If you are tired of ordinary, monotonous rice dishes, you can try making Amla Rice. This dish, made from amla, rice, peanuts, and spices, is characterized by a tangy and spicy taste and is very simple to prepare.
Rice is an integral part of Indian cuisine and is cooked in many different ways. If you want to diversify your diet, Amla Rice is an excellent choice. It is also called Nellikai Sadam, and this dish is very popular in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu. It is made from amla, rice, peanuts, and some spices, having a light sourness and spiciness, and the cooking process is quite simple.
For the rice, you need 2 cups of cooked rice, 4 large amla fruits, 1½ teaspoons of lemon juice, ⅛ teaspoon of asafoetida, and salt to taste.
For the fried marinade, you need 1 tablespoon of ghee or sesame oil, ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon of lentils (urad dal), 2 teaspoons of split lentils (chana dal), 2 tablespoons of peanuts, 5 green chilies, 1 sprig of curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida.
First, the rice should be cooked in a multi-cooker and allowed to cool. When cooking the rice, you can add a little salt and 1 teaspoon of oil or ghee; this will help the grains remain fluffy and not stick together.
Next, the amla needs to be washed and finely grated. Then, heat the ghee or sesame oil in a pan. After that, add the mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Then sequentially add the lentils, split lentils, peanuts, green chilies, curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida.
When the beans and peanuts turn light golden, add the grated amla to the pan. Sauté it over medium heat for about a minute. After that, mix in salt to taste and a little asafoetida, stirring well. Then turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, and mix. Finally, add the cooked rice and gently mix all the ingredients. The ready tangy and spicy Amla Rice can be served both hot and at room temperature.
If the amla is large, its quantity can be reduced according to necessity. The amount of green chilies can be adjusted according to your taste. Peanuts should be roasted over low heat so that they cook thoroughly inside and become crunchy. Using ghee or sesame oil in this recipe significantly improves the flavor.