Andhra style Nilava usirikaya pachadi

Usiri Kaya or the Amla or Gooseberry is one of the seasonal fruits which is rich in anti oxidants.  It has lot of health benefits when it is consumed in any form.. Amla pickle also known as Nilava usiri avakaya or nilava usirikaya pachadi is one of the popular pickle varieties in Andhra and Telengana.  Usirikaya is also called as Nellikaya in Tamil has vitamin C and vitamin A.  The Usirikaya is a seasonal fruit and so it is preserved for use through out the year.  Today in this article you will know about one recipe called as Usirikaya Nilava Pachadi.  It is essentially a dry mix of pounded Usirikaya mixed with salt and turmeric.

Ingredients required :  

• Usirikaya ( Amla ) or Nellikai or Indian gooseberry -  1 Kg
• Salt -  1/3 cup
• Turmeric -  3 table spoons

Method of preparation of Usirikaya Pachadi :

• First examine carefully the gooseberries and discard any that are bruise.  
• Wash them thoroughly
• Wipe them dry with a clean dry cloth and spread them on a newspaper or a cloth and let them dry completely.  You can leave them to dry overnight
• Make sure that your hands are dry. Cut the gooseberries using a knife into small pieces. Discard the seeds
• Roughly grind the pieces with salt and turmeric and see that the texture is grainy and not smooth
• Transfer the Usirikaya Nilava pachadi into a clean, dry and air tight glass container
• After 3 to 4 days you can start using it to make Usirikaya Pachadi.

Using  Usirikaya Pachadi :

There are many ways to use Usirikaya Nilava Pachadi. Here is a simple recipe for making Usirikaya Pachadi that you can relish with rice and ghee.

Ingredients required:

• Fresh Kothimira ( Coriander leaves )  -  2 cups
• Green chillies -  5 to 7 
• Usirikaya Nilava pachadi -  3 to 4 table spoons
• Oil -  1 table spoon
• Mustard seeds -  1/2 tsp
• Red chillies -  3 nos
• Salt to taste ( if required )

Method of using Usirikaya pachadi :

• First grind the coriander, Usirikaya nilava pachadi and the green chillies together with little water into a chutney
• Add salt if required and mix well.  Remember that the Usirikaya nilava pachadi has lot of salt in it
• Heat the oil and add mustard seeds and wait till then splutter
• Add split red chillies and saute for few seconda
• Add to the usirikaya pachadi and mix well

Serve Usirikaya pachadi with hot steaming rice and ghee..

If you want to know about more Indian recipes,  you can visit my other blog on Indian Recipes.

Pesara Pappu Pachadi - Moong dal chutney

The Moong dal chutney or the Pesara pappu pachadi in telugu is an instant recipe when you are tired and want to sort out things quickly and still have a fulfilling meal.  The Pesara pappu chutney barely takes 10 minutes for preparing and it can be taken with steamed rice as well as with Upma and dosa also.  Please read this article to know how to prepare pesara pappu pachadi...

Ingredients required :

• Green Gram – 1Cup (200gms)
• Cumin Seeds – 1 1/2tsps
• Red Chilies – 6 or to Taste
• Salt – 1 1/2tsps or to taste
• Asafoetida – A Pinch
• Lemon Juice – 1tbsp
• Water – 20ml

Method to prepare Pesara pachadi :

• First wash the green gram thoroughly and soak it in water for about 40 minutes.  Break red chillies into small pieces.  Take a paper plate and add cumin and red chilli pieces to it.  Place this paper plate in microwave oven and roast on high power for 10 to 15 seconds
• Take a mixie jar and add the roasted cumin and red chillies into it.  
• Grind them to a coarse powder.  Now add soaked dal little by little and grind it.  The texture should be slightly coarse but not a fine paste.  
• Now the take the ground chutney into a bowl and grind the remaining dal also in similar texture. Mix the chutney well.  
• Add asafoetia and salt to the chutney. Add lemon juice and mix again. 

Now the chutney is ready to serve. Transfer to a bowl and serve with steamed rice and ghee.

If you want to know about more Indian recipes,  you can visit my other blog on Indian Recipes.

