Telugu cuisine is a cuisine of

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

native to the

Telugu people Telugu people ( te, తెలుగువారు, Teluguvāru), or Telugus, or Telugu vaaru, are the largest of the four major Dravidian ethnolinguistic groups in terms of population. Telugus are native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh ...

from the states of

Andhra Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

Telangana Telangana (; , ) is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian subcontinent, Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India b ...

and

Yanam Yanam (Telugu: ''యానాం'') is a town located in the Yanam district in Puducherry. It has a population of 35,000 and is entirely surrounded by Andhra Pradesh. It was formerly a French colony for nearly 200 years, and, though united wi ...

. Generally known for its tangy, hot and spicy taste, the cuisine is very diverse due to the vast spread of the people and varied topological regions. Vegetarian Andhra Meal

All three regions —

Coastal Andhra Coastal Andhra (South costal Andhra) also known as Kostha Andhra is a region in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Vijayawada is the largest city in this region. It was part of Madras State before 1953 and Andhra State from 1953 to 1956. ...

Rayalaseema Rayalaseema () is a geographic region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It comprises eight south western districts of the State namely, Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, Sri Sathya Sai, YSR, Annamayya, Tirupati and Chittoor districts ...

and

— have distinctive cuisines. In the semi-arid

Telangana state Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 35, ...

region

millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae, but some millets al ...

-based bread ( rotte) is the predominant staple food, whereas

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

is predominant in irrigated Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. Ragi is also popular in Rayalaseema region. Many of the curries (known as ''koora''), snacks, and sweets vary in the method of preparation and differ in name, too. Andhra Pradesh is the leading producer of

red chili Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl ''Aztec cuisine, chīlli'' (), are varieties of the fruit#Berries, berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family ...

and

among Indian states, and Telangana is the leading producer of

; this influences the liberal use of spices in Telugu cuisine, making its food some of the richest and spiciest in the world. Vegetarian dishes, as well as meat and seafood (coastal areas), feature prominently on the menus. Tomato pappu,

gongura Puntikura/Gongura is the form of the roselle plant (''Hibiscus sabdariffa'') grown for its edible leaves in India and in other countries like Fiji. These leaves are used in south-central Indian cuisine to impart a tart flavour. Gongura comes ...

, and

tamarind Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a Legume, leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is probably indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic taxon, monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs ...

are widely used for cooking curries. Spicy and hot varieties of pickle form an important part of Telugu cuisine. Deltaic Telugu cuisine from erstwhile

Guntur district Guntur district is one of the twenty six districts in the Coastal Andhra region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The administrative seat of the district is located at Guntur, the largest city of the district in terms of area and with a po ...

is known as the spiciest among Telugu cuisines, primarily because of the use of the traditional red hot chillis grown in the region. Pickles called avakayas are also made using

Guntur Guntur () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Guntur district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Guntur is spread across 168.49 km square and is the third-largest city in the state. It is situated to the west of the Ba ...

hot chillis.

Regional variations

There are many regional variations due to topographic differences in

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...

-speaking populations spread over a large area. They can be classified based by region into

, and

cuisine. Cultural factors that have heavily influenced the cuisine over the years are the eating habits of Hindu royals and Brahmin, and the Muslim Nawabi royal families. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana's proximity to Western, Central, and Eastern India makes those border regions' cuisine more diverse as the Telugu population spread into neighboring states. Different communities have their own variations, and rural areas still follow centuries-old cooking methods and recipes.

Coastal Andhra

Coastal Andhra is dominated by the

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

and

Godavari The Godavari ( IAST: ''Godāvarī'' �od̪aːʋəɾiː is India's second longest river after the Ganga river and drains into the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in Trimbakesh ...

river delta regions and is exposed to the long coastline of the

Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between ...

. Hence rice, lentils, and seafood are a staple in the diet of the people. This region has its own variations; ultimately the dishes are predominantly rice-based. This region is one of the largest producers of rice and chilies. The

Nellore Nellore is a city located on the banks of Penna River, in Nellore district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of the district, as well as Nellore mandal and Nellore revenue division. It is the List of cities in ...

region in the south has its own unique recipes, markedly different from those in

Uttarandhra Uttarandhra or North coastal Andhra, also known as Kalinga Andhra is a region consisting of six northern districts of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It comprises the districts of Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapat ...

. ''

Ulava charu ''Ulava Charu'' is a South Indian soup dish from the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is popular in the Guntur and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh. It is made with Horse gram, a legume with the botanical name Macrotyloma uniflorum '' ...

'' is a famous soup made from

horse gram ''Macrotyloma uniflorum'' (horsegram, also known as horse gram, kulthi bean, gahat, hurali, or Madras gram) is a legume native to tropical southern Asia, known for its distinct taste and texture, widely used legume in many cuisines. It is also k ...

, and ''bommidala pulusu'' is a seafood stew that is a specialty of Andhra Pradesh. Andhra cuisine is prevalent in restaurants all over Andhra Pradesh as well as in cities like

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

and

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...

Uttarandhra

region is the northeastern districts of

Srikakulam Srikakulam is a city and the headquarters of Srikakulam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. census,. it has a population of 165,735. There are many other places of Buddhist Tourism such as Salihundam, Kalinga Patnam, Dabbaka Vaa ...

Vizianagaram Vizianagaram is a city and the headquarters of Vizianagaram district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is central Eastern Ghats, about west of the Bay of Bengal and north-northeast of Visakhapatnam. The city has a population of 228,02 ...

and

Visakhapatnam , image_alt = , image_caption = From top, left to right: Visakhapatnam aerial view, Vizag seaport, Simhachalam Temple, Aerial view of Rushikonda Beach, Beach road, Novotel, Novotel Visakhapatnam, INS Kursura (S20), INS ...

bordering

Odisha Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...

state in Coastal Andhra. While Visakhapatnam district has a distinct dialect and cuisine closer to the rest of Andhra, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam have their own distinctive flavors and unique taste, although they share many similarities with Andhra regional cuisine. The people of this region like to eat many of their foods sweeter than other regions of Andhra Pradesh. They often cook lentils in

jaggery Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Africa. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can ...

