NELLIKAI THOGAYAL

We can proudly say: "An Amla a day keeps the doctor away". Known well as Nellikkai in Tamil and Amla in Hindi, the Indian gooseberry contains Vitamin C and is very good for health. It is slightly sour, pungent, astringent, and sweet too. During my childhood, I used to eat a gooseberry and immediately drink water and love to feel a sweet taste in the tongue.

Nellikai is used on Dwadashi day in any form, preferably nellikai pachadi or nellikai thogayal, as it is beneficial and regulates the acidity after fasting on an Ekadashi day, prior to Dwadashi day.

INGREDIENTS:

Big nellikai(Amla) - 3
Salt - as per taste
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Scraped coconut - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp.

METHOD:

Steam cook nellikai and discard the seeds. Mash the cooked nellikai using your hand. In a mixie, grind the green chillies, salt and scraped coconut, add mashed nellikai and give it a whip. Season it with mustard seeds and urad dhal.

Note:
You can also pressure cook the amla by keeping it in a separate vessel while cooking toor dhal or rice.Green chillies compensate the sour taste of amla.