Gongura Pachadi – Ajji’s adige (cooking)

It’s been a while since I posted on here coz I’ve been too busy spending time with my grand mother – Ajji as I fondly call her in Kannada; who is visiting from India. The day flies by while she and I engage in endless conversations about everything from memories of her younger years to the way things are in current times. This past week I’ve realized how fortunate I am to still have my maternal grandparents and have the opportunity to spend invaluable time with them. I am certainly making the most of everyday; not to forget the wonderful cooking tips and the wealth of information I’m getting from years of gran’s cooking experience. 

I have always enjoyed eating Andhra style food – the quintessential poppu (mildly flavoured daal), Dondakayi fry (Tindora fry) and the most popular Gongura Pachadi, mixed in hot rice and a generous serving of ghee…mmmm just the thought has me drooling! I had taken Ajji to our local Farmers Market and she was thrilled to see such a wide array of veggies, fruits and greens. When she saw the Gongura leaves, she picked them up right away and I was excited we were going to make Gongura Pachadi (chutney)

You will need:

1 large bunch Gongura( Red stemmed Sorrel) leaves, stems removed, washed and drained

10 pods Garlic, divided

Salt to taste

15 Green chillies *

Powdered Jaggery, as required

2 tbsp Oil

In the bowl of a food processor, blend the Gongura leaves, ½ tsp Salt, green chillies and 5 pods of Garlic to a smooth paste adding water only as needed – I used about less then a ¼ cup. You can use a regular blender, as long as you can make a smooth paste without adding too much water. Chop remaining garlic.

Heat a non-stick pan with oil. Add the chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant about 30 seconds. Now add the prepared Gongura paste. Taste the paste, if it is too sour to your liking, add jaggery as required to balance the flavours. We like the Gongura pachadi when its slightly tart and very spicy, so I used about one heaping tablespoon. Saute the paste on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until it turns from a bright green to a moss colored paste and is fragrant. Adjust salt as needed. 

Storing: Let cool completely before transferring to an air-tight container and refrigerate. If stored well, the pachadi should last for up to 3 weeks.

This is typically eaten with hot rice and ghee. Scrumptiousness in every mudda – a small portion of food rolled up in a bite-sized ball.