, referred to as ''bellam pappu'', enjoyed with butter and steamed rice. They cook vegetables in gravies of ''menthi kura'' (

fenugreek Fenugreek (; ''Trigonella foenum-graecum'') is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae, with leaves consisting of three small obovate to oblong leaflets. It is cultivated worldwide as a semiarid crop. Its seeds and leaves are common ingredients ...

seed paste), ''avapettina kura'' (mustard seed paste), or ''nuvvugunda kura'' (

sesame Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cu ...

paste). ''Ullikaram'' is another popular dish in which vegetables or corn seeds are flavored with

shallots The shallot is a botanical variety (a cultivar) of the onion. Until 2010, the (French red) shallot was classified as a separate species, ''Allium ascalonicum''. The taxon was synonymized with '' Allium cepa'' (the common onion) in 2010, as th ...

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...

paste. '' Poori'' and ''Patoli'' are favorite breakfast or festival dishes. ''Patoli'' is soaked split black

chickpeas The chickpea or chick pea (''Cicer arietinum'') is an annual legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. Its different types are variously known as gram" or Bengal gram, garbanzo or garbanzo bean, or Egyptian pea. Chickpea seeds are high ...

(''Senagapappu'' or ''chana dal'') ground to a coarse paste and seasoned with

coriander Coriander (;

seeds, onions and, at times, with cluster beans (''Goruchikkudu kaya''). ''Uppupindi'' is coarsely broken rice ''upma'' steamed with vegetables and tempering seeds. This dish is eaten on feast days when people fast during the day and eat at night. Attu, also called

dosa Dosa may refer to: People * Bogoljub Mitić Đoša, Serbian actor * Csaba Dosa (born 1951), Romanian athlete * Dosa ben Harkinas * Dosa ben Saadia (935 - 1018), Talmudic scholar and philosopher * Dosa or Dossa Júnior * Edward Dosa-Wea Neufville ...

, is a standard breakfast in Andhra Pradesh, which may also include coconut or tomato chutneys.

Idli Idli or idly () is a type of savoury rice cake, originating from the South India,popular as breakfast foods in Southern India and in Sri Lanka. The cakes are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and ric ...

is also very common. ''Inguva Charu'' is a sour-and-sweet stew made with

and '' hing''. It can be eaten with rice or ''uppupindi''. ''Bellam pulusu'' is another highly flavored thick sweet stew made out of rice flour, ''jaggery'' (cane sugar), corn cobs and whole shallots. The pickles differ from those of other regions of Andhra Pradesh. Avakaya is a mango pickle which is part of a standard

meal. They sun-dry mango pieces with mustard powder, red pepper powder and salt, soaked in sesame oil to give the pickle extended shelf life. The result is a darker hue and a sweeter taste. This method is followed to withstand high moisture from the Bay of Bengal coast. ''Karappoddi'', popular curry powder that is served with idli, dosa and upma.

Rayalaseema

, the southern region of Andhra Pradesh, has some unique dishes in its cuisine, which is famous for its spiciness because of the liberal use of chilli powder in almost every dish. ''Seema karam'' is unique to its dishes. Some of the main courses include rice, ''jonna'' (

jowar ''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a grass species cultivated for its grain, which is used for food for humans, animal feed, and ethanol produc ...

), ''ragi roti'' with a combination of neyyi as well as ''raagi sangati'', usually served with

spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...

or ''pulusu''. ''Uggani'' is a dish unique to Rayalaseema, especially

Ananthapur Anantapur, officially Anantapuramu, is a city in Anantapur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the mandal headquarters of Anantapuru mandal and also the divisional headquarters of Anantapur revenue division. The city is locat ...

Kurnool Kurnool is a city in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It formerly served as the capital of Andhra State (1953–1956). The city is often referred to as "The Gateway of Rayalaseema".Kurnool is also known as The City of Gem Stones. It also se ...

and

Kadapa Kadapa (colonial spelled Cuddapah) is a city in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located in the Rayalaseema region, and is the district headquarters of YSR Kadapa district. As of the 2022 Census of India, the city had a popula ...

districts and in

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

, where it is called ''oggane''. It is made with boiled paddycorn and is generally yellowish in color due to liberal use of

turmeric Turmeric () is a flowering plant, ''Curcuma longa'' (), of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the rhizomes of which are used in cooking. The plant is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asi ...

powder. It is usually served with ''mirapakaya bajji'' (chili bajji). ''Uggani bajji'' is served primarily as a breakfast but is eaten as a snack food too. It is spicy and is one of the ethnic and authentic dishes of Rayalaseema and Eastern Karnataka. ''Attirasaalu'' or ''Attirasa'' (rice-based '' vada'' with ''jaggery''), ''pakam undalu'', (a mixture of steamed rice flour, ground nuts and ''jaggery''), ''Borugu Undalu'' (a sweet made of ''jowar'' and ''jaggery'') and ''rava ladd'' are the sweet specialities. ''Masala borugulu'' or ''nargis mandakki'' (like snacks), and ''ponganaalu'', wet rice flour, fried in oil, with carrot, onion, and chilis, are other savory specialties.

Telangana

The

state lies on the

Deccan Plateau The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by the ...

and its topography dictates more

and

roti Roti (also known as chapati) is a round flatbread native to the Indian subcontinent. It is popular in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, Trinid ...

(unleavened bread) based dishes.

Jowar ''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a grass species cultivated for its grain, which is used for food for humans, animal feed, and ethanol produc ...

and bajra feature more prominently in their cuisine. Due to its proximity to

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prade ...

and northwest Karnataka, it shares some similarities with Deccan plateau cuisine.

Staple Telangana foods

n cuisine has a special place for roti made from millet, such as ''jonna rotte'' (

sorghum ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...

), ''sajja rotte'' (

pennisetum ''Pennisetum'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. They are known commonly as fountaingrasses (fountain grasses).tamarind Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a Legume, leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is probably indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic taxon, monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs ...

. A deep fry reduction of the same is called ''vepudu''. ''Kodi pulusu'' and ''Mamsam (meat) vepudu'' are popular dishes in meat. ''Vankaya (

Brinjal Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. Mo ...

) koora'' or ''Baingan Bhartha'', ''Aloogadda (

Potato The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...

