Andhra cuisine is the traditional culinary style of the Telugu people, who are native to the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is generally known for its tangy, hot, and spicy taste.
Staple foods Andhra cuisine relies on a diverse varieties of agricultural produce, but rice is central staple food of the region, forming the base around which daily meals are structured. Rather than being eaten as standalone dishes, most preparations are designed to be mixed into or served alongside steamed rice.
Koora Koora (కూర), a word for a curry. Koora dishes are named for the ingredients used and the method of preparation. There is also iguru(ఇగురు) which is a type of curry where most of the moisture evaporates, leaving mainly the cooking oil. Additional methods include: Vepudu(వేపుడు)(fry): crispy fried vegetables or sometimes meats, typically including prawns(రొయ్యలు), okra (బెండకాయ), ivy gourd (దొండకాయ), potato (బంగాళాదుంప /ఉర్లగడ్డ), colocasia (చామదుంప), and several additional local vegetables. Gujju(గుజ్జు) (gravy): a tomato or coriander seed base into which is added into brinjal (గుత్తి వంకాయ), okra, etc. Pulusu(పులుసు) (sour paste or gravy) Pulusu koora/Aava petti koora (stew): boiled vegetables or meats cooked in tamarind sauce and mustard paste. Some varieties include snake gourd (పొట్లకాయ), bottle gourd (సొరకాయ/ఆనపకాయ), okra, pumpkin (గుమ్మడికాయ), country chicken (నాటుకోడి). Kaaram petti koora(కారం పెట్టి కూర)/Kaaram 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. Other gravy-based curries are usually made with vegetables cooked in tomato sauce and onion with coriander and cumin powder.
Lentil based dishes
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 bottle gourd. 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 (ముద్ద పప్పు) (plain toor dal cooked with salt) and avakaya.
Pappu koora(పప్పు కూర) (lentil-based dish): boiled vegetables stir-fried with a small amount of half-cooked lentils (dal). Pappucharu(పప్పుచారు) (thick dal broth) or charu Charu(చారు) rasam (sour and spicy soup)
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 (మజ్జిగ పులుసు): 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 Mukkala pulusu or Dappalam (ముక్కల పులుసు or దప్పళం): pulusu made with aanapakaya(bottle gourd) and other vegetables Chammagadda pulusu (చామగడ్డ పులుసు): pulusu made with colocasia Kanda pulusu (కంద పులుసు): pulusu made with yam Kanda bachali pulusu: pulusu made with yam and Malabar Spinach Gangabayala kura pulusu: pulusu made with purslane bendakaya pulusu: pulusu made with okra (Ladies Finger) sorakaya pulusu (సొరకాయ పులుసు): pulusu made with Bottle gourd Perugu (పెరుగు)(curd): the last dish of the meal, normally eaten along with pachadi or pickles
Condiments 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.
Ooragaya(ఊరగాయ) (pickle, similar to పచ్చడి but with a much longer shelf life): avakaya(mango and mustard powder), gongura, nimmakaya(lime), etc. Pachadi(పచ్చడి) (pasty/saucy condiment or chutney): kobbari (coconut), tomato, gongura, dosakaya, gummadikaya, and allam (ginger). Podi(పొడి) (powdered dal-based condiment or seasoning): mixed with rice and a spoonful of ghee or sesame oil.
Mixed rice dishes
While the predominant method involves mixing rice with various accompaniments at the table. Andhra cuisine also features developed one-pot rice dishes where the rice is cooked directly with the primary flavours.
Biriyani and Pulaos: These are common entrees in Telugu restaurants and specialized home meals. Vegetarian bases: Common bases for vegetarian biryanis and pulaos include jackfruit (పనసపండు), mushroom (పుట్టగొడుగు), brinjals stuffed with spicy gravy (గుత్తి వంకాయ), green chili (పచ్చిమిరపకాయ), red chili (పండుమిరపకాయ), mango pickle (ఆవకాయ), horsegram broth (ఉలవచారు), gongura (గోంగూర), eggs (గుడ్లు) and more. Non-Vegetarian bases: Popular options include chickeny, mutton (lamb/chevon), smoked mutton, quails, fish, prawns and crab.
