Gongura Pachadi Recipe (Andhra Style)

5 from 4 votes

Gongura Pachadi Recipe (Andhra Style)

Gongura Pachadi is a spicy, tangy and flavorful chutney from Andhra cuisine, prepared using sorrel leaves (gongura/ambadi), red chillies, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, oil and a few ground spices. The leaves are sautéed and blended with roasted spices to create a bold, sour, earthy and delicious chutney.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Andhra, South Indian

Diet: Vegan

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 140kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

¼ cup oil - sesame oil, sunflower oil or peanut oil
6 cups gongura leaves - green stemmed or red stemmed sorrel leaves
½ teaspoon pink salt or edible rock salt, add regular salt according to taste

For Tempering

2 tablespoons oil - sesame oil, sunflower oil or peanut oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon asafoetida
7 to 8 Kashmiri chillies - medium-sized, I used 5 large sized kashmir red chilies
2 sprigs curry leaves or 30 small curry leaves, optional
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep Sorrel Leaves

Pluck the gongura leaves from their stems. Rinse thoroughly in water to remove any dirt or grit.
Spread the rinsed leaves on a clean kitchen cloth to air-dry. Do not sun-dry; instead, dry them in the shade or indoors in your kitchen.
Note that drying the leaves takes a few hours.
Ensure the leaves are completely dry. Any residual moisture can spoil the pachadi.

Sauté Ingredients

Heat ¼ cup oil in a pan.
Add the dried gongura leaves and sauté. The leaves will first wilt, then slowly release moisture.
Continue sautéing until the oil starts to separate and leaves are well-cooked.
The cooking time for the leaves will vary from 10 to 12 minutes on a low to medium-low heat.
Set aside and let the sautéed leaves cool.

Temper Spices

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the same pan or in another pan.
Add mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, turn off the heat.
Add fenugreek seeds and asafoetida. Mix gently and let the fenugreek change color slightly.
Add dry red chillies and curry leaves. Turn the heat back on to low and sauté, stirring often, until the chillies turn crisp and changer color to a slightly darker red.
Turn off the heat. Add turmeric powder and mix. Let this tempering cool completely.

Make Gongura Pachadi

Transfer the cooled tempering mixture to a mixer-grinder. Grind to a coarse powder.
Add the sautéed gongura leaves along with any oil remaining in the pan. Add salt.
Pulse or grind in short bursts until you get a coarse or semi-coarse texture.
Transfer to a clean, dry glass jar or a ceramic bowl.

Storage

Refrigerate the pachadi in air-tight glass or ceramic bowl or jar and use as needed.
Always use a clean, dry spoon when serving to maintain shelf life. It keeps well for about a few weeks when refrigerated.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Gongura Pachadi with hot steamed rice with a light drizzle of ghee or sesame oil.
The spicy and sour flavors of Gongura Chutney also pairs well with curd rice or sambar, rasam and plain dal with steamed rice.
It can also be enjoyed as a side with idli, dosa, or chapati.

Notes

Red Chillies: Adjust the dried red chillies based on their heat. I used Kashmiri chillies for mild heat and color. Use 5 to 6 medium-sized Kashmiri chillies for less spice or more for a spicier pickle. But note that the spiciness and the heat from the chillies, balances the tartness of gongura and the bitterness of fenugreek. Hence reduce fenugreek to ¼ teaspoon if using fewer chillies.
Optional Ingredients: Curry leaves and turmeric are optional.
Including Garlic: For extra flavor, fry garlic and mix with the pachadi before serving.
Second Tempering (Optional): For added flavor, mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing, urad dal, or chana dal can be fried in a bit of oil and mixed into the prepared pachadi.
Oil: Add more oil if desired, especially for longer shelf life. You can use sesame oil (gingelly oil) for authentic flavor, or substitute with sunflower or peanut oil - both work well in this recipe.

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