Pan-Indian · Drink

Amla Juice / Nellikayi Juice

Name: Amla Juice / Nellikayi Juice
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: About 480–500 ml from 150 g whole amla (about 6 medium fruits); 2 glasses of about 240–250 ml
Cuisine: Pan-Indian
Ingredients: 150 g whole (about 6 medium fruits) Fresh amla / Indian gooseberries, Use firm, unblemished fruit; expect about 135 g flesh after removing the stones. Weigh the edible flesh if fruit size varies.; 400 ml, divided Chilled drinking water, Use 150 ml for blending and 250 ml to rinse the blender and dilute the pulp.; 5 g, optional Fresh ginger, peeled, For a warmer flavour; omit for the plain version.; 15 g (about 1 tbsp), optional Jaggery powder, Use this or the honey, rather than both; omit for the plain version.; 15 g (about 2 tsp), optional Honey, An alternative to jaggery; omit for the plain version.; 0.2 g (1 small pinch), optional Fine salt, For balancing the taste; omit for the plain version.

Indian Gooseberry Juice · Nellikayi Rasa · ನೆಲ್ಲಿಕಾಯಿ ರಸ · आंवला रस

Amla juice is a tart, slightly cloudy drink made by blending fresh Indian gooseberries with water and straining away the coarse pulp. This plain version uses only fruit and water, with measured optional ginger, jaggery or honey and salt for adjusting the sharp flavour before serving.

Prep: 10 min
Total: 10 min
Serves: 2
Makes: About 480–500 ml from 150 g whole amla (about 6 medium fruits); 2 glasses of about 240–250 ml

vegetarian

Shop the ingredients 4 from Organic Mandya

By Organic Mandya Kitchen · 10 Nov 2026

Fresh amla has firm, pale-green flesh divided by shallow ridges around a hard central stone. In this home preparation, cutting the flesh into small pieces makes it easier to blend, while straining gives a lighter drink than leaving the whole pulp suspended. The flavour is distinctly sour with a drying finish, so sweetness and dilution are matters of taste. Nellikayi is the Kannada name for the fruit; amla is its familiar Hindi name. Make a small batch to serve straight away, alongside breakfast or an afternoon snack, rather than preparing a large bottle to leave standing.

Ingredients

150 g whole (about 6 medium fruits)Fresh amla / Indian gooseberries Organic MandyaUse firm, unblemished fruit; expect about 135 g flesh after removing the stones. Weigh the edible flesh if fruit size varies.
400 ml, dividedChilled drinking waterUse 150 ml for blending and 250 ml to rinse the blender and dilute the pulp.
5 g, optionalFresh ginger, peeled Organic MandyaFor a warmer flavour; omit for the plain version.
15 g (about 1 tbsp), optionalJaggery powder Organic MandyaUse this or the honey, rather than both; omit for the plain version.
15 g (about 2 tsp), optionalHoney Organic MandyaAn alternative to jaggery; omit for the plain version.
0.2 g (1 small pinch), optionalFine saltFor balancing the taste; omit for the plain version.

Method

Wash the fruit
Rinse the amla thoroughly under running water, rubbing along the ridges to remove dirt. Drain and check the fruit; discard any with mould or soft, spoiled patches.
⏱ 1 min
Remove the stones
Cut the flesh away from each hard central stone and chop it into small pieces. Discard the stones and any woody fragments. Aim for about 135 g prepared flesh from the 150 g whole fruit.
⏱ 4 min
Blend the flesh
Put the chopped amla and 150 ml of the measured drinking water into a blender. Blend for 45–60 seconds until finely pulped, pausing once to scrape down the sides if necessary. Add the optional ginger here only for the ginger variation.
⏱ 1 min
Dilute the pulp
Pour the blended mixture into a bowl. Swirl the remaining 250 ml drinking water around the blender jar to collect the clinging pulp, then add this rinse to the bowl and stir well.
⏱ 30 sec
Strain the juice
Set a fine sieve over a clean jug and pour in the mixture. Press gently for 2–3 minutes to collect the cloudy juice, stopping when the pulp feels fairly dry. Discard the coarse pulp; the yield should be about 480–500 ml, depending on the fruit.
⏱ 3 min
Stir and serve
Stir the strained juice and divide it between two glasses for the plain version. For a flavoured version, dissolve the optional jaggery or honey and the optional pinch of salt into the whole batch before dividing. Serve straight away, stirring again if the juice settles.
⏱ 30 sec