) koora and fry'', ''Bendakaya (

Okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...

) pulusu and fry'' are among the many varieties of vegetable dish. ''Palakoora pappu'' is a

dish cooked with

lentils The lentil (''Lens culinaris'' or ''Lens esculenta'') is an edible legume. It is an annual plant known for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. As a food crop, the largest produ ...

eaten with steamed

and

Peanut The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible Seed, seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, important to both small ...

s are added as special attraction and in

Karimnagar District Karimnagar district is one of the 33 districts of the Indian state of Telangana. Karimnagar city is its administrative headquarters. The district shares boundaries with Peddapalli, Jagityal, Sircilla, Siddipet, Jangaon, Hanamkonda district and ...

cashew The cashew tree (''Anacardium occidentale'') is a tropical evergreen tree native to South America in the genus ''Anacardium'' that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple accessory fruit. The tree can grow as tall as , but the dwarf cult ...

nuts are added. Popular

curry dishes (known as ''Koora'') include ''boti'', derived from

mutton Lamb, hogget, and mutton, generically sheep meat, are the meat of domestic sheep, ''Ovis aries''. A sheep in its first year is a lamb and its meat is also lamb. The meat from sheep in their second year is hogget. Older sheep meat is mutton. Gen ...

and '' thunti koora'' made out of red sorrel leaves. ''Potlakaya pulusu'', or

snake gourd ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' is a tropical or subtropical vine. Its variety ''T. cucumerina'' var. ''anguina'' raised for its strikingly long fruit. In Asia, it is eaten immature as a vegetable much like the summer squash and in Africa, the red ...

stew is one of the daily staple dish.

Sakinalu Sakinalu (or sakinaalu, Chakinaalu Telugu: సకినాలు) is a special type of snack prepared in the northern region of Telangana, India. It consists of concentric circles made of rice flour dough, fried in oil. It is prepared during the ...

and ''garelu'' are popular fries/fritters made of rice flour during festivals like Dusshera and Sankranthi.

Telangana vegetarian foods

In Telangana regions

, red chilies (''koraivikaram'') and ''

asafetida Asafoetida (; also spelled asafetida) is the dried latex ( gum oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of '' Ferula'', perennial herbs growing tall. They are part of the celery family, Umbelliferae. Asafoetida is ...

'' are predominantly used in Telangana cooking. Roselle is a major staple used extensively in curries and pickles. *''

Sarva pindi Sarva pindi ( te, సర్వపిండి) is a savory, circular-shaped pancake made from rice flour and peanuts in Telangana, India. In the Warangal district, the item is known as "tappala chekka", while in Siddipet it is also known as "sarva ...

'', a spicy

pancake A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack) is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a Starch, starch-based batter (cooking), batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or fryi ...

, is a staple breakfast, made with rice flour, ''chana dal'', ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, curry leaves and green chiles. *''Puntikura chana dal'': A vegetarian alternative to 'gongura ghosht', chana dal is cooked in spices and tempered with mustard and curry leaves. *''Bachali kura'': A tangy spinach curry cooked with tamarind paste. *'' Pachi pulusu'': A spicy, raw '' rasam'' made with tamarind, chili and onions. Prepared mainly in summer. *''Rail palaram'': a traditional food inherited from forefathers, made from rice flour. Steamed rice flour balls are stir-fried with soaked ''chana dal'', curry leaves, green chillies, onion and grated fresh coconut. Some foods of Telangana *''Jonna Gatka'' *''Makka Gatka'' *''Ambali'' *''Sajja Rotti'' *''Makka Rotti'' *'' SarvaPindi'' *''Upudu Pindi'' *Kudumulu *Rail Palaram *Passham (sweet) – done in two ways; one with jaggery and milk and the other with ''talukalu'' prepared of dough. *Odapa *Pyalalu *Sabhudhana upma *''Antuvuls'', also called ''bajji'' – (''pulusu'' with vegetables) *Kadambam *Makka Gudaalu *Bebarla Gudaalu *Sala Pachi pulsu. * Pachi Pulusu * Challa charu – A dish prepared by tempering buttermilk *Atukulu – Poha *Makkajona Garelu *Ponganallu *Sajja Kudumulu with onion chutney *Sadhulu – varieties of rice, mainly cooked for the Sadhula Bathukama festival. The different flavors are as follows: sesame (''nuvulu''), groundnuts (''palilu''), Bengal gram (''putnalu''), coconut (kobari), tamarind (''chintapandu pulusu''), lemon (''nimakaya''), mango (''mamidikaya''), yogurt (''perugu'') *Guddalu – prepared with different beans, blackeye beans, corns, ''chana'', and sprouts, along with spices and onions. *

– rice flour snack *Garje – a sweet filled with a combination of either sugar or jaggery, with lentils. *Rotu Tokkulu – are famous again – generally, they are prepared by semi-frying the vegetables and grind them on a stone, or in a mixer, adding ''thadka'' to it. *Kallegura ( ''kallegalapula kura'') – mixed vegetable curry, generally prepared during the

Sankranthi Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

festival

Telangana non-vegetarian foods

* Ooru Kodi Pulusu: Telangana's special flavorful country chicken curry. *

Golichina Mamsam Golichina Mamsam is a popular meat dish in Telangana, India. ''Golichina'' means fry in Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, us ...

: A spicy mutton fry * Ankapur chicken, a fiery country chicken curry * Boti curry, curried lamb gizzards * Kaalla kura (paya): Goat leg curry *

Mutton curry Mutton curry (also referred to as kosha mangsho, lamb curry, or goat curry) is a dish that is prepared from goat meat (or sometimes lamb meat) and vegetables. The dish is found in different variations across all states, countries and regions of ...

Snacks and savories

Sugar ''madugulu'' is a sweet made with milk and butter with sugar coating, and ''pharda pheni'' is another sugar-coated crispy wafer sweet. Recent years have seen a resurgence of Telangana cuisines in restaurants around

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...

with the availability of Telangana ''thali'' dish for lunch.

Andhra Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
breakfast

A typical Andhra breakfast consists of a few of the items listed below. Usually it consists of ''

idli Idli or idly () is a type of savoury rice cake, originating from the South India,popular as breakfast foods in Southern India and in Sri Lanka. The cakes are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and ric ...

