Nellikai Sadam | South Indian Amla Rice | Gooseberry Rice
Nellikai Sadam or South Indian Amla Rice is an easy variety rice recipe made with cooked rice, nellikai or amla, lentils and spices. Perfect for lunch box, weeknight meal. Vegan, soy-free.
Servings 2 people
Ingredients
- 4 Amla or Indian Gooseberry
- 1 tablespoon Roasted Groundnuts or peanuts
- 2 cups Cooked Rice
- 2 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds or Rai
- ½ teaspoon Chana Dal
- 1-2 Chopped Green Chilies
- 1-2 Whole Red chillies
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- A pinch of Asafoetida or hing
- Few Curry Leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and grate nellikai or amla using a box grater. Keep aside.
- Heat a pan, add sesame oil, mustard seeds, chana dal (bengal gram dal). Once mustard crackles, add finely chopped green chilies and whole dry red chili.
- Next add asafoetida or hing and curry leaves. Saute until the dal appears golden brown and fragrant.
- Add the grated nellikai or amla and saute for 2-3 minutes until the amla absorbs the flavors.
- Next add turmeric powder and roasted peanuts / groundnuts.
- Add cooked rice and salt to taste. Mix well. Reduce heat and let it cook for 1-2 mins.
- Switch off heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutes -
- Cooked Rice - Short grain (sona masuri, kolam, ponni) or Basmati Rice can be used for the recipe. Leftover rice or day old rice can be used. Before using leftover rice, splash few drops of water and re-heat in a microwave. This will ensure that the rice does not taste dry and tough.
- Traditional South Indian cooking uses sesame oil or gingelly oil. Feel free to substitute with any neutral cooking oil.
- For a 100% gluten-free recipe, do not add hing or asafoetida. If you are allergic to peanuts, avoid it.
- Feel free to adjust the quantities of red chilies and green chilies used for the rice recipe.
- Frozen Amla - In US and other countries, fresh amla is difficult to source. In that case, use frozen amla. Thaw the amla, grate it and proceed with the recipe.
- The recipe is Vegan, soy-free.