Andhra cuisine

A typical vegetarian meal in Andhra Pradesh

Vegetarian meal for a special occasion

A vegetarian Andhra meal served on important occasions

Coastal Andhra is dominated by the Krishna and Godavari river delta regions and is adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. This proximity to water has led to rice, lentils, and seafood becoming dietary staples in the region. Andhra cuisine has its own variations, but dishes are predominantly rice-based. The Nellore region in the south has its own unique recipes, markedly different from those in Uttarandhra. Ulava charu is a soup made from horse gram,[1] and bommidala pulusu is a seafood stew that is considered a specialty of Andhra Pradesh. Andhra cuisine is prevalent in restaurants all over Andhra Pradesh, as well as in cities like Bangalore, Chennai, and New Delhi.

The Uttarandhra region is composed of the northeastern districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam in Coastal Andhra. While Visakhapatnam district has a cuisine closer in character to the rest of Andhra's districts, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam cuisine shares less in common with other Andhra regional cuisines. The food of the Uttarandhra region is often sweeter than in other regions of Andhra Pradesh. Lentils are often cooked in jaggery, a dish referred to as bellam pappu, and are usually served with butter and steamed rice.

Vegetables are often cooked in a gravy of menthi kura (fenugreek seed paste), avapettina kura (mustard seed paste), or nuvvugunda kura (sesame paste). Ullikaram is another popular dish in which vegetables or corn seeds are flavored with shallots or onion paste.

Poori and patoli are popular breakfast or festival dishes. Patoli is composed of soaked split black chickpeas (senagapappu or chana dal) ground to a coarse paste and seasoned with coriander seeds, onions, and sometimes cluster beans (goruchikkudu kaya). Upma or uppudu pindi is coarsely broken rice steamed with vegetables and seeds.[2] This dish is eaten on feast days, when people fast during the day and eat at night. Attu, also called dosa, is a standard breakfast in Andhra Pradesh, which may also include coconut or tomato chutneys. Idli is also very common. Karappoddi is a popular curry powder that is served with idli, dosa and upma.

Inguva charu is a sweet-and-sour stew made with tamarind and hing. It can be eaten with rice or uppupindi. Bellam pulusu is another flavorful, thick, sweet stew made out of rice flour, jaggery, corn cobs, and whole shallots.

The pickles used in Uttarandhra differ from those of other regions of Andhra Pradesh. Avakaya is a mango pickle which is part of a standard Andhra meal. Pieces of mango are coated with mustard powder, red pepper powder, and salt, then sun-dried, and finally soaked in sesame oil to give the pickle extended shelf life. The result of this process is a darker hue and a sweeter taste than other pickles. This method helps preserve Uttarandhra pickles better amidst the high moisture from the Bay of Bengal coast.

Rayalaseema, in the south of Andhra Pradesh, is well-known for the spiciness of its cuisine due to the liberal use of chili powder in almost every dish. Seema karam is a dish unique to this region. Some of the main courses include rice, jonna, (jowar), ragi roti with neyyi, and raagi sangati, usually served with spinach or pulusu. Uggani is a dish unique to Rayalaseema, especially Ananthapur, Kurnool, and Kadapa districts, as well as in Karnataka, where it is called oggane. It is made with boiled paddycorn and is generally yellowish in color due to heavy use of turmeric powder. It is usually served with mirapakaya bajji (chili "bajji"). Uggani bajji is served primarily as a breakfast dish, but can be eaten as a snack too. It is spicy and a signature dish of Rayalaseema and Eastern Karnataka.[3]

Sweeter dishes of Rayalaseema include attirasaalu or attirasa (rice-based vada with jaggery), pakam undalu (a mixture of steamed rice flour, ground nuts, and jaggery), borugu undalu (a sweet made of jowar and jaggery), and rava ladd. Masala borugulu, nargis mandakki, and ponganaalu (wet rice flour fried in oil, with carrot, onion, and chilis) are other savory specialties from the region.

