Usirikaya Pulihora | Nellikai Sadam | Andhra Amla Rice
Called Usirikaya Pulihora (or Usirikaya Annam) in Telugu and Nellikai Sadam, this is a delicious and tangy one-dish meal made with the Indian Gooseberry. It is a great way to include a lot of the nutritious Indian Gooseberry into your meal. All you need to enjoy this rice is some papad on the side.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Rice
- Salt To Taste
For the Usirikaya or Nellikai Paste
- 100 gms Usirikaya, Amla, Nellikai (~4 large Indian Gooseberries)
- 2 Spicy Green Chillies
- Some Salt
For the Tempering
- 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
Optional
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
Cooking the Rice
- 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.
Preparing the Usirikaya Paste
- 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.
Making the Usirikaya Pulihora | Nellikai Sadam
- 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.
Serving Suggestions for Nellikai Sadam
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 249 kcalCarbohydrates: 44 gProtein: 6 gFat: 5 gSaturated Fat: 1 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2 gMonounsaturated Fat: 3 gTrans Fat: 0.01 gSodium: 370 mgPotassium: 163 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 1 gVitamin A: 390 IUVitamin C: 90 mgCalcium: 47 mgIron: 1 mg