When I shortlisted dishes for Alphabet N, i had Nei Choru (Ghee Rice), Nel Pori Urundai (beaten rice jaggery ladoos), etc. Somehow I kept coming back to Nellikai (aka Amla / Indian Gooseberry) as a comfort food.
Gooseberry is one of the superfoods recommended by Ayurveda and its is said that eating just one gooseberry a day for as long as one lives increases immunity manifold. Thankfully where I live, I have access to fresh gooseberry almost 10 months of the year.
More benefits of this super berry is found here. Right from healthy hair to glowing skin to cleansing the body to regulating sugar to protecting the heart, there isnt any part of the body that Amla or the Indian Gooseberry doesnt heal. So today's dish is such a quick dish that you can eat with steamed rice or curd rice or even dip with Idli / Dosa / Pongal.
I had made nelli Pachadi (yoghurt based dip) , Quick Amla Pickle, Sugarfree Amla Mocktailearlier, and this is another dish with Amla. Hope you make it too, and enjoy it... Fresh Amla works best, although it tastes good with frozen version too ; the dried version would not work here.
Nellikai Chutney - a vegan dip & GF dish with Indian Gooseberry
Spice level : medium - high
Prep + cook time : 10 mins , serves : 4
Ingredients:
- Fresh Amla / nellikai / Indian Gooseberry - big sized 4 nos
- Fresh or frozen coconut - ½ cup
- Coriander leaves - a handful (opt.)
- Methi seeds - ½ tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Dry Red chillies - 2 nos
- Jaggery - 1 teaspoon (grated)
- Oil - 2 teaspoon (divided)
- Tempering : Mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves
Method:
- Wash, wipe dry and grate Amla into thick shreds. In a pan, add 1 teaspoon oil, add methi seeds, red chillies and saute for ½ min on low flame till chillies fry well.
- Turn off the heat and add the grated amla and coconut. Add coriander leaves if using and saute well. Cool and grind with salt and jaggery and warm water to a smooth consistency
- Check for salt and spices.
- Prepare tempering with oil. mustard seeds, urad dal , curry leaves and pour onto the chutney.
- Serve with Idli / Dosa / Pongal or even with Steamed rice.
- Keeps upto 2-3 days under refrigeration.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 63
Unknown says
What an unusual recipe - but I will try to make this! Sounds yummy, right up my street!
A-Z Challenge Dark History Blog no 1124
Srividhya says
This sounds very interesting. Have tried thokku but not chutney. Will give it a try.
cookingwithsapana says
Never made chutney with gooseberry.It looks amazingly delicious.
MySpicyKitchen says
My mom makes a version of this chutney. Mouthwatering and looks delicious !!
Suma Gandlur says
Interesting and flavorful. I don't think we use coconut in a gooseberry chutney. I have to note down this recipe to share with my mom or have to try this when I am in India.
vaishali sabnani says
Chutney with gooseberry sounds interesting and delicious . New one for me.
Gayathri Kumar says
Nellikkai is so versatile. Right from juice to rice, there are so many tasty dishes made with it. This chutney looks so delicious and is a perfect pair for curd rice..
Pavani says
We don't get fresh gooseberries here and the frozen ones are not quite up to the mark. Your chutney sounds tangy & delicious.
Srivalli says
This is surely a new one Kalyani..never made it..must have tasted so yum!
The Pumpkin Farm says
my hubby would love to eat this..he is a big fan of amlas...never ever tried it in cooking..except for the moravlas...
Nalini's Kitchen says
Finger licking Chutney/thogayal,we do make it same way.Miss it a lot.
Amara’s cooking says
I tried pickle with Amla but Chutney is new to me. Looks delicious:)
Priya Suresh says
Seriously i love this chutney, fantastic way to sneak gooseberries.
Harini R says
Nelli kaya and coconut seems to be a popular combo. Very flavorful Kal.
Smruti Ashar says
Such a unique recipe using gooseberries. I loved your pick!!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Now that you mentioned, I can make it with frozen nellikkai, I will definitely try this. Love the flavor of nellikkai and been ages since I ate any.
Chef Mireille says
what an interesting chutney - I have some frozen gooseberry in my freezer