Amla Rasam, or Nellikai Rasam, is a refreshing, tangy broth made from Indian gooseberries, a powerhouse of antioxidants and Ayurvedic medicine. It’s a gentle, sattvic rasam perfect for calming inflammation, kindling digestion, and rejuvenating your inner systems.
What Is Amla rasam?
Amla Rasam is a South Indian-style spiced broth using fresh amla (Indian gooseberry) in place of tamarind. Its sour, slightly astringent profile not only mimics tamarind’s tanginess but brings Ayurvedic rasayana (rejuvenating) benefits, especially for pitta and kapha doshas.
How to Make Amla rasam: The Traditional Way
🛒 Ingredients:
main
- 2 medium-sized fresh amlas (grated or chopped)
- 2½ cups water
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- Small piece of ginger (optional)
- A pinch of turmeric
- Rock salt – to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves – for garnish
Tempering
- 1 tsp ghee
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- Pinch of hing (asafoetida)
- Few curry leaves
- 1 dry red chilli (optional)
🥣 Method:
- Cook the Amla:
In a pan, boil grated or chopped amla with 1 cup water for 5–7 minutes until soft. - Crush the Spices:
Lightly crush cumin, pepper, and ginger in a mortar-pestle. - Simmer the Rasam:
Add the crushed spice mix, turmeric, salt, and remaining water to the amla. Simmer for 5 more minutes until flavors combine. - Tempering:
In a small pan, heat ghee. Add mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves, and red chilli. Let it splutter and pour into the rasam - Turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
🌿 Ayurvedic Benefits
- Amla is tridosha balancing but especially pacifies pitta.
- Acts as a natural coolant while stimulating agni (digestive fire).
- Excellent for skin, eyes, liver, and reproductive tissue rejuvenation.
- Combats acidity, supports immunity, and boosts absorption of nutrients.
- The ghee-tadka ensures deeper tissue nourishment and balances vata.
💡Pro Tips from the Indian Kitchen
- To reduce sourness, boil amla longer or blend into a paste before adding.
- Use only fresh amla for maximum vitamin C retention and taste.
- For a thinner rasam, strain after boiling.
- Avoid combining with dal if you’re using this rasam for detox or fasting.
❤️ Why We love Amla rasam
- Tangy, refreshing, and light
- Immunity-boosting and liver-friendly
- Perfect alternative to tamarind-based rasams
- Sattvic and soothing, ideal for yoga and Ayurveda followers
🧘 Ideal For
