ to 1 cup

For seasoning:
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds -  ½  tsp

Urad dhal - ¼ tsp

Redchillies - 1 or 2

Curry leaves -  4 to 5 leaves

Directions:

Wash and slice the amla into pieces to  remove the seed; keep aside.