Nellikai Sadam – A bright, tangy and flavorful South Indian rice dish made with fresh amla and tempered with simple spices. It’s a light yet satisfying meal that can be made in no time!
What is nellikai sadam?
Nellikai Sadam is a simple and delicious South Indian rice dish made with amla (Indian gooseberries) paste, cooked rice, and simple spices. It is tangy, bright, flavorful, and comes together in minutes. It can be a perfect dish for lunchboxes or a light meal. This dish is also known as Usirikaya Pulihora in Telugu and Nellikai Chitranna in Kannada. It’s a quick, homestyle recipe where cooked rice is mixed with a basic seasoning and a freshly ground gooseberry paste. Gooseberries are rich in vitamin C, and this amla rice is a perfect way to include them in your diet when they are in season.
Ingredients & Substitutions:
Gooseberries – Also known as Nellikai, Amla or Usirikaya. Fresh Indian gooseberry is the star of this dish. They add a tangy flavor and are loaded with nutrients. You can also use frozen gooseberries if they are not in season.
Rice – Any kind of long-grain white rice works here. I usually use sona masoori rice, but you can also use basmati or even leftover rice. Just make sure it’s cooled and not mushy.
Peanuts – Skip roasting if you are using roasted peanuts. They add a wonderful crunch and nutty flavor. You can swap them with cashew nuts.
Chilies – I have used both green chilies and dried red chilies. They add the perfect heat to balance the tartness of the amla. Add more or less to suit your spice level.
Chana Dal & Urad Dal – These lentils are tempered until golden for a crunchy bite. Do not skip both. If you’re missing one, it’s okay to use just the other.
Mustard Seeds – Mustard seeds are the key part of South Indian tempering. Do not skip.
Curry Leaves – Adds a classic South Indian aroma. You can replace them with the dried curry leaves.
Turmeric Powder – Adds a lovely golden hue and a subtle earthy flavor.
Hing – Also known as Asafoetida. A tiny pinch goes a long way. If you don’t have it, you can skip it.
Oil – Use any of your favorite neutral oil.
Salt to taste.
Storage suggestions:
Nellikai rice tastes best when it’s freshly made. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2 days. Reheat gently before serving. I don’t recommend freezing it, as the texture may not hold up well after thawing.
Serving suggestions:
This gooseberry rice makes a comforting meal on its own. You can pair it with some papad or potato fry for a satisfying meal. You can also serve it with plain yogurt or raita. It can be served as a light breakfast, a quick lunch, or even as an evening snack.
Variations:
This recipe is naturally a no-onion, no-garlic version. If you want, you can sauté onion before adding the ground amla for extra flavor and crunch.
Add a little bit of finely chopped or grated ginger to the seasoning for a different flavor variation.
Stir in some freshly grated coconut at the end for a different taste and flavor.
Replace rice with cooked millets or cooked quinoa for a wholesome alternative.
For a more filling and healthy version, add some sautéed carrots, beans, or green peas.
Tips & Notes:
Use fresh amla for the best flavor. Frozen can also be used if fresh amla is not in season.
Adjust the chilies to suit your spice level.
Do not burn the lentils and peanuts.
Make sure the cooked rice is cooled before mixing it with the tempered ingredients. This prevents the rice from turning mushy. This recipe works great with leftover rice too.
You can grind the amla ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a day or two to save time.
Step by step instructions:
Wash and chop the amla into pieces. Discard the seeds.
Add them to a blender jar or mixie jar and blend it until smooth or a little coarse paste.
Keep it aside until use.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal and peanuts. Sauté until they are light golden brown.
Add slit green chilies, dried red chilies, curry leaves and hing to the pan and give it a mix.
Add the ground gooseberry paste and turmeric powder to the tempered ingredients.
Keep sautéing for a minute or two and turn off the heat.
Add 5 cups of cooled cooked rice and required salt to the pan.
Gently mix everything until well combined. Adjust the salt and serve.
More Indian rice recipes:
How to make usirikaya pulihora recipe video below:
Nellikai Sadam Recipe
Nellikai Sadam – A bright, tangy and flavorful South Indian rice dish made with fresh amla and tempered with simple spices. It’s a light yet satisfying meal that can be made in no time!
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Instructions
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Wash and chop the amla into pieces. Discard the seeds.
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Add them to a blender jar or mixie jar and blend it until smooth or a little coarse paste.
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Keep it aside until use.
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Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal and peanuts. Sauté until they are light golden brown.
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Add slit green chilies, dried red chilies, curry leaves and hing to the pan and give it a mix.
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Add the ground gooseberry paste and turmeric powder to the tempered ingredients.
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Keep sautéing for a minute or two and turn off the heat.
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Add 5 cups of cooled cooked rice and required salt to the pan.
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Gently mix everything until well combined. Adjust the salt and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 6gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 118mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 50IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition values are estimates only.
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