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Andhra cuisine consists of various everyday dishes and delicacies consumed by the people of the Indian state Andhra Pradesh. The cuisine is itself highly varying, from region to region. Each district has its own heritage when it comes to delicacies and dishes.

A normal day in the life of a person from Andhrapradesh would have

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Evening Snacks
• Dinner

Breakfast(ఉపాహారము)

The breakfast would consist of an item or two that have been prepared fresh in the morning. This would be accompanied by a cup or coffee or tea, based on the region.

Some common breakfast items are

• Upma
• Dosa
• Idli
• Vada

More are listed below. Breakfast is either prepared at home, by preparing the required batter a day earlier, or by getting the items from a near by stall or small hotel.

Regular meal (భోజనము)

A typical Andhra meal is made of 5 courses, and Rice is an important part of it. Below are the items that make the 5 course meal.

• Dal
• Curry (dry or wet)
• Pickle or Chutney from a vegetable
• Sambar / Rasam / Any Liquid item
• Yoghurt / Butter Milk

The meal is usually accompanied by any or all of the following

• Papads
• Fried chilli
• Vadiyalu

Meal is being served after Puja ceremony at a home in Guntur.

While Rice is an important part for people hailing from the Coastal regions, people from inner parts of the state, like Adilabad district also take Jowar Roti, Roti as a part of main course. This difference could be attributed for the fact that the Rice is more abundant in coastal regions.

While a 5 course meal is common for lunch, dinner usually consists of 3-4 course meal, and would be lighter compared to lunch. Lunch or Dinner is usually followed by Tamboolam. A traditional Tamboolam is made of Betel leaves and nut powder, with negligible amount of lime paste.

Lunch

Lunch is an elaborate affair in some households. Though many people use a plate made of stainless steel for having lunch, the traditional way requires the lunch to be served on a Plantain Leaf or a man made leaf called Vistari (This is usually made of the leaves of Almond trees that grow in the backyards of Indian homes). It is still a mandatory to have lunch in a leaf instead of a plate on special occassions and festivals.

• Cooked Rice
• Pappu, the Telugu word for cooked Redgram / Pigeonpea seeds.
• For vegetable entrees/curries a wide variety of vegetables are used which also includes green leafy vegetables. Non-vegetarian curries include "Kodikoora" (Chicken), "yatamamsam" (goat mutton), "Chepakoora" (Fish), "Royyakoora" (Prawn) and "Peethalakoora" (Crab).* Vepudu - Fried vegetable curry
• Podi - Various types of powders eaten along with ghee(Neyyi). These are dry powders made from different lentils or chillies.
• Patchadi (Pickles), e.g., Uragaaya, Aavakaaya (spicy mango pickle) and one made of a leafy vegetable called Gongura. Pickles, fresh as well as preserved, are made from all kinds of fruits and vegetables.
• Vulavacharu (cooked Horsegram soup) with cream is fast becoming an international recipe.
• Pappuchaaru - (Lentil / Redgram based vegetable soup)
• Pulusu - A vegetable broth resembling sambar, but very different in preparation and taste.
• Chaaru - A lighter version of Sambaar without vegetables.
• Majjiga Pulusu - Buttermilk cooked with a table spoon of Turmeric powder and boiled vegetables.

• Perugu (Yoghurt) or Majjiga (Buttermilk)
• Appadam (Papadums) usually eaten with pulusu or sambar.
• A sweet dish or two.
• Bananas
• Tamalapaku-vakkapodi (Also called Killi, Beeda or Paan) made of fresh Betel leaves and Arecanut pieces and Lime.

(Among the above mentioned items either Pappucharu or Pulusu and either Buttermilk or Yoghurt are consumed. Tamarind rice is consumed on special occasions or during travel because it can be preserved for one to two days).

Andhra Pradesh is also the largest producer of chilli pepper and the local cuisine tends to use it a lot. Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh is famous for its Hyderabadi Biryani.

Breakfast foods (ఉపాహారము)

Idlis are commonly eaten as a breakfast item or as a full meal along with Coconut Chutney, called Kobbari Patchadi in Telugu, and/or sambar. At times, Ginger Chutney (Allam Pachadi), Chilly powder (Kaarampodi) and Ghee are also eaten along with Idli.

Pesarattu served with Kobbari Pachadi in Bhimavaram.

Ravva Dosa served at a Hotel in Guntur.

Minapattu (Dosa) is also commonly eaten for breakfast or the evening snack. There are several varieties eaten such as the Masala Dosa, Rava Dosa, Sada Dosa, and Rava Masala Dosa. Generally, Andhra-style versions of these Dosas are spicier and crispier than those of its other South Indian counterparts.

