Usirikaya Annam or Usirikaya Pulihora is the tangy Andhra Amla Rice that is made often in my home during winters. This one-dish meal made with the Indian Gooseberry is also called Nellikai Sadam in Tamil.
One reason I look forward to winters is Usirikaya. Called Amla in Hindi and Nellikai in Tamil, this Indian Gooseberry is laden with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, iron, calcium, and antioxidants, which deliver a range of health benefits including the ever-popular weight loss. 🙂 This berry is also rich in fibre aiding digestion and in managing diabetes.
Usirikaya Annam or Usirikaya Pulihora?
Usirikaya Annam is also sometimes called Usirikaya Pulihora. This is because Pulihora literally means tangy rice and while the most popular version is Chintapandu Pulihora or Tamarind Rice, you can substitute tamarind with any sour element like lemon (Nimmakaya Pulihora), raw Mango (Mamidikaya Pulihora) or even a sour green like Gongura (Gongura Pulihora).
In this recipe, it is Usirikaya or the Indian Gooseberry that provides the tanginess and so this rice is also called Usirikaya Pulihora.
Recipes with Indian Gooseberry (Amla, Nellikai, Usirikaya)
However, eating Amala by itself can be quite a challenge as it is so sour and so the best way is to include it in food with recipes such as:
- Usiri Avakaya | Indian Gooseberry Pickle | Amla Achar
- Usirikaya Pachadi
- Usirikaya Charu | Nellikai Rasam
and of course this Usirikaya Pulihora or Usirikaya Annam.
I first posted this recipe in December 2016 and am now updating it with better photos and descriptions.
How to Make Usirikaya Annam | Nellikai Sadam | Amla Rice
- Cooking the Rice
- Wash 1 Cup rice well under running water till the water runs clear.
- Add 1.75 cups of water.
- Pressure cook for 3 whistles.
- Turn off the heat and let the cooker cool for 10 minutes.
- Take the rice out of the cooker and spread the hot rice in a plate to cool.
- Making the Usirikaya Paste
- Wash and dry 100 gms of Usirikaya.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into small pieces.
- Discard the seeds.
- Grind the Amla pieces with 1-2 green chillies, and some salt to a coarse paste.
- Wash and dry 100 gms of Usirikaya.
- Making the Usirikaya Pulihora | Nellikai Sadam
- Over medium flame, in a large wok, heat 2 tsp oil.
- Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.
- Add 1 tsp udad dal and 1 tsp chana dal.
- Stir-fry till the dals are light brown.
- Add 1 tbsp peanuts and stir-fry till the dals and peanuts are a golden brown.
- Add 2 to 3 split red chillies and a few curry leaves, and stir-fry for a few seconds.
- Add the turmeric and mix well.
- Add the coarsely ground gooseberry + green chilli paste, and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes till the raw smell of the Usirikaya reduces.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add the rice and mix with a light hand.
- Add salt, if needed, and mix well.
- {Optional} Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice and mix well. Usirikaya or Amla tends to dry out very quickly and have a dry/powdery aftertaste. Adding lemon juice prevents this from happening.
- Serving Suggestions
- Let the Usirikaya Pulihora or Nellikai Sadam rest for at least 10 minutes.
- Serve Usirikaya Annam with Papad (appadalu) on the side.
Recipe for Usirikaya Pulihora | Nellikai Sadam | Andhra Amla Rice
Usirikaya Pulihora | Nellikai Sadam | Andhra Amla Rice
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Rice
- Salt To Taste
- 100 gms Usirikaya, Amla, Nellikai (~4 large Indian Gooseberries)
- 2 Spicy Green Chillies
- Some Salt
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds, Avalu, Rai
- 1 tsp Udad Dal, Minapappu
- 1 tsp Chana Dal, Senaga Pappu
- 2 tbsp Peanuts (Optional)
- 2 or 3 Spicy Dried Red Chillies
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 2 tsp Oil (Preferably Sesame Oil)
- 8-10 Nos Curry Leaves
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Wash 1 cup rice well under running water till the water runs clear.
- Add 1.75 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 whistles (3 releases of pressure).
- Let the cooker cool for 10 minutes and then take out the rice.
- Spread the hot rice into a plate and let it cool.
- Wash and dry 100 gms of Usirikaya or Amla.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into small pieces and discard the seeds.
- Grind the Usirikaya pieces with 1-2 spicy green chillies and some salt to a coarse paste.
- Over medium flame, in wok, heat 2 tsp oil.
- Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.
- Add 1 tsp udad dal and 1 tsp chana dal.
- Stir-fry till the dals are light brown.
- Add 2 tbsp peanuts and stir-fry till the dals are golden brown.
- Add 2-3 split red chillies and few curry leaves, and stir-fry for a few seconds.
- Add 1/2 tsp turmeric and mix well.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add the coarsely ground usirikaya paste, and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes till the raw smell of the Usirikaya disappears.
- Add the rice and mix with a light hand.
- Add salt, if needed, and mix well.
- Let the Usirikaya Pulihora | Nellikai Sadam rest for at least 10 minutes.
- Serve with Papad (appadalu) on the side.
Notes
- You can omit the fenugreek seeds if you do not like the slight bitter taste they impart.
- Be sure to cook the ground Usirikaya a bit, otherwise you taste the raw Usirikaya.
Looks heavenly and so delectable!
Need to try this, thanks for sharing 🙂 Happy New Year!
It’s mouth watering. I never thought or knew one could make pulihora with usirikaya.. aaah, I’ll watch out of usirikaya here and would definitely attempt it. Thank you for sharing this. Happy new year Aruna. You blog is resourceful and your effort to expose your new found recipes to your online community is much appreciated. Thank you for what you do.