'', '' garelu'' a.k.a. '' vada'' (deep-fried lentil dough), ''minapattu'', also known as ''

'',, (rice- and lentil-based

or crepe).

Tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and northe ...

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...

with

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. Immune factors and immune ...

or only milk by itself is sometimes taken with these dishes. The most common dishes are: *

Urad dal ''Vigna mungo'', also known as black gram, urad bean, urid bean, mash kalai, uzhunnu parippu, ulundu paruppu, minapa pappu, uddu, or black matpe, is a bean grown in South Asia. Like its relative, the mung bean, it has been reclassified from the ...

and

steamed dumplings, often eaten with freshly made chutney or with neyyi added and sprinkled with ''karrap podi'' (chili dal powder) or

chutney A chutney is a spread in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion or mint dipping sauce. ...

and '' sambar''. Pesarattu and Ginger chutney

*Andhra Dosa: A rice- and ''urad dal''-based pancake or crepe eaten with condiments like chutney and ''sambar''. **Minapattu, also known as

: rice- and lentil-based

or crepe fried in flat pan laced with cooking oil, accompanied with chutney and sambar. **

Pesarattu Pesarattu, pesara attu, pesara dosa (mung bean dosa), or cheeldo is a crepe-like bread, originating in Andhra Pradesh, India, that is a variety of dosa. It is made with green gram (''moong dal'') batter, but, unlike a typical dosa, it does not ...

: A

green gram The mung bean (''Vigna radiata''), alternatively known as the green gram, maash ( fa, ماش٫ )٫ mūng (), monggo, or munggo (Philippines), is a plant species in the legume family.Brief Introduction of Mung Bean. Vigna Radiata Extract G ...

(commonly called mung bean) based pancake or crepe fried in a flat pan laced with cooking oil. It is usually served with ginger chutney. Sometimes ''

pesarattu Pesarattu, pesara attu, pesara dosa (mung bean dosa), or cheeldo is a crepe-like bread, originating in Andhra Pradesh, India, that is a variety of dosa. It is made with green gram (''moong dal'') batter, but, unlike a typical dosa, it does not ...

'' is filled with ''

upma Upma, uppumavu, or uppittu is a dish originating from the Indian subcontinent, most common in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtrian, and Sri Lankan Tamil breakfast, cooked as a thick porridge from dry-roaste ...

'', known as ''Upma Pesarattu''. **''Dibba Attu'' (''Idli'' batter-based ''dosa''): ''Idli'' batter poured into a thick and deep-frying dish and fried until the outer layers become crispy and brown. **''Atukula dosa'': ''Dosa'' made from '' atukulu'', a.k.a. '' poha''. **''

Rava dosa A dosa, also called dosai, dosey, or dosha, is a thin pancake in South Indian cuisine made from a fermentation (food), fermented batter (cooking), batter of ground Vigna mungo, black lentils and rice. Dosas are popular in South Asian cuisine, S ...

'': ''Dosa'' made with '' sooji'' dough with chili, coriander leaves, onion and pepper. Upma

* Andhra ''Upma'' ** ''Godhuma Uppindi'': ''

'' made from broken wheat flour. ** ''Pesarpindi Uppindi'': Dry porridge made of green gram flour. Commonly served with yoghurt or mango-jaggery pickle. ** ''Pulusu Uppindi'': Dry porridge made with rice flour, peanuts and tamarind extract. Commonly served with yoghurt or mango-jaggery pickle. ** ''Beeyam Rava Pesasara Pappu'': literally, the name translated, made with broken rice and hulled green gram. Commonly served with yoghurt or mango-jaggery pickle. ** ''Varipindi Uppindi'': Dry porridge made of rice flour, and hulled green gram. Commonly served with yoghurt or mango-jaggery pickle. **''Uppudu Pindi'' or ''Uppindi'' a.k.a. ''

'': Porridge made from broken '' sooji'' flour, ghee and vegetables. Commonly served with buttermilk or spicy-savoury pulses powder. **''Saggubiyyam (Sago) Upma'': ''Uppma'' made from

sago Sago () is a starch extracted from the pith, or spongy core tissue, of various tropical palm stems, especially those of ''Metroxylon sagu''. It is a major staple food for the lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Maluku Islands, where it is ...

(''saboodana''). **''Semiya Upma (vermicelli) Upma'': ''upma'' made with vermicelli. * Vada Punugulu1

**''Garelu'' (a type of '' vada''): Deep-fried lentil-based doughnut, or regular deep-fried ''dal'' mixture. **''Punukulu'' or ''

Punugulu Punugulu or Punukkulu is a snack and common street food in Vijayawada and a few coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. Punugulu is a deep fried snack made with rice, urad dal and other spices. They are often served with peanut chutney, known as pall ...

'': ''

Bonda Bonda is a deep-fried South Indian potato snack that has various sweet and savory versions in different regions. The most common is ''aloo bonda'' ( potato ''bonda''), and other region-specific variations include potato replaced with sweet po ...

'', a deep-fried dish made from ''idli''/''dosa'' batter. **''Gunta''

: Made from rice and ''dal'' batter, fried in half sphere-shaped pan. **''Saggubiyyam Punugulu'': ''Vada'' made from sago (''saboodana''). **''Mung Dal Punugulu'': ''

'', a deep-fried dish made from ''idli''/''dosa'' batter. **''Thapala Chekkalu'': Deep-fried rice and ''dal''-based flat ''vada'' with onions, curry leaves and chili. * Atukulu or poha ** ''Atukulu'': Also known as ''poha'' in northern states, moist rice flakes sautéed in a little oil. **''Atukula dosa'': ''Dosa'' made from ''atukulu'' a.k.a. ''poha''. **''Atukula Upma'': ''Upma'' made from ''atukulu'', replacing ''atukulu'' with ''sooji''. * Bread and roti **''Nokulu annam'': made of ''

'' and ''

''. ** ''

Chapatti Chapati (alternatively spelled chapatti, chappati, chapathi, or chappathi; pronounced as IAST: ), also known as ''roti'', ''rotli'', ''safati'', ''shabaati'', ''phulka'', (in East Africa) ''chapo'', (in Marathi) ''poli'', and (in the Maldives ...

