Today’s post is with the power house “Nellikai/Amla/Gooseberry”.
The first thing which strikes my mind about nellikai is its taste. It has all
the taste except salty flavor. The common practice to consume this berry is to
sprinkle them with salt and have a sip of water, they taste sweet !! . “Nellikai
Rasam | Gooseberry Soup | Amla Rasam” is
a good way to get Vitamin C in your daily diet as nellikai do not lose none of
the Vitamin C nutrition while cooking.
Nellikai is available for us throughout
the year in the market, however the best way to preserve them is by soaking
them in salt water which can then be used throughout the year. Some of them add
turmeric for preserving purposes.
There are 3 varieties of nellikai
available in the market, the one which I have used for “Nellikai Rasam |
Gooseberry Soup | Amla Rasam” is the banarasi variety which is bigger in size.
The taste of the Nellikai Rasam would
slightly change based on the variety used. Adjust the quantity of nellikai if
you are using a different variety.
Benefits
|
1.
High in Vitamin
C
|
2.
Helps for hair
growth.
|
3.
High in
digestive fiber
|
4.
Cools the body
|
5.
Good for
Diabetic Control as it simulates the body’s ability to produce insulin.
|
6.
Good for anemia
as the iron content maintains good blood circulation and blood regeneration.
|
Availability
|
1.
Singapore –
Most of the vegetable shops in Little India.
|
Viewers may wish to suggest by adding
it in the comments section. I shall be updating the post.
Preparation
Time : 10 minutes
|
Cooking
Time : 20 minutes
|
Gas
: Low Flame
|
Yields
: 2 ½ Cups
|
Amla/Nellikai/Gooseberry (Banarasi Variety)-
2 nos.
|
Ginger – 1 inch slice
|
Green chili – ½ (or as needed)
|
Salt – taste
|
Hing cake
|
Curry Leaves - Few
|
Tomato – 1
|
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
|
Rasam Powder – ½ tblsp
|
Ghee – 1 tsp
|
Mustard – ½ tsp
|
Dry chili – 1
|
Cumin Seeds – 1 ½ tsp
|
Mint Leaves – 10
|
Water – 2 ½ cup
|
Preparation
|
1.
To begin making
the Nellikai Rasam, break the nellikai into wedges. You would notice some fine
lines running from top to bottom cut the nellikai by following these lines. Discard
the seeds.
|
2.
Take a mortar
and pestle, add nellikai,1 inch sliced ginger, green chili & salt. Grind
them to a fine paste without adding any water.
|
3.
Chop tomato
into fine pieces, place in blender with 1 cup water. Tomato juice is ready,
keep it aside.
|
4.
Take a
kalchatti or stainless steel bowl, add hing cake, curry leaves, ground
nellikai paste, tomato juice, water & turmeric. Mix well and bring to a
boil. Continue to boil for 8 to 10 minutes.
|
5.
Add rasam
powder and continue to cook on medium high for another 7 -8 minutes until it
becomes frothy.
|
6.
While the rasam
is simmering, prepare the tempering. Heat ghee in a small pan, add mustard
seeds and as they splutter, add one dry red chili & cumin seeds. Once the
cumin seed is fried, add mint leaves and sauté for few seconds.
|
7.
Heat oil in a
heavy bottomed vessel, add a generous pinch of hing. Once the hing is fried,
add mustard seeds and as they splutter add urad dhal, channa dhal , green
chili & ginger. Sauté until the green chili and ginger are cooked.
|
8.
Pour the
tempering to the simmering rasam.
|
9.
Close with a
lid and allow the rasam rest for a few minutes before serving.
|
10. Serve
hot with rice.
|
Measurements
|
1 tsp = 5ml
|
1 tblsp – 15 ml
|
1 cup = 200 ml
|
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