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Nellikai Rasam (நெல்லிக்காய் ரசம்) served hot in a steel bowl on banana leaf – traditional South Indian amla rasam

Nellikai Rasam Recipe | Simple Amla Rasam Without Dal

This Nellikai Rasam Recipe (நெல்லிக்காய் ரசம்) is a simple and healthy South Indian rasam made using fresh amla. This amla rasam without dal is light, comforting, and perfect for digestion, immunity, and winter days. Beginner-friendly and made with simple ingredients easily available at home.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: dinner, healthyrecipes, lunch, rasam, south indian traditional food
Cuisine: south indian, Tamil Nadu
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Grinding
  • 1 big nellikai / amla seed removed
  • 1 small lemon-sized tamarind
  • 1 no small ripe tomato hand-mashed
  • ½ tbsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tbsp black pepper
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 2 no dry red chillies
  • Few coriander stems
Cooking Ingredients
  • ¼ tbsp mustard seeds
  • ¼ tbsp cumin seeds for tempering
  • 1 no dry red chilli broken
  • Few curry leaves
  • A pinch asafoetida hing
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • A pinch jaggery
  • Oil as required
  • Water as needed
  • Chopped coriander leaves

Equipment

  • 1 cooking pot/clay pot

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract the juice.
  2. Mash the tomato gently using your hand and keep aside.
  3. Grind the nellikai in a mixer.
  4. To this, add cumin, pepper, garlic, red chillies, and coriander stems.
  5. Grind coarsely and keep aside.
Cooking Steps
  1. Heat oil in a pan over medium flame. Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
  2. Add cumin seeds, broken dry red chilli, curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida. Sauté until aromatic.
  3. Add the coarsely ground nellikai paste and saute gently for about 1 minute on low flame.
  4. Add the hand-mashed tomato and turmeric powder and mix well until it blends with the masala. for 2minutes
  5. Pour in the tamarind extract along with required water for rasam consistency. Add salt and mix well.
  6. Allow the rasam to heat and come to a gentle boil. Do not overboil.
  7. Add a pinch of jaggery and switch off the flame immediately.
  8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, mix once, cover, and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Do not boil the rasam for long, as it may turn bitter.
  • Always switch off the flame once froth appears on top.
  • Resting the rasam enhances the flavour.
  • Since tomato is already used in this recipe, adjust the tamarind extract and water according to your preferred tanginess.
  • Do not saute the ground masala for long, as it may turn bitter. Once the masala is added, mix once, then add tomato and turmeric and continue cooking.
  • Always add the ground masala on low flame. If added to very hot oil, the masala may turn black and affect the taste.
  • Unskinned garlic cloves are used in this recipe, as they give better flavour and mild medicinal benefits to the rasam.