'': Flattened wheat dough heated in a flat pan. Served with ''dal'' or chutney. **''

Puri Puri () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is als ...

'': Wheat dough deep-fried in cooking oil. Served with potato ''bajji'' or chutney. Though a north Indian dish, it is prepared on some occasions and widely available in all restaurants.

Andhra lunch and dinner

Lunch and dinner are elaborate affairs in many Telugu households. In a majority of urban households, the food is served on stainless steel or porcelain plates, while in traditional and rural households, the food is served on a banana leaf. The banana leaf is used during festivals, special occasions and for guests. Many middle-budget restaurants in smaller towns use banana leaves for serving. At times, a '' vistaraaku'' (a larger plate made of several leaves sewn together) is used. The traditional packing material for long journeys is sun-dried banana leaves. A complete vegetarian Andhra meal consists of

served with

ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...

, ''

pulihora Pulihora, also known as puliyogare, puliyodarai, pulinchoru, kokum rice, or simply lemon or tamarind rice, is a very common and traditional rice preparation in the South Indian states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nad ...

'', ''

chapati Chapati (alternatively spelled chapatti, chappati, chapathi, or chappathi; pronounced as IAST: ), also known as ''roti'', ''rotli'', ''safati'', ''shabaati'', ''phulka'', (in East Africa) ''chapo'', (in Marathi) ''poli'', and (in the Maldives) ...

'' or ''

puri Puri () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is als ...

'', ''pappu'' (

), ''sambar'', ''chaaru'' ('' rasam''), fried and wet

curries A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in tradi ...

, ''appadam'' (''

papadum A papad is an Indian deep fried dough of black gram bean flour, either fried or cooked with dry heat (flipped over an open flame) until crunchy. Other flours made from lentils, chickpeas, rice, tapioca, millet or potato are also used. ''Papad' ...

''), ''odiyalu'', chutney, ''

pachadi Pachadi ( te, పచ్చడి, kn, ಪಚಡಿ, ta, பச்சடி, ml, പച്ചടി) refers to a traditional South Indian fresh pickle served as a side dish. Broadly translated, it refers to food which has been pounded. In And ...

'', '' avakaya'',

yoghurt Yogurt (; , from tr, yoğurt, also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as ''yogurt cultures''. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bact ...

and a sweet. Food in general contains more

chilli Chili or chilli may refer to: Food * Chili pepper, the spicy fruit of plants in the genus ''Capsicum''; sometimes spelled "chilli" in the UK and "chile" in the southwestern US * Chili powder, the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties ...

and

spice mix Spice mixes are blended spices or herbs. When a certain combination of herbs or spices is called for in a recipe, it is convenient to blend these ingredients beforehand. Blends such as chili powder, curry powder, herbes de Provence, garlic salt, ...

in the

Vijayawada Vijayawada, formerly known as Bezawada, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and is a part of the state's Capital Region. It is the administrative headquarters of the NTR district. Its metropolitan region comprises NT ...

region than in the rest of

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

. Rice is generally the main dish and everything else, such as curry, ''pappu'', ''sambar'' and ''rasam'' is a side dish taken with rice.

Vegetarian

= Presentation

= Pappu (

dal In Indian cuisine, ''dal'' (also spelled ''daal'' or ''dhal''; pronunciation: , Hindi: दाल, Urdu: ) are dried, split pulses (e.g., lentils, peas, and beans) that do not require soaking before cooking. India is the largest producer of pu ...

) and kooralu (

) are placed to the right of the diner, while spiced pickles, pachadi (

raita Raita is a side dish in Indian cuisine made of dahi (yogurt, often referred to as curd) together with raw or cooked vegetables, more seldom fruit, or in the case of boondi raita, with fried droplets of batter made from besan (chickpea flour, g ...

), a saucy condiment with dahi (yogurt) and vegetables and ''pappulu podi'' (dal and dry red chilli-based powdered condiment) and ''neyyi'' (ghee) are placed to the left. On some occasions special items such as

(tamarind or lemon rice) and ''garelu'' ( vada) are placed at the top right. A large scoop of ''annam'' (plain white rice) is placed in the middle. Small amounts of ''neyyi'' are added on the rice. ''

Aavakaaya A mango pickle is a variety of pickle prepared using mango. It is very popular in South and Southeast Asia. These sour/spicy pickles are also available commercially. Varieties The pickling process in India differs from other regions mainly ...

'' mango pickle and

(roselle leaf pickle} are two typical varieties of pickle which mark the spice and flavor of Andhra cuisine.

= Course and servings

Rice is a staple, typically mixed with the other courses using the right hand. It is the main source of carbohydrates. Spiced pickles, ''

'', ''podi'' and ''

'' (''appadam'') are typical sides. A meal starts with ''modhati muddha'' (first bite), an appetizer of spiced pickle followed by a ''pappu'', which can be made with vegetables added or eaten plain with a pickle. It is the main source of protein for vegetarians. This is followed by a couple of ''koora'' varieties (

curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in tradit ...

/main dishes) either vegetarian or a combination of vegetarian and non-vegetarian for vitamins and minerals. A '' pappu'' or '' rasam'' (Telugu: ''charu''), usually '' kadi'', is the third course. The fourth course of the meal is either a '' perugu'' (curd or yogurt) or ''majjiga'' (buttermilk) accompanied by a spicy pickle or any of the other condiments. After the meal ''

paan Betel nut chewing, also called betel quid chewing or areca nut chewing, is a practice in which areca nuts (also called "betel nuts") are chewed together with slaked lime and betel leaves for their stimulant and narcotic effects. The practice ...

'' or ''somph'',

areca nut ''Areca'' is a genus of 51 species of palms in the family Arecaceae, found in humid tropical forests from the islands of the Philippines, Malaysia and India, across Southeast Asia to Melanesia. The generic name ''Areca'' is derived from a name u ...

betel The betel (''Piper betle'') is a vine of the family Piperaceae, which includes pepper and kava. The betel plant is native to Southeast Asia. It is an evergreen, dioecious perennial, with glossy heart-shaped leaves and white catkins. Betel plan ...

on pan leaf) is offered in traditional households. On festival or auspicious occasions, a sweet, usually ''paravannam'', is served with the meal, which is usually eaten first.