Pesarattu is also a key item in Andhra cuisine. It is more similar to Dosa but the batter is made of green mung beans, the taste of which is unique. It is usually thin and crispy, with a topping of chopped onions, green chillies, ginger pieces, and coriander. It is accompanied by Chutney mainly made of ginger. MLA Pesarattu is a more popular variety of pesarattus which has Upma as filling.

Uppu Pindi or Uppidi Pindi is equivalent to Upma, commonly consumed as breakfast item or as a full meal along with Patchadi (Chutney) in Telugu. This dish is prepared with Rice Ravva (split/broken rice), mung dal (split green gram), freshly grated coconut, fresh green chillies and curry leaves.

Lunch

Lunch is an elaborate affair in many households.

A typical lunch in a traditional household is served on a plantain leaf (arati aaku) or vistari, a plate made of broad leaves sewn together ( badamaaku vistari or kuttudakula vistari ). Now a days it is mostly served on a broad steel plate(kancham). However the plantain leaf and the vistari are still a must have on festival days, special events like marriages etc.

All the items for lunch are served on this plate in a specific order - curries and pappu on the right hand side of the person , chutneys , pickles or podi on the left hand side, special items like pulihora , garelu at the top right opposite to the person seated and rice in the middle. A very little amount of pulusu, ghee and buttermilk is typically sprayed on the leaf. Ghee is a must to mix with every item except perugu / majjiga.

Modati Mudda / Starter - Rice with some podi or khaaram or a certain variety of pickles and ghee is consumed as the modati mudda (the first bite). All of the modati mudda items tend to be sour or hot in taste, are very aromatic, include ingredients with medicinal values like dry ginger and curry leaves and are supposed to simulate appetite and aid digestion. The amount eaten is very small - 4-5 balls of rice called muddalu. In some districts like Guntur, any chutney is also considered a modati mudda item and is consumed before anything else.

Some of the typical Modati Mudda items include

• Dhaniyala karappodi - roasted chillies ground with coriander seeds
• Karivepaku karappodi - Roasted chillies and curry leaves
• Shonthi podi - Dry ginger ground with a pinch of salt
• Nuvvula podi - Sesame seeds ground with roasted chillies

• Kottimeera khaaram - Coriander ( cilantro ) leaves ground with raw or roasted red chillies
• Karivepaku Khaaram - Curry leaves ground with raw or roasted red chillies
• Allam Khaaram - Ginger ground with raw or roasted red chillies and green chillies
• Pachimirapakaya Khaaram - Roasted and ground Green chillies

• Usirikaya pachadi - a pickle made of Indian gooseberries - typically mixed with roasted red chillies or chilli powder
• Nimmakaya pachadi - a pickle made of Indian key lime
• Dabbakaya pachadi - a pickle made of Indian grape fruit

Main Course There is a great regional variation in terms of what is consumed after the modati mudda. In some districts like Krishna and Guntur, koora ( curry ) is consumed next. In districts like West Godavari Pappu (daal) is consumed after the modati mudda followed by pachadi, pulusu and majjiga.

Koora - A variety of Kooralu ( curries ) are made across the region

• Vepudu - Fried vegetables. Typically include bendakaya (okra), dondakaya (tindora), Bangaladumpa (Potato), Colocasia ( Chamadumpa )etc. Crispy in nature.
• Kaaram Petti Koora / Koora Podi Koora - Sauteed vegetables cooked with Curry powder / Curry paste. The curry will be a solid mass - not individual fried pieces like vepudu, nor gravy like pulusu koora. At times the vegetables are stuffed with Curry powder / curry paste and cooked in whole ( andhra gutti vankaya, Gutti Kakarakaya, Beerakaya etc )
• Pulusu Koora / Aava petti Koora - Boiled vegetables cooked in Tamarind sauce and mustard paste.
• Pappu Koora - Boiled vegetables stir fried with a little amount of half cooked dal.
• Others - Other typical gravy based curries that are chiefly made with vegetable cooked in tomato sauce and onion with coriander powder and cumin powder.

Pappu - Toor Daal ( Kandi Pappu ) or Moong Daal ( Pesara pappu ) cooked with a vegetable or green. No masala is added to the dal. Some regions include garlic and onion in the seasoning while some regions prefer asafetida ( hing/Inguva). Some times the cooked version of the dal is replaced with a roast and ground version of the dal like Kandi pachadi ( roasted toor daal ground with red chillies ) and pesara pachadi ( soaked moong daal ground with red chillies or green chillies ).