How to make Bombayi Chutney

Bombayi Chutney or bombay chutney is one of side dish which is served along with Dosa, Poori or Chapathi in Andhra Pradesh.   It is the Besan chutney which is very tasty especially when taken with Poori or chapathi. The Bombayi chutney is a gravy dish served as a side with items like Poori, Chapathi or even Dosa in the breakfast.  It is very popular dish in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil nadu.  Go to any small road side tiffin center in any small village or town in Andhra Pradesh, you are sure to find 'Bombayi chutney'  served alongwith Dosa or Poori  ( especially it is served with Poori ).   

The Bombayi chutney is basically a Maharashtrian recipe called Pitla adapted to South Indian palate.  That is why it is called as Bombay chutney.  There are three to four varieties of bombay chutney recipes and they vary slightly by slight changes in tempering or addition of onion, tomato or potato to change the flavor.  The bombay chutney with potato goes best with tiffins like Poori or Chapati or roti.  Another version without onions is good to take along with Idli.  


It is very easy to make Bombay chutney and makes a pleasant change from the traditional chutneys like coconut chutney or the sambhar. Today we will see the Bombay chutney made with tomatoes and onions.  If we get sudden guests, run out of vegetables and run out of time then it is best to prepare Bombay chutney which is very simple and easy to cook.  In this article we will see how to make Bombay chutney suitable for eating with Dosa or Poori


Ingredients required :

• Onion ( large )  -  1 no sliced
• Green chillies -  3 nos cut into pieces
• Ginger -  1" finely chopped
• Tomato - large one -  1 no. sliced
• Besan -  2 heaped table spoons
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 table spoon
• Water - 3 to 4 cups
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

For tempering :

• Mustard seeds -  1/2 table spoon
• Split grams ( urad dal or minapa pappu )  1/2 table spoon
• Chana dal ( Senaga pappu ) -- optional
• Curry leaves - required quantity
• Oil  -  1 table spoon
• Asafoetida -  1/4 table spoon

Method to make Bombay chutney :

• First mix besan in one cup of water till lumps are not seen and keep it aside
• Now heat oil in a vessel till hot.  Now reduce the flame and add Mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.  Add urad dal and chana dal and allow them to turn red. Add the curry leaves, green chillies and ginger and add asafoetida and mix for few seconds
• Now you can add the sliced onions and saute for 5 minutes on low flame.  Add turmeric powder and salt and mix well
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cook with lid closed on a low flame for 5 to 6 minutes
• Add 3 cups of water and boil.  Reduce the flame, slowly add besan and keep stirring continuously.  Now you can see that the mixture thickens.  Keep stirring till no lumps are seen
• Now cook on low flame by closing the lid for 6 minutes or till rawness disappears. 

Turn off the flame and shift the Bombay chutney to a serving bowl.  Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Dosa, Puri or chapati.   Butter milk can also be added to get a slight sour flavor to the chutney


If you want to know about more Indian recipes,  you can visit my other blog on Indian Recipes.

Kobbari pachadi recipe

The Kobbari pachadi or the coconut chutney is one of the favourite chutneys in Andhra Pradesh.  There are two varieties of kobbari pachadis -  One is taken in breakfast along with dosa or idli  and the other one is taken along with steamed rice.  This article talks about how to prepare kobbari pachadi which is to be eaten along with rice.

Once you introduce your taste buds to this Andhra style coconut chutney, it will quickly become your favorite dip to pair with steamed rice.   Now let us see how to prepare kobbari pachadi..

Ingredients required :

• Freshly grated coconut -  1 1/4 cup
• Cumin seeds  ( Jeela karra ) -- 1/2 table spoon
• Split gram dal ( Minapa pappu / urad dal )  -  1 table spoon
• Bengal gram ( senaga pappu )  -  1 table spoon
• Green chillies -  2 nos cut into two
• Dry red chillies -  2 nos tear and de-seed
• Garlic flakes - 4 to 5 Nos
• Tamarind -  sufficient quantity ( lemon sized or little more )
• Oil  -  2 to 3 table spoons
• Salt to taste
• Sugar if required ( optional )

For tempering :

• Mustard seeds -   1/2 table spoon
• Minapa ppu ( split gram ))  -  1 table spoon
• Curry leaves -  15 to 20
• Oil  -  1 table spoon