= Koora/kura/curry (main courses)

''Koora'' – Koora is a generic word for a protein-based dish. The actual dishes are named for the material used and the style in which they are cooked. The different methods of cooking are: *''Vepudu'' (fry): crispy fried vegetables, typically including:

okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...

(''bendakaya''),

ivy gourd ''Coccinia grandis'', the ivy gourd, also known as scarlet gourd, tindora and kowai fruit, is a tropical vine. It grows primarily in tropical climates and is commonly found in the Indian states, where it forms a part of the local cuisine. ''Coc ...

(''dondakaya''),

potato The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...

(''bangaladumpa''),

colocasia ''Colocasia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to southeastern Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Some species are widely cultivated and naturalized in other tropical and subtropical regions. The names elephant-ear ...

and several regional vegetables, prepared separately for different days. *''Pappu Koora'' (lentil-based dish): boiled vegetables stir-fried with a small amount of half-cooked lentils (''dal''). *''Podi'' (powdered ''dal''-based condiment or seasoning): mixed with rice and a spoonful of ghee or sesame oil. *''Gujju'' (gravy), tomato or coriander seed base adding drumstick, ''brinjal'' (''gutthi vankaya''), okra etc. *''Pulusu'' (sour paste or gravy): **''Pulusu Koora/Aava petti Koora'' (stew): boiled vegetables cooked in tamarind sauce and mustard paste are two main varieties of ''pulusu''. Some varieties include ''potlakaya'', ''anapakaya'', ''bendakaya'', ''gummadikaya''. *''Kaaram Petti Koora/Koora 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. *''Pappucharu'' (thick ''dal'' broth) or charu (diluted than a sambar) *''Chaaru'' ''rasam'' (clear soup) *''Ooragaya'' (pickle), '' avakaya'', ''

'', ''nimmakaya'' etc. *''Pachadi'' (Pasty/saucy condiment or chutney): ''kobbari'' (

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...

, ''gongura'', ''dosakaya'', ''gummadikaya'', ''allam'' (

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...

). * Other gravy-based curries are chiefly made with vegetables cooked in

tomato sauce Tomato sauce (also known as ''salsa roja'' in Spanish or ''salsa di pomodoro'' in Italian) can refer to many different sauces made primarily from tomatoes, usually to be served as part of a dish, rather than as a condiment. Tomato sauces are c ...

and

with

coriander Coriander (;

and

cumin Cumin ( or , or Article title
) (''Cuminum cyminum'') is a

'' (hing/inguva). ''Kandi pappu'' is often cooked with leafy vegetables such as ''palakura'' (

), ''

'', malabar spinach, and fruit and vegetables such as

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...

, or ''aanapakaya''. Sometimes the cooked version of the ''dal'' is replaced with a roast and ground version of ''dal'', like ''kandi pachadi'' (roasted ''toor daal'' ground with red chiles) or ''pesara pachadi'' (soaked ''moong daal'' ground with red or green chilies). A very popular Andhra combo is ''mudda pappu'' (plain ''toor dal'' cooked with salt) and ''avakaya''.

= Pulusu

= ''Pulusu'' (''sour'') is a curry-like stew that is typically sour and cooked with

paste. Other common bases are tomatoes or mangoes. The mixture can be flavored with mustard, chilies, curry leaves, jaggery, onions, or

. Fish, chicken, and eggs are typical meat additions. Pachi pulusu is an unheated version of pulusu, typically made of mangoes or tamarind, consumed during warm months. * ''Majjiga pulusu'' – 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 fried in oil. * ''Mukkalu pulusu'' – Made with ''aanapakaya'' * ''Chammagadda pulusu'' – Made with ''

Colocasia ''Colocasia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to southeastern Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Some species are widely cultivated and naturalized in other tropical and subtropical regions. The names elephant-ear ...

'' * ''Kanda Pulusu'' – Made with yam * ''Perugu'' – The last item of the meal, ''perugu'' (curd) is normally consumed with an accompaniment like ''pachadi'' or pickle.

= Pickles

= ''Pacchadi'' and ''Ooragaya'' are two broad varieties of pickles that are eaten at times with rice. ''Pacchadi'' is the Telugu version of chutney, typically made of vegetables/greens/lentils and roasted green/red chilies flavoured with tamarind and sometimes curd as a base. It is prepared fresh and is consumed within a day or two due to a short shelf life. ''Ooragaya'' is prepared in massive amounts seasonally and uses liberal amounts of chili powder, ''methi'' (fenugreek) powder, mustard powder and groundnut (peanut) oil or sesame or mustard oil. For a typical Andhrite, no meal is complete without this essential item. It is consumed on its own, mixed with rice, or as a side dish with ''pappu''/''koora''.

Non-vegetarian

Apart from a sizable population who are vegetarians, most of the population cook non-vegetarian dishes. The state has abundant seafood and has extensively established poultry industry. Lamb meat is another traditional fare cooked with century-old recipes. Apart from Hyderabadi biriyani, the rest of the state has its own recipe generally known as ''palaav'' or ''Andhra biriyani'', one of the most enjoyed dishes across all of the state. ''Royyala palav'', made with shrimp, is considered a delicacy in coastal Andhra Pradesh. Mutton biriyani and mixed biryani (chicken, mutton, and shrimp) are other popular biriyani dishes generally available in restaurants. There are many local variations such as ''kaaja kiryani'', ''kunda biryani'' (pot Biryani), ''avakaya biryani'', ''ulavacharu biryani'', and ''panasa biryani''. ''Kodi'' (chicken) ''koora'' and mutton (lamb) ''koora'' are two popular dishes, often made with a range of spices and condiments. The gravy base is usually onions, tomato, coriander, tamarind, and coconut. These gravies are mixed with steamed rice on the plate during lunch. Also

pepper Pepper or peppers may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant ** Black pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ** Bell pepper ** Chili ...

is used on fried meat dishes. Popular dishes served commonly in Andhra-style restaurants include the spicy Andhra chilli chicken, chicken roast, and mutton pepper fry. On seafood, tamarind base is widely used. The state's extensive shrimp farming makes shrimp and prawns widely available. Andhra restaurant chains and hotels are very popular in other states due to the extensive variety of meat in their menus. *''

Talakaya Kura Talakaya kura (తలకాయ కూర) is a popular meat dish in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In Telugu ''Talakaya'' means head of goat or lamb. It is also called talakaya pulusu when Tamarind is added. ''Talakaya'' means "head" and ''kura ...