A very popular Andhra combo is mudda pappu ( plain toor dal cooked with salt ) with Avakaya.

Pachadi / Ooragaya - For a typical Andhrite, no meal is complete without this very essential item. It is consumed on it own mixed with rice and is also eaten as a side dish with pappu / koora. There are two broad varieties - Pachadi ( chutney) is typically made of vegetables/greens and roasted green/ red chillies. It is prepared fresh and is consumed within a day or two. Ooragaya is prepared in massive amounts seasonally and uses liberal amounts of chilli powder, methi ( fenugreek ) powder , mustard powder and oil. Some of the items include

• Vegetable pachadi - Made with vegetables like bottle gourd,eggplant, okra etc. The vegetable is cooke al-dante and is ground together with roasted red chillies/ green chillies, fenu greek seeds and mustard seeds.

• Greens Pachadi - The most popular one is Gongura pachadi - made out of red sorrel leaves and roasted red chillies. It is unique to Andhra cuisine and is a must have for any meal that boasts to give the eater a taste of Andhra. Other than this, chukka koora ( a variety of sour leafy green found in AP ) pachadi is also very popular. Chutney is also made out of Coriander leaves / Curry leaves. This is normally consumed as a modati mudda item.

Ooragaya - Andhrapradesh is very famous for a variety of these hot spicy pickles that one gets addicted to. Pickles like Nimmakay , Dabbakaya, Usirikaya have medicinal values that improve with aging. The very high levels of Vitamin A in these pickles boost immunity and are served as apetizing items for sick people recovering from their illness and for new mothers. A few of the Ooragaya items include

• Avakaya - The most popular item of Andhra cuisine. It is made of cut green mangoes, mustard powder, red chilli powder and vegetable oil. It is prepared during the summer months of April/May when green mangoes are abundant. Every family in Andhra is rather proud of its own recipe for this pickle based on the variety of mango, chilli and the oil used. Like Gongura pachadi, it exemplifies the Andhra cuisine and is a sure to have item in any show case Andhra lunch. For many Andhrites, it is a must to have side dish with any pappu item. Mudda pappu ( cooked toor dal ) and avakaya combination is a staple in most households. There are umpteen number of varieties of avakaya - with garlic / without garlic and depending on the other ingredients used like pesarakaya ( avakaya with moong dal powder ), menthi kaya ( avakaya with fenugreek powder ), neeti kaya ( avakaya made by grinding mustard paste with water ).

• Magaya - Like Avakaya, this is made during the summer time. Mangoes are cut, marinated in their own juice, dried and then mixed with the juice, chilli powder, methi powder and seasoning. It is a very popular pickle in the coastal Andhra region. For some people it is a must to have side dish with yogurt (curd) rice.

• Dosa Avakaya - Avakaya made with English (Yellow ) cucumber. Serves as a substitute for the regular avakaya towards the end of the season. A staple served during winter marriages when raw mangoes are not readily available. Recent times have seen cauliflower avakaya also become famous. The english cucumber is replaced by cauliflower in this version.

• Tomato - A relatively new (19th century ) addition to the wide range of andhra pickles. Made in the winter season by marinating tomatoes in their own juice, drying and then mixing them with the juice, chilli powder, methi powder and seasoning.

• Korivi Khaaram - The spiciest of the pickles and a unique andhra item too. It is made by grinding ripe red chillies (Pandu Mirapakaya) with tamarind and salt. Pandu mirapakaya is grown in abundance in the palnadu region of Andhra pradesh ( Guntur district and the surrounding areas ). This variety is very famous for its spice and color. A few modifications to this pickle include combinations of Pandumirapakaya with gongura or Pandumirapakaya with raw tamarind fruit ( chintakaya ).

• Chintakaya - Made by grinding raw tamarind fruit ( Chintakaya ) and salt. It is made during the winter season. The marinated pickle is taken in small quantities and is made into a chutney with roasted red chillies whenever it is consumed.

• Nimmakaya - Made by marinating Indian key lime in its own juice for a few days and then mixing it with salt, methi powder and chilli powder.

• Usirikaya - Made by grinding Indian gooseberries and salt. The pickle is marinated throghout the year , picked in small quantities whenever needed and is made into a chutney by grinding it with roast red chillies. Most people avoid consuming Indian gooseberries at night. Saying the name in the night (Usirikaya) is also a taboo and is prominently called Nallakaya. This fruit and the tree are revered as abodes of Vishnu and are worshipped in the month of Karthikam ( October / November ). Eating a meal consisting of raw gooseberry chutney sitting under the Indian Gooseberry tree is a tradition during these months.