Method of preparation of Kobbari pachadi:

• First you need to heat oil in  a pan.  
• Add cumin and toast for few seconds and add the dals and let them turn red
• Now add garlic, red chillies and green chillies and fry them for 30 seconds on a low flame
• Finally add the grated coconut pieces and stir fry for a minute.  Remove all from the pan and let them cool
• Now grind the toasted ingredients, tamarind, salt and sugar to a slightly coarse paste by adding little water.
• Now heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and let them pop.  Add the split black grams and let it become brown.  Add the curry leaves and toss them for few seconds till flavour comes out
• Turn off the heat and serve the kobbari pachadi with steamed rice and ghee

If you want to know about more Indian recipes,  you can visit my other blog on Indian Recipes.


Want  to know about Endu kobbari podi which is an excellent item to be served along with Dosa, Idli or even steamed rice?,  then  lease read my article on Endu Kobbari Podi..

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Andhra Avakaya - Mango pickle recipe

We all know that Andhra pradesh is very much famous for Avakaya or the Mango Pickle.  The Andhra mango pickle goes with the name Avakaya.  'Ava' means mustard and 'Kaya' means raw fruit.  There are many varieties of Avakai but the king of pickles is the mango pickle.  The mango pickle is one of the best traditional culinary items of Indian food.

There is a saying that no Andhra meal is complete without Avakaya.  Where ever place you go in Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu people take pride in serving the guests with a comfortable andhra meals consisting of steamed white rice, mudda pappu ( mashed tur dal ), Kotha Avakaya ( new freshly made mango pickle ) with a dollop of ghee along with some vegetable fry or curry, rasam, appadam and perugu ( curd ).

Normally mangoes arrive in the summer season and telugu people start preparing the Avakaya during the summer season.  It is a fun process where all family members are involved into making the Avakaya and fill large Jaadis ( ceramic pickle jars ) with prepared Avakaya.    Now let us see how to prepare Avakaya or the Mango pickle.

The mangoes are to be plucked on the same day to prepare the Avakaya.  We should not use the mango which falls off the tree. The fresh raw mangoes are soaked in water for an hour, wiped dry and carefully cut with a special knife into uniform pieces.

Main ingredients required :

• Raw mangoes
• Red chilli powder
• Mustard powder

Ingredients required :

• Raw green mangoes -  3 medium sized each one cut into 8 pieces ( approx 4 cups )
• Mustard seeds powder - 1 cup
• Red chilli powder  -  1 Cup ( 3 mangoes brand can be used )
• Salt -  3/4 cup powdered white crystal salt ( Kallu uppu )
• Gingelly oil -  1 1/4 cups
• Garlic cloves -  1/3 cup
• Methi seeds -  1 1/2 tsps

Method of preparation of Andhra Avakaya:

• Wash the mangoes in water for one hour.  Wash the pickle jars nice and dry them in sun light and see that there is no moisture
• Wipe the mangoes with a cloth and cut them into uniform pieces with the kernel intact
• Clean the pieces with soft cloth and spread them over a dry cloth 
• Grind the sun dried mustard seeds to a fine powder and keep it aside
• Grind the crystal salt to fine and keep it aside
• Now peel the garlic and set aside
• Now take a large vessel or bowl and add the red chilli powder, mustard powder and salt and mix well with dry hands.  Add methi seeds, garlic cloves and 3/4 cup of oil and mix well.  
• Add the mango pieces and mix well with the hands such that the mixture coats the mango pieces
• Now take the spice coated mango pieces along with some of the spice mixture and add to the jar.  Any remaining spice powder should be added to the jar.  Now pour 1/4 cup of oil on top and cover the pickle jar with the lid.  Tie a cloth cover over the lid and keep it in a moisture free area
• Open the pickle jar on 4th day and mix the contents carefully.  Taste the mixture and check if it is salty.  If required add 1 to 2 tbsps.  Pour 1/4 cup of oil on top and again cover the jar with lid and tie a clothe cover over it.  Wait for another 4 days
• After another 4 days mix the pickle carefully with a clean and dry ladle.  The mango pickle is now ready for use 

  Remove a small quantity of the Avakaya into a small bowl for daily use.  Serve the kotha avakaya with hot steamed rice and ghee.      We can also make the famous Mamidikaya pappu ( mango dal ) which is a favourite dish of telugu people using the mangoes.  To know more about Mamidikaya pappu,  please read my article on how to make Mamidikaya pappu...


