Andhra Cuisine: Food From South East India

Andhra Pradesh is a state located in the southeastern part of India. This state has two regions – Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra.

Most parts of Rayalaseema are dry and semi-arid. Coastal Andhra has fertile land and has a highly productive agriculture. 

Andhra cuisine is well known for a hot, spicy and diverse culinary culture. This state is the largest producer of Guntur red chillies that are widely known for their extremely fiery flavour and deep red colour that they impart to the dishes.

The rich colour and liberal use of red chillies and chilli powder is clearly evident in most of the dishes, from pickles, curries and chutneys. 

Andhra Pradesh is an exporter of many agricultural products – rice, cotton, sugarcane, red chillies and mangoes.

Rice is the prominent grain consumed in Andhra Pradesh followed by grains, pulses and millets.

List of a few popular vegetarian dishes: 

Pesarattu: A dosa variety made of whole green gram (moong). It is a popular breakfast served with varieties of chutneys. 

Pulihora: Tangy and spicy rice dish made with tamarind, peanuts and a few spices. It is one of the most preferred dishes at festivals.

Ragi Sangati: A healthy gluten-free dish made with cooked rice and finger millet. generally served with a curry and an accompaniment. 

Gutti Vankaya Kura: A delicious stuffed aubergine curry that pairs well with rice and chapati. 

Gongura Pachadi: A spicy and tangy unique dish made with sorrel leaves. Andhra thali is incomplete without a variety of pickles. Among the various pickles gongura pachadi is most preferred in Andhra households. 

Ulava Charu: A signature dish from Andhra pradesh is this delicious soup made of horse gram.

Chinta Chiguru Pappu: Delicious dal made of tender tamarind leaves.

Mudda Pappu: A classic Andhra dish made of toor dal (pigeon peas). It is basically a simple dal made with just a few ingredients and usually served with rice, a dollop of ghee and pickle.

Kudumulu: Traditional steam balls made with rice flour. These could be made either savoury or sweet. The sweet balls are specifically made for festivals.

Pootharekulu: A sweet dish made of rice batter, sugar and butter.  It is a traditional dessert in coastal Andhra Pradesh and is fondly called “Paper Sweet” due to its paper-thin texture. The word “Pootha” means coating and the word “Rekulu” means sheets. Each layer of ultra thin paper sheets is stuffed with sugar, dry fruits, butter and rolled.  

Boorelu: A sweet dish made of rice and urad dal batter, jaggery and chana dal. A stuffing made of chana dal and jaggery is rolled into balls, coated with batter and deep fried until the outer is crisp and golden brown. 

Are you looking to expand culinary horizons? Then check Kathiyawadi, Malabari, Maharashtrian, Chettinad, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Kumaoni, Awadhi, Malnad. Do like, share this post and let us know in comments which Indian cuisine do you want us to write about next?