• Dabbakaya - A lesser known pickle to the current generation. Made out of Indian grapefruit. Typically consumed as a modati mudda item. Buttermilk mixed with the tender dabbakaya leaves ( dabbaku majjiga ) is supposed to quench extreme thirst during the hot summer months.

Pulusu / Charu - Unlike most other cusines, the andhra food doesn't include a soup or salad. Pulusu/Dhappalam is the most important liquid item of the meal. Some of typical pulusu items include

• Kharam Pulusu - Any vegetable cooked in very dilute tamarind juice and pulusu podi ( made of roast red chillies, coriander powder )
• Tiyya pulusu - Mild and sweet vegetables like Pumpkin or sweet potato cooked in light tamarind juice with jaggery
• Pachi pulusu - Unheated version of the pulusu . It includes finely chopped raw onions in a very dilute tamarind juice with jaggery. In the summer season when mangoes are abundant, tamarind is replaced by stewed raw mango. It is mostly consumed during the hot season.
• Pappucharu - Vegetables boiled with cooked toor dal and tamarind. No sambar / masala powder is added.
• Sambar - Vegetables boiled with cooked toor dal, tamarind and sambar powder.
• Challa Pulusu / Majjiga pulusu - Sour buttermilk boiled with channa dal and coconut paste
• Menthi Challa / Menthi Majjiga - Sour buttermilk seasoned with ginger / green chilli paste and menthi seeds fried in oil.
• Charu - A very dilute concoction of tamarind and charu podi ( made of coriander seeds, dal,ginger,pepper and hing ). It is also taken as such during the meal like a soup without mixing with rice.

Perugu / Majjiga - The last item of the meal. Perugu ( curd ) is normally consumed with an accompaniment like pachadi or ooragaya. Some people prefer majjiga ( buttermilk ) over perugu due to medicinal reasons. The good qualities of perugu are supposed to be enhanced and the bad effects subdued by churning it manually with water into buttermilk.

Evening snacks (ఫలహారము)

At home, many savory snacks make appearance during evening time. These are

• Kaarappoosa - కారప్పూస
• Chekkalu - చెక్కలు
• Jantikalu - జంతికలు
• Sakinalu or Chakkiralu - చక్కిరాలు
• Chuppulu - చుప్పులు
• Chegodilu - చేగోడీలు
• Guggillu - గుగ్గిళ్ళు
• Pakodi - పకోడీ
• Boondi - బూంది
• Mixture' (Boondi mixed with chopped onions and lemon juice) -
• Ponganalu - పొంగనాలు
• Punukulu - పునుకులు
• Upma - ఉప్మా
• Bondaalu or Punukulu' with spicy dips (allam pachadi) - బొండాలు
• Mirapakaya Bajji - (a local variety of extra-hot chillies stuffed with spices and dipped in chick pea batter and fried).
• Ullipakodi - (fritters made with sliced onion and spices in chickpea batter).
• Gaare - గారే (similar to Vada). Gaares are a deep fried and spiced dough.
• Perugu gaare / Aavadalu - ఆవడలు (Gaare are marinated in a yoghurt sauce).

Sweets

Pootha rekulu

• Laddu
• Boorelu
• Bobbatlu
• Ariselu
• Pootha rekulu
• SunniUndalu
• Polelu
• Garjelu
• Kakinada Khaja
• Payasam
• Sunnundalu
• Ravva Laddu
• Appaalu
• Gavvalu
• Kajji Kaayalu
• chakkera pongali(sugar pongal)
• laskora(coconut laddu)
• Boondi
• Palathalikalu
• Venna Undalu
• Mogali Rekulu
• Ravva Kesari
• Pappuchekka
• Jeedilu
• Kobbari Lavuju
• Khajalu

Regional Variations

There are regional variations in Andhra cuisine. Telangana, the western region of Andhra Pradesh has some unique dishes in its cuisine. Dishes like Jonna Rotte (Sorghum), Sajja Rotte (Penisetum), Uppudi Pindi (broken rice) are common. Telangana cuisine is influenced by Persian and Afghan cuisine as Telangana was under the control of Muslim kings for a long time. In northern Telangana districts the cuisine has dishes similar to those found in Maharashtra such as Kadi.

See also

• Indian cuisine
• Tamil cuisine
• Cuisine of Karnataka