Pappu (dal/lentils) and kooralu (curries) are placed to the right of the diner, while spiced pickles, pachadi (chutney/raita), a saucy condiment with dahi (yogurt), vegetables, pappulu podi (dal and dry red chili-based powdered condiment), and neyyi (ghee) are placed to the left. On some occasions, special items such as pulihora (tamarind or lemon rice) and garelu (vada) are placed at the top right. A large scoop of annam (plain white rice) is placed in the middle. Small amounts of neyyi are added on the rice. Avakaya (mango pickle) and gongura (roselle leaf pickle) are often served with the meal.

Dibba rotti or minapa rotti is a classic Andhra dish eaten for breakfast, brunch, or evening snack with a chutney or pickle

Rice is the main dish, eaten by mixing with the side dishes using the right hand, and the primary source of carbohydrates. Spiced pickles, pachadi, podi, and papadum (appadam) are typical side dishes.

A meal traditionally starts with modhati muddha (first bite), an appetizer of spiced pickle followed by a pappu (dal) dish, which can be made with vegetables added or eaten plain with a pickle. This constitutes the main source of protein for vegetarians. This is followed by a couple of koora varieties, which provide vitamins and minerals. A pappu or rasam (Telugu: charu), usually kadi, is the third course. The fourth course of the meal is either a perugu (curd or yoghurt) or majjiga (buttermilk) accompanied by a spicy pickle or other condiments.

After the meal, paan or somph (areca nut/betel on pan leaf) is traditionally offered. On festival days or other auspicious occasions, a sweet, usually paravannam, is served with the meal, which is usually eaten first.

Pulihora

Brinjal with onion curry

Gobi Manchuria fry

Banana with onion curry

Pulihora, a sour tamarind-based fried rice dish from Andhra Pradesh

Koora — a generic word for a protein-based dish. Koora dishes are named for the ingredients used and the method of preparation. These methods include:

• Vepudu (fry): crispy fried vegetables, typically including okra (bendakaya), ivy gourd (dondakaya), potato (bangaladumpa), colocasia, and several additional local vegetables.
• Pappu koora (lentil-based dish): boiled vegetables stir-fried with a small amount of half-cooked lentils (dal).
• Podi (powdered dal-based condiment or seasoning): mixed with rice and a spoonful of ghee or sesame oil.
• Gujju (gravy): a tomato or coriander seed base into which is added into brinjal (gutthi vankaya), okra, etc.
• Pulusu (sour paste or gravy)
  • Pulusu koora/Aava petti koora (stew): boiled vegetables cooked in tamarind sauce and mustard paste. Some varieties include potlakaya, anapakaya, bendakaya, gummadikaya.
• Kaaram petti koora/Koora podi koora (literally, "dish with curry powder added"): sautéed vegetables cooked with curry powder or paste, served as a solid mass. The vegetables can be stuffed with curry powder or paste and are usually cooked whole.
• Pappucharu (thick dal broth) or charu
• Charu a.k.a. rasam (clear soup)
• Ooragaya (pickle): avakaya, gongura, nimmakaya, etc.
• Pachadi (pasty/saucy condiment or chutney): kobbari (coconut), tomato, gongura, dosakaya, gummadikaya, and allam (ginger).
• Other gravy-based curries are usually made with vegetables cooked in tomato sauce and onion with coriander and cumin powder.

Ridge gourd with moong-dal pappu

Pappu (dal/lentils) dishes include toor daal (kandi pappu) and moong daal (pesara pappu), which are usually cooked with a vegetable or other green. No masala is added to the dal. In some areas, garlic and onion are included in the seasoning, while in others asafetida (hing/inguva) is used. Kandi pappu is often cooked with leafy vegetables such as palakura (spinach), gongura, malabar spinach, and other fruits and vegetables such as tomato, mango, or aanapakaya. Sometimes the cooked version of the dal is replaced with a roasted and ground version, like kandi pachadi (roasted toor daal ground with red chilis), or pesara pachadi (soaked moong daal ground with red or green chilis).

A very popular combination in Andhra is mudda pappu (plain toor dal cooked with salt) and avakaya.

