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

Direction:

Take a blender or mixer; add in de - seeded amla, chopped ginger, cumin seeds and pepper.

Grind it into a fine paste by adding water.

Take a bowl, add in the gooseberry paste and cooked dhal along with 1 to 1½ cups water to dilute the mixture. Add salt and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai; season it with mustard seeds and green chilies.

Once it crackles; add the prepared gooseberry mixture. Next add in turmeric powder,curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves. Allow to cook in medium flame.

Once the rasam starts to become frothy; switch off of the gas. (don't allow to boil; then the taste of rasam will change).

Transfer into a suitable container and serve hot with kootu , poriyal ( stir fry) or even with pappad it will taste awesome.

Note:

You can strain the rasam completely  and have it as a soup.

You can also add lemon juice to the rasam at last for extra taste.  Don't add lemon juice while rasam is  too hot, it will give a bitter taste.