Nellikai Rasam - Amla Rasam

A tangy and mouthwatering Rasam to serve with rice for lunch or simply to sip as a soup made with Amla (Nellikai) also called as Indian Gooseberry.

There are several types of rasam made with different ingredients in different ways across South India.

Rasam holds a quintessential part of any proper South Indian lunch menu.

It is made like a thin soup and is served with rice mostly, which helps in properly digesting a heavy meal.

Because of the digestive ingredients used in making rasam, it is also good to eat rasam rice when you are down with a cold.

It is also good when you are recovering from a bout of illness or simply just whenever you are feeling under weather.

This nellikai rasam is also one such type that is full of health benefits with nellikai being rich in Vitamin C and other anti-oxidants.

There are several ways in which this nellikai rasam is made across households and this is how I do it.

Ingredients

Amla is cooling in nature, so we do not add tamarind or green chili while making this amla rasam as they both are ingredients known to increase body heat.

I add tomato for the much-needed tang other than nellikai. If you do not want to add tomato you can skip it and add lemon juice after you finish making the rasam making it rich in Vitamin C.

I also use only this homemade rasam powder while making any type of rasam but since most like to make it on the go and don't prefer to make and store rasam powder, I have used whole ingredients here.

I prefer nellikai rasam without any dal as I mostly like to drink it and prefer it thin.

I don't like the thickness of dal in it. So there is nodal added to this rasam.

But if you prefer to add dal, add a little cooked dal while making it. You can refer to this Paruppu Rasam Recipe.

Instructions

To make Nellikkai Rasam,

Take whole ingredients, powder, and then add nellikai.

Grind to a smooth paste by adding water.

Take water in a bowl and squish tomato into a pulp.

Add the ground paste to it.

In a pan temper with seasoning ingredients.

Add the liquid mixture and boil till frothy. Nellikai rasam is ready to serve.

Expert Tips

Use ghee for tempering for an aromatic rasam. Use oil if you are vegan.

Always boil rasam over a high flame and never for too long.

Once you see it frothing up around the sides, that is your cue to switch off the stove.

Rasam always tastes better with just a pinch of extra salt.

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More Rasam Recipes

See more Kulambu Recipes

Recipe Card

Nellikai Rasam Recipe

Radhika

Vitamin C rich rasam made using Nellikai (Amla or Indian Gooseberry) that can be either served with rice or had as a soup.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Course Main, Soup

Cuisine South Indian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• Nellikai / Amla / Indian Gooseberry - 2 nos
• Tomato - 1
• Dry red chlli - 1 no
• Garlic - 2 nos
• Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Coriander leaves - few
• Salt - to taste
• Oil / Ghee - 2 tsp

To temper:

• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 1
• Asafoetida - 2 pinch
• Curry leaves - few

Instructions

 

• Preparation: Cut the nellikai along the veins and remove the seed and discard it.
• To grind: Take dry red chilli, black pepper corns, cumin seeds, garlic and grind to a coarse paste without adding water. Add the nellikai segments, 2 to 3 tbsp water and grind to a fine paste (instead of adding chilli, pepper and cumin, you can also use 1 tsp homemade rasam powder).
• Rasam base: Take 2 cups water in a bowl. Add halved tomato and squish or mash it well in water. You can also puree it in a mixer jar. Add ground paste, turmeric powder, salt, mix well and set aside.
• Make nellikai rasam: Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add dry red chilli, asafoetida, curry leaves and let it roast for few seconds.
• Add the paste mixed water, few coriander leaves and mix well.
• Let the rasam cook over high flame till it froths up all around the edges. Switch off stove. Add coriander leaves, mix well and close with lid. Let it rest for 5 mins for the flavors to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl.
• Serve this piping hot nellikai rasam with rice along with any side dish of your choice. You can also sip it like a juice or soup from a glass.

Video

Notes

Do not over cook rasam. Cook over high flame till it begins to froth up & switch off stove.