TASTE GOODNESS OF GOOSEBERRY

Indian Gooseberry (Amla / Nellikkai)
Indian gooseberry, popularly known as amla or nellikkai, is a
highly nutritious fruit and a rich natural source of Vitamin C,
making it a powerful immune booster. It helps strengthen the
body’s immune system and supports overall health.
Nellikkai is also gut-friendly, as it contains both soluble and
insoluble fibre that aid digestion and promote a healthy
digestive system. It helps lower LDL (bad cholesterol),
thereby reducing the risk of heart diseases.
With its low glycaemic index (GI), nellikkai helps regulate
blood sugar levels and is beneficial for maintaining balanced
glucose levels. It is also low in calories, with 100 grams of
nellikkai containing less than 50 kcal, making it a healthy snack
option to include in a daily diet.
Regular consumption helps reduce inflammation and
provides powerful antioxidants, which protect the body from
oxidative stress and may help prevent certain cancers. Nellikkai
is also known for its anti-ageing benefits, as it helps reduce
wrinkles, promotes glowing skin and strengthens hair, giving it
a natural shine. Notably, it contains nearly 20 times more
Vitamin C than oranges.
Due to its numerous bioactive compounds, nellikkai is widely
used in Ayurvedic medicine and is valued for its extensive
health benefits. Consuming nellikkai juice with ginger and

honey on an empty stomach is often recommended as a
natural detox that helps boost metabolism.
Best ways to consume nellikkai, apart from eating it raw, is
soaking it in pure honey, or having nellikkai juice with honey
and ginger. Good food options include nellikai rasam,
nellikai sadam, nellikai chutney, nellikai pachadi and
nellikai thuvayal. However, consumption of nellikkai as a
pickle should be limited due to the added salt and oil.
Today’s Recipe:
Nellikai Thuvayal
Ingredients:
4 nellikai (seed removed), 2 dried red chillies,1 tbsp urad
dal, 2 tbsp grated coconut, small piece tamarind, salt to
taste & 1 tsp oil.
Method:
Heat oil in a pan and roast urad dal and red chillies until
golden, Add chopped nellikai and sauté for 2 minutes,
grind the mixture with coconut, tamarind, and salt into a
thick paste. Serve with hot rice and a little ghee or sesame
oil.

Healthy nellikai recipes

1. Nellikai Rasam (Amla Rasam)
   Ingredients:
   ● 3–4 nellikai (amla)
   ● 1 small tomato (optional)
   ● 1 tsp rasam powder
   ● ½ tsp mustard seeds
   ● 1 dried red chilli
   ● A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
   ● A few curry leaves
   ● Salt to taste
   ● Coriander leaves for garnishing
   ● 1 tsp ghee or oil
   Method:
2. Boil the nellikai in water for a few minutes until soft.
   Remove seeds and grind or mash the pulp.
3. Add the pulp to a pan with water, chopped tomato, rasam
   powder and salt.
4. Let it boil for a few minutes.
5. In another pan, heat ghee, add mustard seeds, red chilli,
   hing, and curry leaves for tempering.
6. Pour the tempering into the rasam and garnish with
   coriander leaves.
7. Serve hot with rice.
8. Nellikai Sadam (Amla Rice)
   Ingredients:

● 1 cup cooked rice
● 3–4 grated nellikai
● 1 tsp mustard seeds
● 1 tsp urad dal
● 1 tsp channa dal
● 2 green chillies
● Curry leaves
● 2 tbsp peanuts or cashews
● 2 tbsp oil
● Salt to taste
● A pinch of turmeric
Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
2. Add urad dal, channa dal, peanuts, green chillies and
   curry leaves.
3. Add grated nellikai, turmeric, and salt. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Mix the cooked rice with this mixture gently.
5. Serve warm.
6. Nellikai Chutney
   Ingredients:
   ● 3–4 nellikai (seed removed)
   ● 2 green chillies
   ● 2 tbsp grated coconut
   ● 1 small piece ginger

● Salt to taste
● ½ tsp mustard seeds
● Curry leaves
● 1 tsp oil
Method:

1. Grind nellikai, coconut, green chillies, ginger and salt with
   a little water into a smooth paste.
2. Heat oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves for
   tempering.
3. Pour the tempering over the chutney.
4. Serve with idli, dosa, or rice.
5. Nellikai Pachadi
   Ingredients:
   ● 3–4 grated nellikai
   ● 1 cup curd (yogurt)
   ● 1 green chilli (finely chopped)
   ● Salt to taste
   ● ½ tsp mustard seeds
   ● Curry leaves
   ● A pinch of hing
   ● 1 tsp oil
   Method:
6. Mix grated nellikai with curd, green chilli and salt.
7. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, hing and curry
   leaves.
8. Pour the tempering into the pachadi and mix well.
9. Serve chilled as a side dish.
10. Amla Detox Drink (Nellikai Detox Juice)
    Ingredients:
    ● 2 fresh amla (nellikai)
    ● 1 small piece ginger
    ● 1 tsp honey
    ● 1 cup water
    ● A pinch of black pepper (optional)
    ● A few drops of lemon juice (optional)
    Method:
11. Wash the amla well, cut into small pieces, and remove the
    seeds.
12. Add the amla pieces, ginger, and water to a mixer.
13. Blend well until smooth.
14. Strain the juice if needed.
15. Add honey, black pepper and lemon juice. Mix well.
    How to Consume:
    Drink this in the morning on an empty stomach. It helps
    detox the body, improves digestion, boosts immunity and
    increases metabolism.

–Hema, Clinical Nutritionist