Traditional Andhra Recipes

Ven Pongal, also known as Khara Pongal, is a comforting and wholesome South Indian dish made from rice and lentils. Here's a recipe for making it: Ingredients: 1 cup raw rice 1/4 cup split yellow moong dal (lentils) 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely crushed 1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped A pinch of asafoetida (hing) 8-10 cashew nuts, halved 10-12 curry leaves Salt to taste Water Optional: Chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnish Instructions: Wash the rice and moong dal together under running water. Drain and set aside. In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Add the coarsely crushed black pepper, finely chopped ginger, and asafoetida (hing). Sauté for a minute until fragrant. Add the washed rice and moong dal to the cooker. Roast them gently in the ghee for about 2 minutes. Add 4 cups of water and salt to the cooker. Mix well. C...

Punugulu is a popular South Indian snack made from a fermented batter. Here's a recipe for making it Ingredients: 1 cup rice 1/4 cup urad dal (split black gram) 1/4 cup poha (flattened rice) 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds Salt to taste 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional) Oil for deep frying Chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves, and coriander leaves (optional, for flavor) Instructions: Wash the rice and urad dal together. Add fenugreek seeds to the mix and soak them in water for about 4-6 hours. In a separate bowl, wash the poha (flattened rice) and soak it in water for about 30 minutes. Drain the soaked rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds. Blend them along with soaked poha to form a smooth batter. You can add a little water while grinding to achieve the right consistency, similar to that of dosa batter. Transfer the batter to a large bowl. Add salt and mix well. Allow the batter to ferment overnight or for about 6-8 hours, depending on the weather conditions. Once the batter h...

Atukula Gunta Pongalu, also known as Poha Ponganalu or Andhra Ponganalu, is a traditional South Indian breakfast dish made from flattened rice and rice flour. Here's how I make it: Ingredients: 2 cups flattened rice (poha or atukulu), washed and soaked for 15 minutes 1 cup rice flour 1/2 cup yogurt (curd) 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2-3 green chili peppers, finely chopped (adjust to taste) 2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1 teaspoon ginger, grated 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds A pinch of asafoetida (hing) Salt to taste Oil or ghee for cooking Instructions: In a mixing bowl, combine the soaked flattened rice (poha), rice flour, yogurt, chopped onion, green chili peppers, grated ginger, chopped coriander leaves, cumin seeds, asafoetida, and salt. Mix well to form a batter. The batter should be thick yet pourable. You can add a little water if needed. Heat a Ponganalu pan (a special pan with multiple round molds) or a regular non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a few drops ...

Alasanda Vada, also known as Black-eyed Pea Fritters, is a delicious South Indian snack made from black-eyed peas. Here's how I make it: Ingredients: 1 cup black-eyed peas (alasanda), soaked overnight 2-3 green chili peppers, finely chopped (adjust to taste) 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2-3 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1 teaspoon ginger, grated 1 teaspoon cumin seeds A pinch of asafoetida (hing) Salt to taste Oil for deep frying Instructions: Drain and rinse the soaked black-eyed peas. In a food processor or blender, coarsely grind the black-eyed peas without adding any water. The mixture should be slightly coarse, not a smooth paste. Transfer the ground mixture to a mixing bowl. Add chopped green chili peppers, finely chopped onion, grated ginger, cumin seeds, asafoetida, chopped coriander leaves, and salt. Mix all the ingredients well to form a dough-like consistency. You should be able to shape the mixture into small patties. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over m...

Pulihora, also known as tamarind rice, is a popular South Indian dish that's both tangy and flavorful. It's often prepared during festivals, special occasions, or as a quick and tasty meal. Here's a simple recipe for making pulihora: Ingredients: For the Rice: 2 cups cooked rice (preferably cooled, leftover rice) 1 tablespoon oil For the Pulihora Paste: 1/2 cup tamarind pulp (soaked in water and strained) 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon chana dal (split chickpeas) 1 teaspoon urad dal (split black gram) 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 2-3 dried red chili peppers (adjust to taste) 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) 10-12 curry leaves 1/4 cup peanuts (optional) Salt to taste For Tempering: 2 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon chana dal 1 teaspoon urad dal 2-3 dried red chili peppers 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) A pinch of turmeric powder Curry leaves Instructions: In a pan, dry roast the fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, chana dal, ur...

