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Tag: Andhra Pradesh

  • Ulava Charu

    Ulava charu is an old, rustic dish from the Krishna and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh, made from horse gram, a hardy lentil grown in dry areas. Traditionally the horse gram was boiled for hours and the cooking liquid strained off, then simmered down with tamarind and spices. It is believed to warm the body and was popular in winter, and it has since become a speciality of upscale Andhra restaurants.

    The charu is dark brown, thick and glossy, with an earthy, nutty, slightly smoky flavour balanced by the sourness of tamarind. It is mixed with hot rice and finished with a spoon of fresh cream or butter, which mellows the tang. Some people eat it like a soup. It is also sold in jars at some Andhra sweet and pickle shops.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSoup
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time90 minutes
    Total time105 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientshorse gram / tamarind / onion / garlic / cream

    Ingredients

    For the horse gram stock

    • 1 cup horse gram (ulavalu), soaked overnight
    • 6 cups water
    • 1/2 tsp salt

    For the charu

    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 2 dry red chillies
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
    • lemon-sized tamarind, soaked in 1 cup water
    • 1 tsp grated jaggery
    • salt to taste

    To serve

    • fresh cream or white butter
    • finely chopped onion

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked horse gram with salt and 6 cups water for 10-12 whistles on medium heat, or simmer in an open pot for 2-3 hours, until very soft.
    2. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl, pressing the beans lightly. Keep the cooked horse gram for a sundal or salad. Grind 2-3 tbsp of the cooked beans with a little stock and add to the liquid for body.
    3. Squeeze and strain the tamarind to get thick extract.
    4. Heat oil in a heavy pan. Splutter mustard seeds, then add cumin, fenugreek and red chillies. Add curry leaves, onion, garlic and green chillies and fry on medium heat for 5 minutes until golden.
    5. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder and fry for 30 seconds.
    6. Pour in the horse gram stock and tamarind extract, add jaggery and salt, and bring to a boil.
    7. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to a thick, dark, glossy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
    8. Serve hot over rice, topped with a spoon of cream or butter and chopped onion.

    Tips

    • Long, slow reduction is what develops the deep colour and flavour; do not rush it.
    • The charu keeps well for 3-4 days in the fridge and thickens further.
    • Horse gram must be well soaked and fully cooked; it is a very hard lentil.

    Serve with

    Hot rice with fresh cream and onions, or as a soup with a dollop of butter.

  • Gongura Mutton

    Gongura, the sour leaves of the roselle plant, are so loved in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana that they are often called the pride of Andhra. Gongura pachadi is a household staple, and gongura mamsam, mutton with gongura, is the famous non-vegetarian version. It is a regular on the menus of Andhra meals restaurants and a Sunday favourite at home.

    The leaves cook down into a thick, dark-green purée that clings to the mutton, giving an intense, natural sourness without tamarind. Combined with plenty of red chilli, it is a hot dish, balanced by the richness of the meat. It is eaten with hot rice and ghee or with jowar rotis.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time50 minutes
    Total time75 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmutton / gongura leaves / onion / green chillies / red chilli powder

    Ingredients

    For the mutton

    • 750 g mutton, curry cut
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 cup water

    For the gongura

    • 4 cups packed gongura leaves (about 2 bunches), washed and drained
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 4 green chillies

    For the masala

    • 4 tbsp oil
    • 1 inch cinnamon, 4 cloves, 3 cardamoms
    • 2 large onions, finely chopped
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • salt to taste
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the mutton with turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, salt and 1 cup water for 5-6 whistles on medium heat until tender. Keep the stock.
    2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the gongura leaves and green chillies. Saute on medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the leaves wilt completely, turn dark and dry out. Mash them into a coarse paste with a spoon or pulse once in a grinder.
    3. In a heavy kadai, heat 4 tbsp oil. Add the whole spices and fry for 20 seconds, then add onions and curry leaves and fry on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
    4. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes. Lower the heat and add chilli powder and coriander powder; stir for 30 seconds.
    5. Add the cooked mutton without the stock and fry on medium-high heat for 5 minutes so the masala coats the meat.
    6. Add the gongura paste and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes, then add about 1/2 cup of the reserved stock.
    7. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until the gravy is thick, dark and oil separates on the sides. Stir in garam masala and coriander leaves.

    Tips

    • Gongura sourness varies by season; taste and add a little more chilli or a pinch of sugar to balance.
    • Saute the leaves until all their moisture evaporates, or the gravy turns watery.
    • Gongura discolours in aluminium; use a steel or iron pan.

