Pachadi series: Gongura pachadi (Red sorrel leaves chutney)

mango pickle and gongura chutney

Andhra pradesh, my home state is very popular for eating hot and spicy food. Coming to pickles, the most populous one’s are aavakaaya (mango pickle) and gongura pachadi (red sorrel leaves chutney).  In Andhra, we make lot of instant pickles which are supposed to be consumed in two to three days.   These types of pachadi’s can be made either with vegetables, greens or dal’s.

Today i want to share with you Gongura pachadi, one of the most famous pachadi’s of all times. My mom makes this pachadi in three different ways. One with green chille, one with dry chille and urad dal and the other with dry chille and peanuts. The one i am posting today is with the peanuts.

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This beautiful picture was taken in one of our dear friend’s house. They have planted this gongura plant, which has grown beautifully in their backyard. I was lucky enough to pick the fresh leaves and make the pachadi.

Recipe:

• Gongura leaves- about 4 cups
• a handfull of peanuts
• dry red chilles- 5
• tamarind juice – 1tsp (adjust depending upon how tangy the gongura is)
• onion- 1/4th

Tempering/ Talimpu:

• oil- 1tsp
• mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• chanadal, urad dal, cumin seeds- 1/4th tsp each
• few curry leaves
• dry red chille-1
• pinch of hing

In a pan put the oil, once hot add the mustard. Once the mustard starts to dance, add the other ingredients and fry till light brown.

Procedure:

In a pan put a teaspoon of oil and fry the peanuts till light brown. Remove and keep it on the side. In the same pan add the dry chille and fry. Remove, now add two teaspoons of oil and the gongura leaves with little bit of salt. cook in low heat till gongura becomes soft. Let cool.

In a mixer grind the peanuts and red chille coarsely. Now add the gongura, some salt, tamarind juice and very little water. Grind till its smooth. Now add some chopped onion and grind it just one more time. You should still be able to see some chunks of onion.

Finally add the tempering and enjoy the pachadi with hot rice and some ghee.