Regional variations The regions of Coastal Andhra (including Uttarandhra and Dakshinandhra), and Rayalaseema all produce distinctive variations of the Telugu cuisine. Rice is the staple in the irrigated regions of Andhra and Rayalaseema. Ragi (రాగి) is also popular in Rayalaseema and Palnadu. The curries, snacks, and sweets produced in these areas vary in both name and method of preparation from region to region.
Andhra Pradesh is the leading producer of red chili and rice in India. The concentration of red chili production in Andhra Pradesh has led to the liberal use of spices in Andhra cuisine. Vegetarian dishes, as well as meat, and seafood in coastal areas, feature prominently. Tomato pappu, gongura, and tamarind are widely used for cooking curries. Spicy and hot varieties of pickles are also an important part of Andhra cuisine, including avakaya (ఆవకాయ). "Deltaic" cuisine from Guntur in Coastal Andhra is known as the spiciest variety of Andhra cuisine, primarily because of the use of red chilis traditionally grown in the region.
The eating habits of Hindu royals and Brahmins have historically had a heavy influence on Andhra cuisine. Andhra Pradesh's proximity to Western, Central, and Eastern India influenced the diversity of those border regions' cuisine as well, as the Telugu-speaking population spread into neighboring states. Different communities have developed their own variations, and rural areas still follow centuries-old cooking methods and recipes.
Coastal Andhra
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 (ఉలవచారు) is a soup made from horse gram, and bommidala pulusu (బొమ్మిడాల పులుసు) 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 (బెల్లం పప్పు) and are usually served with butter and steamed rice.
Vegetables are often cooked in a gravy of menthi kura (మెంతి కూర) (fenugreek seed paste), avapettina kura (ఆవపెట్టిన కూర) (mustard seed paste), or nuvvugunda kura (నువ్వుగుండ కూర) (sesame paste). Ullikaram (ఉల్లికారం) is another popular dish in which vegetables or corn seeds are flavored with shallots or onion paste.
Poori (పూరి) and patoli are popular breakfast or festival dishes. Patoli is composed of soaked split black chickpeas (senagapappu (శనగపప్పు) or chana dal) ground to a coarse paste and seasoned with coriander seeds, onions, and sometimes cluster beans (goruchikkudukaya) (గోరుచిక్కుడుకాయ). Upma or uppindi (ఉప్పిండి) coarsely broken rice steamed with vegetables and seeds. This dish is eaten on feast days, when people fast during the day and eat at night. Attu (అట్టు) also called dosa (దోశ) is a standard breakfast in Andhra Pradesh, which may also include coconut or tomato chutneys. Idli (ఇడ్లీ), also known as iddena (ఇడ్డెన), is also very common. Karam podi (కారం పొడి) is a popular curry powder that is served with idli, dosa and upma.
Inguva charu (ఇంగువ చారు) is a sweet-and-sour stew made with tamarind and hing. It can be eaten with rice or uppupindi. Bellam pulusu (బెల్లం పులుసు) 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 (ఆవకాయ) 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
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. Naatu kodi pulusu (నాటు కోడి పులుసు), a spicy country chicken stew, is a classic and highly popular dish in this region. Seema karam (సీమ కారం) is a dish unique to this region. Some of the main courses include rice, jonna (జొన్న) (jowar), ragi roti (రాగి రోటి) with neyyi (నెయ్యి), and raagi sangati (రాగి సంగటి), usually served with spinach or pulusu. Uggani (ఉగ్గాని) is a dish unique to Rayalaseema, especially Ananthapur, Kurnool, and Kadapa districts, as well as in Karnataka, where it is called oggane (ಒಗ್ಗಣೆ). 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 (మిరపకాయ బజ్జి) (chili "bajji"). Uggani bajji (ఉగ్గాని బజ్జి) 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.
Sweeter dishes of Rayalaseema include ariselu (అరిసెలు) (rice-based vada with jaggery), pakam undalu (పాకం ఉండలు) (a mixture of steamed rice flour, ground nuts, and jaggery), borugu undalu (బొరుగు ఉండలు) (a sweet made of jowar and jaggery), and rava laddoo (రవ్వ లడ్డూ). Masala borugulu (మసాలా బొరుగులు), and ponganaalu (పొంగణాలు) (wet rice flour fried in oil, with carrot, onion, and chilis) are other savory specialties from the region.
Telangana