Usirikaya Pulihora | Amla Rice Recipe

Amla(known as 'usirikaya' in telugu and 'nellikai' in tamil and kannada) is rich in vitamin C and is very essential to include it in our diet frequently.During amla season I usually buy them in bulk and prepare Niluva Usirikaya Pacchadi and store it upto an year so that I can prepare Amla Pacchadi or Amla rice with it.Usirikaya Pulihora(Amla rice) is one of those easy rice varieties which can be made in jiffy and it tastes delicious too.It is a good lunch box option too.

Check out other Pulihora variety recipes in my blog here.

• Chintapandu Pulihora - Andhra style
• Dabbakaya(Indian Grape fruit/Herelikayi) Chitranna
• Lemon Rice | Chitranna | Nimmakaya Pulihora
• Maavinkay Chitranna/Raw Mango Rice - Version 1
• Mamidikayi Gojju Annam/Raw Mango Rice -Version2
• Puliyogre/Pulihora

Amla(Gooseberry) Rice | Usirikaya Pulihora | Nellikai Chitranna:

Serves 2

Prep time:5 mins | Cooking time:30 mins | Total time:35 mins+cooling time

Cuisine: South Indian | Category: Rice varieties - Main Course

Ingredients:

1 cup Rice (sona masoori or equivalent)

15 Gooseberries or 3-4 tbsp Niluva Usirikaya pacchadi

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

10-12 Green Chillies

8-10 Cashew nuts,broken

1 tbsp Chana dal

1 tsp Urad dal

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

10-12 Curry leaves

2 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and soak the rice for 10 to 15 minutes with 2 cups of water.Prepare the rice either in pressure cooker or rice cooker.Cool the rice completely.
• Remove the seeds from amlas and cut them in to fine pieces.
• Slit the green chillies into 2 pieces and keep them ready.
• Heat oil in a big thick kadai and crackle mustard seeds.Add chana dal,urad dal and cashew nuts and fry until they turn light golden in color.
• Add slit green chillies,curry leaves and fry well.
• Add chopped amla pieces and fry for 2-3 mins.Add turmeric powder and mix.Cover it and cook for 6-8 minutes until it is cooked on low flame.Cool the mixture completely.Mash the cooked amla mixture gently with hands to form a pulpy mix.If you are using niluva usirikaya pacchadi,add it and sprinkle some water and let it cook in steam for a couple of minutes.
• Add the cooked rice to the mashed amla mixture and add enough salt and mix nicely.Adjust the seasoning according to your taste buds.

Serve it with chips/fryums or sliced cucumber.

Notes:

1. I used niluva usirikaya pacchadi(stored ground amla mixture) which we use for making pacchadi instead of amlas in the recipe.You need to cook the amla for sometime otherwise it will taste slightly bitter.
2. Adjust the number of green chillies in the recipe accordingly.I prefer to make this rice spicy and tangy.
    
   
   
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