Moong-daal pulusu

Pulusu (meaning sour) is a curry-like stew that is typically sour and cooked with tamarind paste. Other common bases include tomatoes or mangoes. The mixture can be flavored with mustard, chilis, curry leaves, jaggery, onions, or fenugreek. Fish, chicken, and eggs are typical meat additions. Pachi pulusu is an unheated version of pulusu, typically made of mangoes or tamarind, and eaten during the warmer months.

• Majjiga pulusu: sour buttermilk boiled with channa dal and coconut paste
• Menthi challa/menthi majjiga: sour buttermilk seasoned with ginger or green chili paste and menthi (fenugreek) seeds, then fried in oil
• Mukkalu pulusu: pulusu made with aanapakaya
• Chammagadda pulusu: pulusu made with colocasia
• Kanda pulusu: pulusu made with yam
• Perugu (curd): the last dish of the meal, normally eaten along with pachadi or pickles

Pachadi and ooragaya are two broad categories of pickle that are eaten with rice. Pachadi is the Telugu version of chutney, typically made of vegetables/greens/lentils and roasted green or red chilis, using tamarind and sometimes curds as a base. It is prepared fresh and must be consumed within two days due to having a short shelf life. Ooragaya is prepared in massive amounts each season. Preparation includes using large amounts of chili powder, as well as menthi (fenugreek) powder, mustard powder, and groundnut (peanut) oil or sesame or mustard oil. It is either consumed on its own, mixed with rice, or as a side dish with pappu/koora.

Andhra chepala pulusu (tamarind fish curry)

While a sizeable portion of the Telugu-speaking population are vegetarian, the majority also consume non-vegetarian dishes. The state of Andhra Pradesh produces abundant seafood and has an established poultry industry. Lamb meat has also been consumed for centuries in the region. Andhra restaurant chains and hotels are very popular in other states due to the extensive variety of meat featured on their menus.

Hyderabadi biryani and palaav, or "Andhra biryani", are popular dishes within the region. Royyala palav, made with shrimp, is considered a delicacy in coastal Andhra Pradesh. Mutton biryani and mixed biryani (chicken, mutton, and shrimp) are other popular biryani dishes, generally available in restaurants. There are many local variations as well, such as kaaja biryani, kunda biryani (pot biryani), avakaya biryani, ulavacharu biryani,[4] and panasa biryani.

Kodi (chicken) koora and mutton koora are two popular meat dishes, often made with a range of spices and condiments. The base usually consists of onions, tomato, coriander, tamarind, and coconut. These are mixed with steamed rice on the plate during the meal. Pepper is also used on fried meat dishes. Popular dishes commonly served in Andhra-style restaurants include the spicy Andhra chili chicken,[5] chicken roast, and mutton pepper fry. For seafood dishes, a tamarind base is generally used. Shrimp and prawns are widely available for use in cuisine, due to the state's extensive shrimp farming industry.

Other common meat dishes include:

• Talakaya koora: a hearty meat curry with bold flavours, made with lamb's head, coriander, and spices.
• Chepala pulusu: a fish curry seasoned with freshly ground spices and tamarind juice.
• Endu chepala vankaya: a flavourful dry fish curry cooked with brinjal.[6]
• Royyala koora: prawns cooked in a tangy paste of tamarind and onion.
• Gongura mamsam: spicy curry made with tender lamb pieces cooked in a curry of gongura (roselle leaves) and freshly-ground green chili paste.
• Kodi gudllu pulusu: egg curry sprinkled with chopped onions, green chilis, and coriander.

These curries are usually served with steamed rice, bagara khana (basmati rice cooked with aromatic seasoning), sajja roti (millet flatbread), or jonna roti (jowar flatbread).

Non-vegetarian snacks include kodi pakodi (chicken pakora), chicken 65, peetha pakodi (crab pakodi), chepa vepudu (fish fry), royyala vepudu (shrimp fry), and chicken lollipop.

Bhimavaram town in West Godavari district is famous for its unique non-vegetarian pickles, such as chicken, shrimp, and fish pickles.

The area near Rajamundry and Araku is famous for bongu (bamboo) chicken curry.