Andhra Vegetatian Recipes, Food | Telugu Cuisine |

The region spanning Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has its own style of cooking, which is marked by tangy and spicy notes. The region is one of the main producers of rice and chillies in South India, and it shows in their food too.

Like the rest of South India, Idli, Dosa and Vada are popular breakfast dishes in Andhra Pradesh too. The Telugu people also love Upma.

upma recipe | rava upma | sooji upma | quick upma recipe | breakfast upma

Apart from semolina, they also make Upma with atukulu, as poha is known there. One of their classic tiffin dishes is the Pesarattu, a dosa-like pancake made of green moong and rice. It has a unique texture and rustic taste, which is very satiating and appealing too.

pesarattu recipe | green moong dosa | Andhra style pesarattu dosa |  Pesaratttu is an easy, healthy and very popular dosa recipe delicacy of Andhra cuisine is prepared from green gram pulse.

pesarattu recipe | green moong dosa | Andhra style pesarattu dosa

In restaurants, they serve a special variant of the Pesarattu, which is stuffed with Upma! Two snacks in one shot, this is very filling and if you are a poor eater, it can be quite difficult to finish by yourself. Puris, millet-based rotis and chapatti are also enjoyed for breakfast as well as dinner. These are served with dry spice powders, chutneys and tangy indigenous sauces.

idli recipe | idli batter recipe | South Indian style idli | soft idli |

Lunch is a rice based meal in South India

Lunch, like the rest of South India, is a rice-based meal. Rice, topped with dollops of ghee, is served with a range of vegetable curries and dal. When you see the word ‘pappu’ in a dish’s name, you can understand that it comprises dal. It may be plain or combined with veggies.

Cucumber Pachadi, South Indian Cucumber Raita

lemon rice, known as Nimmakaya Pulihora in Telugu, is a popular dish in Andhra Pradesh. It's a staple in South Indian cuisine in general, and Andhra Pradesh has its own distinct way of preparing it.

lemon rice recipe | South Indian lemon rice | chitranna rice

curd rice is very commonly eaten in Andhra Pradesh. It's known as Perugannam (?????????) or Daddojanam (????????) in Telugu.

Curd Rice a very simple dish made using the most basic ingredients, curd and rice with an authentic South-Indian tempering. 

Ven Pongal a unique flavour and consistency, which are rich yet soothing. 

curd rice recipe | South Indian curd rice | dahi chawal | thayir sadam

raw mango rice recipe | tangy kachi keri rice | mangai sadam | raw mango rice Indian style | mavinakayi chitranna is an Andhra style rice delicacy. An evergreen favourite, the mangai sadam is prepared in South Indian homes at least once a week when the mango season is on. A traditional tempering and partially cooked raw mangoes give this rice a tangy flavour and exciting crunch.

raw mango rice recipe | tangy kachi keri rice | mangai sadam | raw mango rice Indian style | mavinakayi chitranna

Usually, a meal begins with rice mixed with pappu and enjoyed with a spicy oorgaya (pickle). Other main course dishes are koora (dry or semi-dry subzi), pulusu (sour and tangy gravy made of tamarind, tomatoes, sour curd or raw mangoes), pachadi (a spicy and saucy accompaniment), charu or rasam (a thin, soupy dish that is mixed with rice), curds, and so on. Pulihore, a peppy rice preparation with tamarind and spices, is much-loved by the Telugu folks and everyone who tastes it!

Gongura Chutney

Telugu cuisine is generally very spicy. Unlike other cuisines where the pickle is merely an accompaniment, here it is like the highlight of every meal! The Telugu pickle repertoire is like none you’ve seen before. There is a mind-boggling variety of pickles, made with everything from tomatoes to mangoes spiced with mustard, fenugreek and red chillies. The fiery red colour and spicy aroma are quite inviting! To balance the high spice levels, the Telugu people also consume a lot of ghee and curds with their meal.

When one speaks of Telugu cuisine, it is impossible to ignore Hyderabadi cuisine, which has a distinct Nawabi touch. It is most famous for Hyderabadi Biryani, which is on the to-do list of most tourists. As a logical extension, the Kormas are equally famous. Although typically non-vegetarian, there are vegetarian versions too, which are popular in most restaurants.

Hyderabadi veg biryani recipe | Indian veg biryani | vegetable biryani |

Hyderabadi veg biryani recipe | Indian veg biryani | vegetable biryani

Hyderabadi desserts 

Hyderabadi cuisine is also known for its unique, mouth-watering desserts. The desserts are very rich, with a luxuriant feel. Lots of milk products and dry fruits are used in these. Khubani ka Meetha is a special dessert made with apricots and almonds, while Double ka Meetha features a mind-boggling array of ingredients including bread and mava to give a royal experience. Hyderabad is also well-known for special varieties of biscuits like Osmania Biscuit and Karachi Biscuit, and tourists go back loaded with boxes of these for consumption and gifting.

Khubani ka Meetha, Hyderabadi Apricot and Custard Dessert Recipe

Andhra Recipes, Subzis

Veggies like ivy gourd, bottle gourd, brinjal, tomatoes and raw mangoes are used a lot in Telugu cuisine. Gongura, a leafy plant with a unique sour and tangy flavour is a quintessential Telugu ingredient, used to make tongue-tickling pachadis and vibrant rice preparations. Bottle gourd is used a lot, in both regular cooking and preparation of sweets. Kheers and Halwas made with doodhi surprise the diners with their awesomely icy mouth-feel and fabulous taste!

Gongura Pulihora Recipe, Andhra Style Pulao

Telugu Snacks and Sweets

Telugu cuisine also has a vast range of snacks, enjoyed in the evening with a hot and spicy cup of tea. From deep-fried savoury snacks like Bonda and Vada to sweet treats like Rava Ladoo and Boondhi Ladoo, there is choice aplenty. A must-try sweet recipe of Telugu cuisine is the Khaja, a crispy layered sweet made of plain flour, sugar and ghee, often stuffed with dry fruits.

urad dal bonda recipe | ulundu bonda | South Indian style urad dal bonda | minapappu punugullu |

Every region of India has its unique culinary fare, and it is really humbling when we realise that it is just impossible to try and discover them all. Every time you think you know enough about a cuisine, you will be surprised by more variety.

rava coconut ladoo recipe | coconut rava ladoo recipe | sooji laddu |

Coconut and Rava Ladoo recipe | rava coconut ladoo | sooji laddu 

And our fabulous cuisine also gives lots of room for creativity and experimentation, keeping in line with a region’s general norms, to produce an endless variety of dishes day after day. If you start exploring the culinary treasures of our land, there will never be a single boring day in the kitchen!

Enjoy our Andhra Recipes and South Indian recipe articles below.

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