Nellikaayi Saaru/ Amla rasam

Continuing with another healthy recipe, again with nellikayi - Nellikayi Rasam. 

It all started with my cousin making nellikayi tambli for me one time. When asked where she got nellikayi from, she mentioned frozen section in Indian stores. The problem with that is, you get quite a few nellikayis in 1 pack, and every recipe uses only 1-3 max, more wouldn’t be too appealing for your taste buds either. So to finish that pack, I have been browsing more and more nellkayi recipes :) 

So here’s one more nellikayi recipe - nellikayi rasam - healthy, healthy recipe.

It is one of those tili saarus(watery rasams without dal), which you can either drink or eat with rice. I prefer drinking over eating with rice. I would also use little less of rasam powder than mentioned below(original recipe) to get a stronger flavor of nellikayi. 

Do try!

Ingredients

Nellikayi - 3, take out the seeds

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Green chili - half slit

Salt - 1/2 tsp (preferably rock salt)

Tomato - 1

Rasam powder - 1 tbsp (see notes)

Curry leaves - 1 stalk

Hing

Turmeric

For tadka

Ghee

Mustard seeds

Cumin seeds

Red chili - 1

Mint leaves - very few(see notes)

Method

In a mortar pestle crush deseeded nellikayi, ginger, green chili and salt/ or pulse in a mixie. In a mixie add cubed tomatoes and water and make tomato juice. 

In a pot add crushed nellikayi mixture, tomato juice, hing and curry leaves. Add turmeric, add water and bring it to rasam consistency. Bring it to a boil. Let it boil nicely. Add rasam powder, boil it again. 

Make tadka with ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chili. Once mustard seeds splutters, off the stove and add mint leaves. 

Add this to the rasam. Drink hot. Enjoy! 

Recipe Source - “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_j-i_lsGbs&feature=youtu.be”

Notes - 

• I found 1 tbsp of rasam powder a bit much. I would add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp.
• Mint leaves gave it a strong minty flavor, I prefer skipping it.