'': A hearty, rustic meat gravy with bold flavours. This delicacy is made with the lamb's head, coriander and spices. *''Chepala pulusu'': A luscious fish curry redolent with freshly ground spices and tamarind juice. *''Endu chepala vankaya'': A flavoursome dry fish gravy cooked with ''brinjal''. *''Royyala kura'': prawns cooked in a tangy paste of tamarind and onion. *''Gongura mamsam'': spicy curry made with tender lamb pieces cooked in gravy of gongura (roselle leaves) and freshly ground green chilli paste. *''Kodi gudllu pulusu'': Egg curry flecked with chopped onions, green chillies and bright bits of coriander. These curries are usually served with steamed

, '' bagara khana'' (basmati rice cooked with aromatics), ''sajja roti'' (

flatbread) or ''jonna roti'' (

flatbread). Andhra cuisine has some native non-vegetarian snacks such as ''kodi pakodi'' (chicken pakora), chicken 65, ''peetha pakodi'' (crab pakodi), ''chepa vepudu'' (fish fry), ''royyala vepudu'' (shrimp fry) etc. Other snacks inspired from Indo-Chinese cuisine such as

chicken 65 Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish originating from Hotel Buhari, Chennai, India, as an entrée, or quick snack. The flavour of the dish can be attributed to red chillies, but the exact set of ingredients for the recipe can vary. It is ...

chicken lollipop Chicken lollipop is a popular Indian fried chicken appetiser. Chicken lollipop is, essentially a ''frenched'' chicken winglet, wherein the meat is cut loose from the bone end and pushed down creating a lollipop appearance. Recipe Recipes vary f ...

, and chilli chicken are also extensively available, but they will be generally modified by using generous amounts of spices and chillies.

Bhimavaram Bhimavaram is a city and headquarters of West Godavari district of the Andhra Pradesh state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Bhimavaram mandal in Bhimavaram revenue division. It is a part of Bhimavaram Urban Development Aut ...

town in West Godavari district is very famous for its unique non-veg pickles such as chicken pickle, shrimp pickle, and fish pickles. The agency (forest) area near

Rajamundry Rajahmundry, officially known as Rajamahendravaram, is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and District headquarters of East Godavari district. It is the sixth most populated city in the state. During British rule, the District of Rajah ...

and

Araku Araku Valley is a hill station in Alluri Sitharama Raju district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, lying 111 km west of Visakhapatnam city. This place is often referred to as ''Ooty of Andhra''. It is a valley in the Eastern Ghats inha ...

is very famous for Bongu chicken (bamboo chicken) curry.

Snacks

Samosa vendor on the streets of Hyderabad

At home, many savory snacks make an appearance. These include: *''

Upma Upma, uppumavu, or uppittu is a dish originating from the Indian subcontinent, most common in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtrian, and Sri Lankan Tamil breakfast, cooked as a thick porridge from dry-roaste ...

'' – ఉప్మా *''

Boondi Boondi is an Indian snack made from fried chickpea flour, either as a savory snack or sweetened as a dessert. In Sindh, the dish is referred to as ''Nukti'' ( sd, نڪتي, Dhatki: نڪتي , नुक्ती). In Rajsthan, the dish is ref ...

'' – బూంది *''Kaarappoosa'' – కారప్పూస *''

Ponganalu Ponganalu (పొ౦గనాలు) is a traditional snack item of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. It is a fluffy and smooth food item. It is sometimes stuffed with onions, corn or coriander for taste. It is taken in combination with ...

'' – పొంగనాలు *'' Bajji'' and '' bondaalu or punukulu''- బజ్జి, బోండాలు or పునుకులు stuffed with spices and dipped in chickpea batter and fried with spicy dips (''allam pachadi'') :*Varieties and variants: ''mirapakaya Bajji'' (chilli) popular evening snack all across the state, ''vamu bajji'', ''vankaya bajji'' (''brinjal''), ''aratikaya bajji'' (plantain), ''urla gadda bajji'' (potato), vegetable ''bonda''. :*Varieties and variants: *'' pakodi'' – పకోడీ :*''Ulli kaadalu pakodi'' :*''Sanna pakodi'' :*''Vankaya pakodi'' :*Varieties include ''royallu pakodi'', ''kodi pakodi'', ''ullipakodi'' (fritters made with sliced onion and spices in chickpea batter) *'' gaare'' – గారె spiced deep-fried dough. :*Varieties include:''perugu gaare''/''aavadalu'' – ఆవడలు, ''gaare'' marinated in a yogurt sauce, ''bellam garelu'', ''rava garelu'', ''ulli garelu'', ''pulla garelu'' *''Murukullu'' or''jantikalu'' – జంతికలు :*Varieties and variants: ''pesarapappu jantikalu'', ''challa murukulu'', ''chegodilu''(చేగోడీలు), ''

sakinalu Sakinalu (or sakinaalu, Chakinaalu Telugu: సకినాలు) is a special type of snack prepared in the northern region of Telangana, India. It consists of concentric circles made of rice flour dough, fried in oil. It is prepared during the ...

'' or ''chakkidalu'' – చక్కిడాలు, ''chakli'', ''chekkalu'' or ''chuppulu'' – చెక్కలు or చుప్పులు, maida chips, molocasia chips, '' plain papadam'', ''aam papad'' *Maramaraalu or puffed rice – Usually mixed with tomatoes, onions, coriander and lime juice and chilli powder. *Bean/pea snacks includes ''senagala talimpu'', ''guggillu'' – గుగ్గిళ్ళు etc. *Mixture (''boondi'' mixed with chopped onions and lemon juice)

Sweets and savories

Sweets and savories form an important part of Telugu culture. Made on festive and auspicious occasions, they are given to visiting relatives. Some of the savories are also made for the evening snack. * ''

Pootharekulu Pootharekulu (plural) or poothareku (singular) is a popular Indian sweet from the Andhra Pradesh state of south-east India. The sweet is wrapped in a wafer-thin rice starch layer resembling paper and is stuffed with sugar, dry fruits and nuts. ...

