A cuisine that is too spicy with loads of varieties is that of Andhra Pradesh. If you ever think that only dosa, idly and smabhar is what you can get in South India, especially in Andhra Pradesh, take a look at this list.

Pesarattu:

If still dosas come to your mind, find this unique variety of dosa that belongs to Andhra Pradesh. Unlike usual dosas, green dal replaces rice and urad dal. The green lentils are soaked overnight and ground into batter with chillies and ginger. Make usual dosas after you add salt and garnish with chopped onions. Eat hot pesarattu with coconut or ginger chutney.

Image Source –  Flickr @ Sanjay Borra

Kanda Bachali Kura:

Kura is curry and by Kanda and Bachali it means ‘yam’ and ‘spinach.’ All you need to do is cut yam into cubes, wash and cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile let the mustard seeds split in a pan, then add clean and cut Malabar leaves and let it cook without water in medium flame and add tamarind pulp. After 10 minutes, add boiled yam, salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder and mix well. A delicious curry is ready.

Hyderabadi Biriyani:

Even if you have not been to Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, this is a frequently heard dish. This favourite dish of Hyderabad Nizams has the flavours of diverse cultures, and you can never find this Dum Biriyani tasting lesser than heart’s content. Sliced chicken is marinated with salt, turmeric and lemon juice overnight. Add usual spices to the oil and add rice and cook for 3 minutes. This is where variation begins. Spread rice in a flat vessel and place chicken and again layer of rice. Make a few layers, add some saffron, cook in a pan for 10 minutes at high flame, and then 10 minutes at low flame. Switch the flames for thrice. Take off the cover and mix the biriyani, you cannot resist.

Image Source –  Flickr @ raghavendra patlolla

Gongura:

Gongura and the people of Andhra Pradesh are inseparable. Cook gongura, split pigeon peas, and green chillies in a cooker. Ensure that you can mash the dal. Add salt, and then let cumin seeds split in and add the dal and gongura mixture. Take with rotis or even with rice.

Natu Kodi Kura:

Marinate chicken with chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder for 2 hours before cooking. Heat oil in a pan and let cumin seeds splutter; add chopped onion and sauté till brown. Now add chicken and cook till it is done almost. Sauté to remove water and till chicken turns brown. Add freshly crushed pepper powder, vinegar and garam masala. This village chicken gravy is satiating.

Royyala Vepudu:

Addicted to prawn? Then you can never stop eating Andhra Prawn Fry. Peel the prawns; let them cook with turmeric powder, green chilli powder, and ginger garlic paste at a low flame. Then sauté oil, green chillies, ginger paste in a pan with oil one by one. Add the prawns; wait till the water evaporates to add cumin powder, red chilli powder, and coriander powder. At last, add garam masala, corn flour and sesame seeds.

Punugulu:

Too heavy with these dishes? Here is a snack that is simple to make and yet lip-smacking. Mix dosa batter and idly batter with rice flour of 2 tsp, chopped onion, green chillies and curry leaves. Add a little salt, and then deep fry. Pakoras like snack ready to be served with tea.

Image Source –  Flickr @ Neelima Perni

Puliogara:

There are different variations to cook. But the ingredients are same like tamarind, rice, channa dal, red chillies, coriander seeds and hing. The secret lies in the gravy made with tamarind pulp and other stuffs. Mix with rice and you would be spellbound by the taste.

Chandrakanthalu:

This dish would leave you drooling for sure. Made with moong dal ground after soaking for a few hours, an equal amount of sugar is added to the paste. This mixture is cooked at a medium flame till it turns thick. Pour in a greased plate and cut into small pieces. Then deep fry this mouth-watering dish.

Gongurapachadi:

If you have ever tasted this once, then it is no surprise you love to know its recipe. Take gongura leaves, wash and dry with towel. Fry in a little oil to take water out, let it cool and grind it. Roast coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds, make a powder of these. Add this to gongurapachadi, and temper mustard, asafoetida, red chillies and garlic. Pour this in the pachadi. Eat with steaming hot rice and get lost in the taste.

Image Source –  Flickr @ Bujji

10 amazing foods of Andhra Pradesh you should never miss are listed above. Try them and have a treat!

With winters ahead, you will find these paneer or the cottage cheese dishes come handy for your tea time, and a few can be a part of dinner or lunch

1.Paneer Dips:

Get your oven ready with preheating of 220 degree Celsius. Take a bowl and mix egg white, chilli powder, cumin powder, garlic powder and little ground pepper. Take tortillas, brush with egg white and cut into slices. Now bake them, until they turn crisp. Mix paneer with olive oil, with fresh coriander, and sprinkle olive oil. Add salt and pepper.

Image Source – Flickr @ramya.kiran

2.Paneer Wrap:

Make the dough of wheat flour with water and cover it for 10 minutes. Roll out and cook. Sauté onions and capsicum and then add tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. Add the paneer cubes, mix and cook for a minute. Keep the mix on roti and garnish with mayonnaise. Roll the wrap and it is ready to serve or eat.

Image Source – Flickr @Bombay Wraps

3. Paneer Cutlets:

Crumble the cottage cheese, peel and grate and potatoes, and add salt, garam masala, red chilli, ginger, and mash thoroughly. Take a bit of this, make a ball, dip in egg white, and pour this on the bread crumbs till the cutlet is coated fully. Deep fry in oil, and then, serve with ketchup.