    Serve with

    Hot rice with ghee, or jowar rotti and sliced onions.

  • Gutti Vankaya Kura

    Gutti vankaya kura, stuffed brinjal curry, is one of the most loved vegetarian dishes of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and a fixture of wedding and festival menus. Gutti means whole or stuffed, and vankaya means brinjal. Small, tender purple brinjals are slit into quarters while still attached at the stem and filled with a roasted spice powder.

    There are many regional versions; this one uses roasted peanuts, sesame, coriander and dry coconut with a little tamarind and jaggery. The brinjals cook slowly in oil until silky, and the stuffing forms a thick, nutty, spicy coating. It is semi-dry and rich, eaten with rice or chapati. Many Telugu cooks say a festival lunch is incomplete without it.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsbrinjal / peanuts / sesame seeds / dry coconut / onion

    Ingredients

    For the stuffing

    • 3 tbsp raw peanuts
    • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
    • 2 tbsp dry coconut, grated
    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1 small onion, roughly chopped
    • 1.5 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp tamarind paste
    • 1 tsp grated jaggery
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the curry

    • 8-10 small round purple brinjals (about 400 g)
    • 4 tbsp groundnut oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Dry roast the peanuts on medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes until golden, then roast sesame until it pops, then coconut, coriander and cumin for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Cool.
    2. Grind the roasted ingredients with garlic, onion, chilli powder, turmeric, tamarind, jaggery and salt to a coarse, thick paste, adding only a spoon or two of water.
    3. Wash the brinjals and make two deep cross slits from the bottom, leaving the stem end intact so each brinjal holds together. Keep in salted water while you work, then drain.
    4. Stuff each brinjal generously with the paste, pressing it into the slits. Keep the leftover paste.
    5. Heat oil in a wide, heavy pan. Splutter mustard and cumin seeds and add curry leaves.
    6. Arrange the brinjals in a single layer. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes, turning them gently every few minutes, until they start to soften and brown on all sides.
    7. Mix the leftover paste with 1/2 cup water and pour it around the brinjals. Cover and cook on low heat for another 10-12 minutes until the brinjals are completely soft and the masala thickens and leaves oil at the edges.
    8. Garnish with coriander and serve.

    Tips

    • Use small, tender brinjals with shiny skin; older ones are seedy and bitter.
    • Turn the brinjals gently with a spoon or by shaking the pan so they do not break.
    • Groundnut oil gives the most authentic Andhra flavour.

    Serve with

    Hot rice with ghee, chapati or jowar rotti.

  • Tomato Pappu

    Pappu, the Telugu word for dal, appears on the table every single day in Andhra homes, and tomato pappu is probably the most common of all. Pappu annam with ghee, dal rice, is the first solid food for many Telugu children and remains a comfort meal for adults. It is simple and fast, and every home makes it a little differently.

    Toor dal is cooked with tomatoes, onion and green chillies until soft, then mashed to a thick, creamy consistency. The tomatoes give a gentle sourness, a little tamarind is added if they are mild, and the tempering of mustard, cumin, garlic and red chillies brings it alive. It is eaten with rice and ghee, with an Andhra pickle on the side.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientstoor dal / tomato / green chillies / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the dal

    • 3/4 cup toor dal, washed
    • 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 3 green chillies, slit
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2.5 cups water
    • 1 tsp tamarind pulp (only if tomatoes are mild)

    For the tadka

    • 1 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 dry red chillies, broken
    • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Put the dal, tomatoes, onion, green chillies, turmeric and water in a pressure cooker. Cook for 4 whistles on medium heat, until the dal is very soft.
    2. Let the pressure drop naturally. Add salt and tamarind if using, and mash the dal with a wooden pappu gutti or whisk until smooth, with the tomatoes broken down.
    3. Return the cooker to the stove and simmer for 3-4 minutes on low heat. Add hot water if it is too thick; it should be pourable but creamy.
    4. For the tadka, heat ghee and oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then add cumin and red chillies.
    5. Add the garlic and fry on medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add curry leaves and asafoetida, switch off the heat and stir in the chilli powder.
    6. Pour the tadka over the dal immediately, cover for a minute to trap the aroma, then stir in coriander and serve.

    Tips

    • Use very ripe red tomatoes for the best colour and tang.
    • Mashing well is important; pappu should be smooth and creamy, not soupy.
    • Adding chilli powder off the heat keeps it bright red without burning.

    Serve with

    Hot rice with ghee, avakaya or gongura pickle, and appadam.