Shop the ingredients

Out of stock
Fresh Amla (Indian Gooseberry / Nellikai)

₹ 67.50
Out of stock
Fresh Ginger (Adrak / Shunti) Organic, Aromatic Root

₹ 86.25
Out of stock
Jaggery Powder (Bella Pudi) Dark and Unbleached

₹ 180.00
Out of stock
Himalayan Raw Honey | Multifloral & Unpasteurised

₹ 425.00

Tips

Choose firm fruit with a fresh, clean smell. Larger amla may have more flesh, so use the weight rather than the fruit count when scaling the recipe.
Remove every piece of the hard stone before blending; straining afterwards is not a substitute for removing it first.
Press the pulp gently rather than forcing all the coarse fibre through the sieve. A little cloudiness is normal in freshly made juice.
Kitchen measures throughout: 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml and 1 tsp = 5 ml. The gram measurements for sweeteners are more reliable than spoonfuls.

Serving

Serve the plain juice freshly stirred, alongside breakfast or a savoury snack. Keep any sweetener adjustment separate from the plain version so the final flavour suits the meal.

Storage

For the freshest flavour, serve immediately. If needed, refrigerate promptly in a clean, covered container at 4°C or below and use within 24 hours; stir before serving and discard juice that develops an unusual smell or fermentation.

Variations

For ginger-jaggery juice, blend the listed 5 g peeled ginger with the fruit, then dissolve 15 g jaggery powder and the optional 0.2 g pinch of salt into the strained batch. Ginger adds warmth; the jaggery softens the sharp taste.
For a honey-sweetened version, omit the ginger and jaggery and stir the listed 15 g honey into the strained batch until completely dissolved. Add the optional pinch of salt if desired; the honey changes the flavour and nutrition.

Nutrition per serving

Energy	16 kcal
Protein	0.2 g
Carbohydrates	3.0 g
Fat	0.1 g
Fibre	5.2 g

Approximate upper estimate from all 135 g edible fruit divided between 2 servings, before straining; actual strained juice contains less, particularly fibre, and extraction losses are not quantified. Carbs are available carbohydrate. Optional ginger, sweeteners and salt are excluded.

Questions people ask

How many amla do I need for one glass?

For a glass of about 240–250 ml, use around 75 g whole fruit, usually three medium amla, and 200 ml water. Fruit sizes differ, so aim for roughly 65–70 g flesh after removing the stones rather than relying on the count alone.

Do I need to strain amla juice?

Straining is part of this recipe and removes the coarse, gritty pulp, giving a lighter drink. You can leave the pulp in if you prefer a thicker texture, but blend it very finely and stir before serving because it settles quickly.

How can I reduce the sourness and astringency?

Stir in the measured optional jaggery or honey for a sweeter balance, or dilute the batch with another 100 ml chilled water. A small pinch of salt rounds the taste. Ginger adds warmth, although it does not remove the fruit’s sourness.

How long does fresh amla juice keep in the fridge?

Keep it covered at 4°C or below and use within 24 hours. Freshly strained juice can separate and become darker while standing, so stir it before serving. Discard it if it smells unusual, develops bubbles from fermentation or has been left warm for an extended period.

Can I make this juice with frozen amla?

Yes. Use plain frozen amla without added sugar, and thaw it in the refrigerator until you can safely remove the stones. Measure about 135 g flesh for this batch, then blend and strain as directed. The thawed fruit may blend more easily than fresh amla.