If you want to know about more Indian recipes,  you can visit my other blog on Indian Recipes.

Beera kaya peechu pachadi - Ridge gourd skin chutney

Ridge gourd or Beera kaya is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol.  It is rich in fiber.  The beera kaya has so many qualities, so the skin also.  When ever we make any curry with beera kaya, we can store the skin for further use.  We can make chutney with the skin ( Beera peechu pachadi ).  Let us see how to make Beera peechu pachadi now.

Ingredients required :

• Ridge Gourd skin ( Beera peechu ) --  1 cup or skin of three ridge gourds
• Tomato - 1 piece
• Garlic -  4 to 5 nos ( optional )
• Tamarind - small lemon sized 
• Salt to taste

For tempering :

• Oil  -  2 table spoons
• Mustard seeds -  1 table spoon
• Black gram and bengal gram -  1 tbsp each
• Red chillies -  5 to 6 pieces
• Green chillies -  2 nos
• Fenugreek seeds -  1 tsp
• Asafoetida -  1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Method to prepare Beera peechu pachadi:

• First take out the skin of the Beera kaya ( ridge gourd .  Chop it finely and wash
• Cut a tomato into few pieces
• Heat oil in a pan and add the ingredients under "for tempering".  Fry them till the dals turn into brown colour.  Keep them aside in  a plate
• Again heat oil in the pan and add the skin of ridge gourd, tomato pieces and tamarind
• Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or till the skin becomes soft
• Now turn off the flame and add garlic.  Let it cool for some time
• Now take some portion of the tempering with all the red chillies and green chillies, add salt and grind them
• Now add the cooked ridge gourd skin, tomatoes and tamarind mixture to it and again grind to make paste.  Add water if it is necesary
• The paste should be little bit coarse and not smooth

This can be served with hot steamed rice..   tastes excellent...     If you want to know about more Indian recipes,  you can visit my other blog on Indian Recipes.

Kalchina Vankaya roti pachadi

Nothing can beat the excellent combination of roti pachadi ( mortar pestle chutney ) with hot steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.   The roti pachadi tastes very delicious.  Brinjal or Vankaya is known as the king of vegetables which has its own importance in Indian cuisine

and it tastes great in any form.  As far as Andhra Pradesh is concerned,  Kalchina Vankaya roti pachadi or roasted eggplant chutney using brinjal is very famous pachadi.  The flavour and texture is really different when prepared using mortar pestle that it cannot replicate in a mixer or a grinder.

Now let us see how to prepare Kalchina vankaya roti pachadi... 

Method of preparing Kalchina vankaya roti pachadi:

• First grease brinjals with few drops of oil and roast over direct low flame. Keep rotating the brinjal to ensure even cooking using tongs or holding the stem of the brinjal.
• Once the brinjal is charred on all sides, remove from flame and leave aside to cool for about 10 minutes.  Repeat the procedure with 4 to 5 brinjals or as many as you wish to use
• Now heat oil in  a pan over medium heat and lightly fry green chillies for a minute and transfer to a plate.
• Spread some tomatoes ( cut in circular pieces ) in the same pan and roast on both sides till they are lightly charred.  Turn off the heat and transfer to another plate
• Now peel off the skin of brinjals and keep aside.  
• Now in a mortar and pestle, add garlic, soaked tamarind and cumin seeds I( jeela karra ) and mash it.
• Now add green chillies and a little salt and mash again
• To this add roasted tomato pieces and mash once again
• Now add roasted vankaya ( egg plants ) and coarsely mash the brinjals
• Check salt and adjust if required

This Vankaya roti pachadi can be served as it is or you can add tempering for more flavour.  The Kalchina vankaya pachadi tastes excellent even without tempering.  It can be served with hot steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.  It can also be served along with Idli, paratha or roti.

If you want to know about more Indian recipes,  you can visit my other blog on Indian Recipes.