'' - a sweet preparation where sweet powder with

cardamom Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia. They are rec ...

flavor is stuffed into very thin pancake skins made of rice flour. ''Pootharekulu'' were first made in

Atreyapuram Atreyapuram is a village in Konaseema district of Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Atreyapuram Mandal of Amalapuram revenue division of the district. Popularity The village is known for the popular Indian sweet pootharekulu ...

, a village in Andhra Pradesh. * '' Kaaja'' deep-fried pastry filled with fruit or soaked in syrup. Variations i.e., ''Madatha kaaja'' and ''

Kakinada Kaaja Kakinada Kaja (Telugu: కాకినాడ కాజా) is a sweet delicacy originated from the city of Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India in 1891. It is different from the regular world known Khaja. It resembles a closed Tube. Tube is known a ...

'' are relished across the state. * ''

'', one of the most popular savories, is often cooked during the

Makara Sankranti Makar(a) Sankranti (), also referred to as Uttarayana, Maghi, or simply Sankranti, is a Hindu observance and a festival. Usually falling on the date of January 14 annually, this occasion marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sag ...

festival season. It is a deep-fried snack made of rice flour and

seeds, flavored with

ajwain Ajwain, ajowan (), or ''Trachyspermum ammi''—also known as ajowancaraway, omam (in Tamil), thymol seeds, bishop's weed, or carom—is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Both the leaves and the seed‑like fruit (often mistakenly called ...

(carom seeds or ''vaamu'' in Telugu). * ''Kajjikayalu'': fried dumpling stuffed with ''suji'', dry coconut powder, and sugar. It is usually prepared during

Deepavali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...

. Others: * '' Sunnundallu'' – ''

laddu ''Laddu'' or ''laddoo'' (; ms, kuih laddu; id, kue laddu) is a spherical sweet originating from India and spread through the Indian subcontinent and the Malay world. Laddus are primarily made from flour, fat (ghee/butter/oil) and sugar or ...

'' made with roasted ''urad dal'' (''minapappu'') and

''(bellam)''/

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...

. A generous amount of ghee is added to enhance the taste. * ''

Ariselu Ariselu ( te, అరిసెలు) or Arisa ( or, ଆରିସା) is an Indian sweet from Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana. It is also called Kajjaya ( kn, ಕಜ್ಜಾಯ) in Kannada, Adhirasam ( ta, அதிரசம்) in Tamil Nadu, ...

'': sweet fried snack made of rice flour * ''Boondi laddu'' * ''Poornam boorelu'' '' Poornalu'' – ''Chenna dal'' is cooked until soft, then cooled. Jaggery and cardamom powder are added, and the mix is rolled into balls. These balls are then batter-fried. The batter that is used is made from ''urad dal''. This sweet preparation is usually served during festive lunch. * ''Rava laddu'' * '' Bhakshalu'' or ''

Bobbatlu Puran puri (પુરણ પુરી), Puran poli (पुरण पोळी), Holige (ಹೋಳಿಗೆ), Obbattu (ಒಬ್ಬಟ್ಟು), or Bobbattlu (బొబ్బట్టు) , Poley( పోళె) , Bakshamulu( బక్ష్� ...

'' or ''

Polelu Puran puri (પુરણ પુરી), Puran poli (पुरण पोळी), Holige (ಹೋಳಿಗೆ), Obbattu (ಒಬ್ಬಟ್ಟು), or Bobbattlu (బొబ్బట్టు) , Poley( పోళె) , Bakshamulu( బక్ష్� ...

'': sweet flatbread made of Senega papu {chickpea flour) * Tapeswaram kaja * ''Pulagam'' ''Pongali'' - A sweet preparation made on a festive morning as offering for the deity. Soaked rice is cooked in a generous amount of milk usually in the ratio of 1:2.5; when the rice is cooked, well-broken jaggery is added and finished with a splash of ghee and fried dry fruit. * ''Payasam'': sweet pudding sometimes served in temples * ''Gavvalu'' or sweet shells (Telugu: గవ్వలు, gavvalu): balls of flour, deep-fried and sugared * ''Chakodi'': crunchy ball of rice flour and chilli, served hot. * ''Chakkera pongali'' (sugar pongal) * ''Laskora undalu'' (coconut laddu) or ''Raskora undalu'' (coconut laddu) * ''

'': fried snack made of chickpea flour * ''

Palathalikalu Palathalikalu is an Indian sweet dish made during Ganesh Chaturthi in the Delta region of Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area coverin ...

'':

Indian sweet This is a list of Indian sweets and desserts, also called ''mithai'', a significant element in Indian cuisine. Indians are known for their unique taste and experimental behavior when it comes to food. Many Indian desserts are fried foods made wi ...

made during

Ganesh Chaturthi Ganesh Chaturthi (ISO: ), also known as Vinayak Chaturthi (), or Ganeshotsav () is a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of the Hindu god Ganesha. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay idols privately in homes and p ...

* ''Ravva kesari'' * ''Pappuchekka'' * ''Jeedilu'' * ''Malai khaja'' – Traditional

sweet * ''Kobbari lavuju'' – grated coconut flesh in molten jaggery or sugar syrup * ''Vennappalu''

Rural cuisine

rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are describ ...

Andhra Pradesh, agriculture is the predominant occupation. Some centuries-old cooking practices, especially the use of mud pots, are still in vogue but are being replaced by steel utensils in recent decades. The earlier recipes in each village were also largely dictated by what was grown and available locally. In the drier districts, ''jowar'' (

), ''bajra'' (

) and ''ragi'' are still in use, while eating rice is seen as a symbol of prosperity. In the Delta and coastal districts, rice plays a major role in cooking.

References

External links

{{cuisines South Indian cuisine Indian cuisine by culture Indian cuisine by state or union territory