This a recipe for Gongura Pachadi, a popular South Indian chutney made from sorrel leaves (gongura). It has a tangy and spicy flavor that pairs well with rice, dosa, idli, or even with bread. Ingredients: 2 cups fresh Gongura (sorrel) leaves, washed and chopped 2-3 green chilies, adjust according to your spice preference 1 small onion, chopped 1-2 cloves of garlic, optional 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder, adjust to taste Salt to taste 2 tablespoons oil (preferably sesame oil) 1 teaspoon mustard seeds A pinch of asafoetida (hing) Few curry leaves Water, as needed Instructions: Wash the gongura (sorrel) leaves thoroughly under running water. Drain and chop them finely. Set aside. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped gongura leaves and sauté for a few minutes until they wilt down. Remove from the pan and let it cool. In the same pan, add another tablespoon of oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add asafoetida (hing) and ...

Bommidala Pulusu is a traditional Andhra-style fish curry prepared using tamarind and various spices. Here's how you can make it: Ingredients: 4-6 pieces of fish (any firm fish like kingfish, seer fish, or mackerel works well) 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 2-3 green chilies, slit 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced 1-inch piece of ginger, minced 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste) 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds A pinch of asafoetida (hing) A few curry leaves Tamarind pulp (extracted from a small lemon-sized tamarind soaked in water) Salt, to taste 2-3 tablespoons oil Fresh coriander leaves, chopped (for garnishing) Instructions: Prepare the Fish: Clean the fish pieces and marinate them with a pinch of turmeric and a little salt. Set them aside while you prepare the other ingredients. Tempering: Heat oil in a deep pan or pot. Add mustard seeds an...

Gutti Vankaya Kura is a popular traditional dish from South Indian cuisine, particularly Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It's made with small eggplants that are stuffed with a flavorful mixture of spices and cooked in a rich gravy. Here's how I make it: Ingredients: For the stuffed eggplants: Small eggplants (about 10-12) 1 cup roasted peanuts (coarsely ground) 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (dry roasted) 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut (optional) 1 tablespoon red chili powder (adjust to taste) 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder Salt to taste A pinch of turmeric powder 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp For the gravy: 2 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds Few curry leaves 1 medium onion (finely chopped) 2 medium tomatoes (finely chopped) 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste) 1 teaspoon coriander powder Salt to taste Chopped cilantro for garnishing Instructions: Wash the eggpla...

Hi! Here's a native-style recipe for making Pithalu, also known as Besan Chilla or Gram Flour Pancakes: Ingredients: 1 cup of besan (gram flour) 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 small tomato, finely chopped A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped (adjust to your taste) A pinch of turmeric powder A pinch of asafoetida (hing) Salt, to taste Water, as needed Oil or ghee, for cooking Instructions: Mixing it Up: In a mixing bowl, toss in that besan (gram flour). Add in the chopped onion, tomato, coriander leaves, and green chilies. Sprinkle in the turmeric powder, a pinch of asafoetida, and some salt. Getting the Batter Right: Gradually pour in some water and start whisking it all together. You're aiming for a batter that's smooth and flowing, not too thick and not too thin. It's all about that perfect pancake consistency. Time to Cook: Heat up a tawa or a non-stick pan over medium heat. Drop a bit of oil or ghee and spread it around....

Here's the recipe for making Bobbatlu, also known as Puran Poli, in the native style: Ingredients: For the stuffing (Puran): 1 cup of chana dal (those split chickpea lentils) 1 cup of jaggery  About 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder (for that lovely aroma) If you like, a teensy bit of nutmeg powder (totally optional, but adds a nice twist) For the dough (Polis): 2 cups of whole wheat flour (atta, if you want to be fancy) A pinch of salt (just a tiny bit, to bring out the flavors) Water, as much as you need Ghee or oil, for cooking (makes things tasty) Instructions: For the stuffing (Puran): First off, wash the chana dal really good, and then let it soak in water for around 2 hours. After soaking, drain the water and pop those lentils in a pressure cooker. Give 'em a good cook till they're all soft and mushy. Drain off any extra water. Grab a pan, toss in that jaggery with a tad bit of water and heat it up till it melts. Strain it to get rid of any weird stuff. Now, mix the c...