Amla Chitranna.

"Amla Chitranna" Served with "Amla Radish Ginger Pachodi+" ... An awesome combination of dishs that goes very well when served freshly prepared. The tangy ~ spicy taste of Chitranna keeps lingering on your tongue giving you immense satisfaction .... yummy tummy

Chitranna is an awesome dish that is prepared and served at room temperature. This khatta~teekha dish that is prepared like a dry chutney and then mixed with prepared rice / poha tastes awesome and is served in the southern parts of India during festivals. It is also served in temples during auspicious occasions and served as prasadam / naivedyam too. By and large the tartness is brought to the dish by addition of raw mangoes ground with coconut and spices. The same can be prepared using amla / gooseberry / avalo too. Again most of the time it is prepared with rice, but can be prepared with poha too. Maybe with many more lentils too. I however, prepare this dish with both rice and beaten poha. You may use anyone you prefer. But do try this out, it tastes simply yumz. Remember that Chitranna is never heated but prepared at room temperature. 

** Wash and soak basmati / jeera rice for 20 minutes. Drain the water and keep it in a colander for all the excess water to drain off. Boil water in a vessel and cook the rice till 3/4th done. Remove and drain off the water. Add plenty of cold water to the rice and strain it. This arrests further cooking of the rice and the rice remains firm and good. Spread on a thali to dry off completely.

For Masala to be ground : Grind without water (you may just sprinkle some if absolutely necessary) 8 red chillies, ½ tsp rai (sasam). Add 2 grated amlas, 1 cup freshly grated coconut and grind to a coarse paste. Keep this ready aside.

For seasoning : Heat 2 tblsp of oil in a kadai, add ½ tsp urad dal, when slightly colour changes add in ½ tsp of chana dal, ½ tsp rai, ½ tsp haldi powder, 1 tsp of hing powder, 10-15 curry leaves, ¼ cup of already dry fried peanuts.

** Remove from heat and let cool a bit add this to the rice along with salt to taste, the ground masala  and mix well. Do not mix the ingredients forcefully. The mixture should be lightly tossed to mix well, otherwise the rice may get mashed, giving it a mushy texture. The rice should remain separately which is more appealing and relishing to eat. 

** "Amla Chitranna" is done and is ready to be served with "Amla Radish Ginger Pachodi+". The same can be served with kokum kadhi too and tastes good. Though this dish can be relished as it is or with some spicy pickle as it is. But tastes best when served with pachodi. Enjoy this dish during season on any normal day or on auspicious occasions too.

** Here is the link to the Amla~Radish~Ginger Pachodi+ Recipe, I served along with this dish ....

http://gayathrifoodbytes.blogspot.in/2015/01/amla-radish-ginger-pachodi.html#more

** Note : 
** You can add some grated amlas if you find that the chitranna is not sour enough. Mix the masala into rice with smooth movements do not crush of put pressure on the rice or else it will get mashed. The grains of rice should remain separate. Serve with pachodi / chutney / Kokum kadhi. 

** Serve chitranna with Mango / Amala pachodi (Chutney)

** You can also serve this with Kokum kadhi.

** Chitranna is usually prepared with Rice and Raw Mangoes, just replace the amla with grated raw mangoes.

** Do not heat Chitranna. It is prepared and served immediately at room temperature.