  • Chepala Pulusu

    Chepala pulusu, fish in tamarind gravy, is a signature dish of coastal Andhra, from Nellore to the Godavari delta, where fish from the sea, rivers and backwaters is eaten daily. Pulusu means a sour, tamarind-based gravy. Each district has its own style: Nellore chepala pulusu is famous for its raw mango and intense heat, while Godavari versions are slightly sweeter.

    The gravy is thin to medium-thick, red, and sharply sour and spicy, balanced by a pinch of jaggery and the aroma of roasted fenugreek and coriander. Families traditionally cook it in a clay pot and let it rest for several hours, often overnight, so the fish absorbs the tamarind. It is eaten with hot rice.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsfish / tamarind / onion / red chilli powder / fenugreek

    Ingredients

    For the fish

    • 750 g firm fish steaks (rohu, murrel, seer or pomfret)
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt

    For the spice powder

    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 1/4 tsp mustard seeds

    For the pulusu

    • lemon-sized ball of tamarind soaked in 2 cups warm water
    • 4 tbsp groundnut oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 2 medium onions, finely sliced
    • 4 green chillies, slit
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 tomato, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 2-3 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1.5 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp grated jaggery
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Clean the fish and rub with turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Marinate for 15 minutes.
    2. Dry roast the coriander, cumin, fenugreek and mustard on low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Cool and grind to a powder.
    3. Squeeze the tamarind and strain to get about 2 cups of extract.
    4. Heat oil in a clay pot or wide pan. Splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds, then add curry leaves, onions and green chillies. Fry on medium heat for 6-7 minutes until the onions are soft and light golden.
    5. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry 1 minute. Add tomato, turmeric and chilli powder and cook until the tomato is mushy.
    6. Pour in the tamarind extract and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes on medium heat until the raw tamarind taste is gone and the gravy thickens slightly.
    7. Add the fish pieces in a single layer and sprinkle the spice powder over. Do not stir; swirl the pot gently. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10-12 minutes until the fish is cooked and oil floats on top.
    8. Add jaggery and coriander, swirl once more, switch off and rest for at least 2 hours before serving.

    Tips

    • Firm, thick fish steaks hold their shape; delicate fish breaks in the long simmer.
    • Swirl, never stir, once the fish is in.
    • In Nellore style, add a few pieces of raw mango along with the tamarind.

    Serve with

    Hot rice with a spoon of ghee and fried appadams.

  • Pesarattu

    Pesarattu is the breakfast dosa of Andhra Pradesh, especially the Godavari districts, made from pesalu, whole green gram. Because the batter needs no fermentation, it can be ground the night before or on the same morning. In Andhra tiffin centres it is often served as MLA pesarattu, with a spoon of upma folded inside, a combination said to have been popular in the canteen of the Hyderabad legislators' quarters.

    It is thin and crisp at the edges, with a pale green colour and an earthy, grassy flavour from the moong, spiked with ginger, chilli and cumin. Raw chopped onions pressed on top add sweetness and crunch. It is high in protein and filling, usually eaten with a sharp ginger chutney.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientswhole green moong / rice / ginger / green chillies / onion

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup whole green moong, soaked 6 hours or overnight
    • 2 tbsp raw rice, soaked with the moong
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 3 green chillies
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • about 3/4 cup water

    For topping and cooking

    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • oil or ghee for cooking

    Method

    1. Drain the soaked moong and rice. Grind with ginger, green chillies, cumin and salt, adding water a little at a time, to a smooth batter slightly thinner than dosa batter.
    2. Mix the chopped onion, coriander and cumin in a small bowl for the topping.
    3. Heat a cast-iron tawa on medium-high heat until a sprinkle of water sizzles off. Wipe with an oiled cloth.
    4. Pour a ladle of batter in the centre and spread it quickly in circles into a thin dosa about 20 cm wide.
    5. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the onion topping and press it lightly into the batter. Drizzle 1 tsp oil or ghee around the edges.
    6. Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the base is golden and crisp and the edges lift.
    7. Flip and cook the onion side for 30-40 seconds, then flip back, fold and serve. For MLA pesarattu, place a spoon of hot upma in the centre before folding.

    Tips

    • A little rice in the batter helps the pesarattu crisp up.
    • Do not ferment the batter; pesarattu is best made fresh.
    • If it sticks, the tawa is not hot enough or needs re-seasoning.

    Serve with

    Allam pachadi (ginger chutney), coconut chutney and rava upma.