Allam Pachadi (Ginger Chutney) | Easy Andhra Recipe

5 from 9 votes

Allam Pachadi (Ginger Chutney) | Easy Andhra Recipe

Allam Pachadi is a spicy and tangy ginger chutney from Andhra Pradesh. Made with sautéed ginger, tamarind, jaggery, red chillies, and a few spices, it has a bold, zesty flavor. Also called Allam Chutney it is typically tempered with mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves. It pairs well with idli, dosa, and steamed rice.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine: Andhra, South Indian

Diet: Vegan

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 251kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

For Tamarind Pulp

1 tablespoon tamarind or 1 small lemon sized tamarind
¼ cup hot water

Main Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or peanut or any neutral tasting oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal (husked and black gram)
2 dry kashmiri chillies
10 curry leaves - small to medium sized
1 to 2 pinches asafoetida (hing)
½ cup (60 grams) or (6 to 7 pieces of 2 inches ginger) ginger - peeled and chopped
2 pinches turmeric powder
1.5 tablespoons jaggery or add as required
4 to 5 tablespoons water - for grinding or add as required

For Tempering

2 teaspoons oil – sunflower or peanut or any neutral tasting oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon urad dal (husked and split black gram)
5 to 6 curry leaves - small to medium sized

Instructions

Preparation

Take the hot water in bowl. Place the tamarind in it.
Soak tamarind in the hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
After 20 to 30 minutes, squeeze the tamarind pulp directly in the bowl containing water. Extract as much pulp as you can. Keep this tamarind pulp aside.
Meanwhile rinse ginger very well in water. Peel and chop them.

Cooking Ginger

Heat oil in a small kadai or a frying pan. Keep heat to low and add mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds begin to crackle.
When the mustard seeds start crackling then add urad dal. Stirring often fry urad dal.
Fry urad dal till the lentils turn golden.
Next add the dry kashmiri chillies (broken and seeds removed) and asafoetida (hing). If the pan becomes too hot, then switch off the heat.
Quickly add the curry leaves.
Mix and fry till the red chillies change color. Do not burn them. The curry leaves will also become crisp.
Now add the chopped ginger and Mix very well.
Add the turmeric powder. Mix again and saute on a low heat.
Sauté ginger pieces for 1 to 2 minutes or until their raw aroma goes away. Do not sauté too much or brown the ginger.
Turn off the heat and place the pan on kitchen counter-top. Let this mixture cool down or become warm.

Making Allam Pachadi

Once cooled or warm, place all of this sautéed mixture in a mixer or grinder-jar. Add the tamarind pulp.
Add 1.5 tablespoons jaggery or add as required.
Add salt as per taste.
Add 4 to 5 tablespoons water or as required and grind the sautéed ingredients to a smooth and fine consistency.
Remove the ginger chutney in steel bowl and keep aside.

Tempering Allam Chutney

In a tadka pan or a small pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil. Keep heat to a low. Add mustard seeds and let them begin to crackle.
As the mustard seeds start crackling, add the urad dal.
Stirring often fry urad dal till they turn golden.
Next add 5 to 6 curry leaves. Stirring often fry them for a few seconds till they become crisp.
Turn off the heat and add the entire tempering mixture to the allam pachadi.
Mix very well. Check for taste of salt and if required you can add more salt in the allam chutney.
Serve allam pachadi with your favorite South Indian breakfast.

Serving Suggestions

Serve allam pachadi with idli, dosa, set dosa, pesarattu, dibba roti, or medu vada.
It also goes well with chapathi or hot steamed rice and a little ghee.

Storage Suggestions

Store the chutney in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
It stays good for 4 to 5 days. Always use a clean, dry spoon to avoid spoilage.

Notes

Use fresh and tender ginger. Avoid ginger which is fibrous and heavy.
Frying ginger too much can make the chutney taste bitter.
You can add sugar or unrefined cane sugar or palm sugar or coconut jaggery instead of jaggery.
Jaggery can be added less or more as per your taste buds and on the quality of tamarind. Dark and aged tamarind is sourer and will need more jaggery.
You can easily halve or double ginger chutney recipe.
If you do not have tamarind, then you can add lemon juice.
Leftover chutney can be stored in an air-tight jar in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Kashmiri red chillies do not make the chutney too spicy. If you using any other red chillies then add less or more depending on the spiciness in the chillies.

Nutrition