Image Source – Flickr @SpicyTasty

4.Cottage Cheese in Devilled Eggs:

Boil eggs in hot water, and then, place in chilled water till they cool. Remove the shell and cut into half. Take the yolks, mix with cottage cheese, salt and pepper. Scoop this mixture in the egg and relish immediately. This cannot be taken after 24 hours even if refrigerated.

5. Veg Paneer Sandwich:

This can be a lunch, but if you prefer it for evening snacks, no harm done. Crumble cottage cheese, and then add chopped onion, green chillies, coriander leaves and all spices of your choice. Stuff onside brown bread and cut into two halves. Consumes less time and but healthy and fat free lunch for kids.

6.Paneer Lollipop:

For vegans who miss starters like chicken lollipop, this adds to the variety. Mash boiled potatoes; add turmeric powder, coriander leaves, hing, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt. Add paneer and mix without any lumps. Make oval shaped balls, insert ice cream sticks. Roll in bread crumbs and deep fry to get succulent lollipops.

7.Stuffed Capsicum paneer:

Simple and no cooking dish is this capsicum paneer stuff. When you can get colourful capsicums, you would just love to see the kids fighting for one. Cut the capsicum into half. Mix avocado, crumbled paneer, salt, sweet mini peppers, chopped onion, and garlic in a bowl. This mixture has to be put in the capsicum.

8. Paneer Pakora:

Get gram flour mixed with salt, chilli powder and coriander powder. Then drop cottage cheese in warm water for a few minutes and squeeze water out of it. Now to the batter, dip the paneer and deep fry in oil, just like the pakoras. An apt and lip smacking snack for rainy days with a cup of tea.

9.Paneer bread rolls:

Great for the snack, breakfast and brunch! Mix crumbled paneer, chopped onion, cumin powder, salt, ginger, and coriander leaves. Cut the crust of the bread slices. Flatten them really well, and then, place the mixture inside the bread. Seal the edges with a wet cloth and keep it closed in a muslin cloth. Put on much of butter and let this get cooked in a hot pan. Take with ketchup, and you would say nothing else than ‘awesome.

10.Paneer Cigar Rolls:

Make a wrapper with what flour or maida, ghee, and salt. Alternatively, samosa patties can be used. In a pan, roast crumbled paneer, chopped onions, green chillies, garlic, crumbled mozzarella, tomatoes, ginger, and cilantro. Make sure cilantro and mozzarella are added at last, when the other stuff is completely roasted. Roll the dough into thin sheets and cut into pieces enough to make a roll. Put the filling in and deep fry in oil.Paneer recipes for the lazy winter days are great and lip-smacking.

Maharashtra boasts for its unique and mouth-watering foods. From desserts to snacks, it is easy to find many varieties of foods that you can find only in this Indian state. Find the 10 delicious Maharashtrian dishes you should never miss:

1. Aamrakhand
This is a dish that you will crave to have more. The yoghurt, fresh mangoes and the pulp will leave you lip-smacking. You would never share this even with the best friends. The key to making the dish rich lies in perfect sieving of yoghurt and sugar mixture and the pistachios. This is a part of a special meal and served with hot puris.

2. KothimbirVadi:
Kothimbir is ‘coriander’ in Marathi, the language of Maharashtra. This is an excellent tea time snack. The ingredients are besan or gram flour, rice flour, coriander, ginger, lemon juice, salt, garam masala powder, chilly and turmeric powder. The task is to mix everything and steam it in the microwave or a pressure cooker. You get cake like texture. Eat if you are watching weight. If you need something like fritters to appease your taste buds, fry this and enjoy a delicious snack with ketchup.

3. Modak:
It is not only because modak is Lord Ganesh’s favourite, the entire state relishes making these sweets on His festival, but because this luscious sweet delights them too. Jaggery, coconut, cashews and almonds filled inside the rice flour covering are steamed. The rich food is healthy too because it is steamed. Never mind the cashews and almonds; skip them if you are weight conscious.

4. Shankarpali:
A sweet that is not too sweet and melts into your mouth is this Shankarpali. You need not wait for any celebration to try this. Easy to cook with just sugar, ghee, semolina, all purpose flour, milk and oil. Mix everything, except for oil and cut into pieces and then fry them. Tastes good with tea!

5. Pithale:
A simple yet great appetizing recipe is Pithale. If you want to make dinner fast, then try this gravy. Involves only a very few steps. Let the mustard seeds crackle in a pan followed by green chillies. Sauté onion and after this, pour water and let it boil, and then, add gram flour slowly. Wait for 15 minutes, Pithale is ready to be served with roti or rice.

6. Thalipeeth:
This Maharashtrian pancake has 4 flours used- gram flour, rice flour, atta or wheat flour and ragi. Mixed with onion, chillies, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt, the mixture is made into soft dough. Then cook in a non-stick pan with less oil. It can be taken as a snack and dinner, as well.

7. Puran Poli:
If you think an effort consuming dish is right for you, but it has to be yummy, then, try the puranpoli. Soak channa and tuvar dal for 1 hour, cook them till soft, but should not be mushy. Grind with jaggery and then fry with shredded coconut. Make the dough of maida, salt and turmeric, with oil and water and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. After the mixture of channa and dal and coconut cools, make rotis of maida, stuff the puran inside, and then, cook on tava. You got to be careful enough to roll the dough after stuffing.

8. Misal Pav:
No Maharashtrian food list is complete without the Pavs. Though this is a Kolhapuri dish, everyone loves it, for it can be a lunch, breakfast, brunch, snack and dinner too. Sev, onions, and bajee in spicy gravy with Pav bread- yummy is what you can say.

9. Pav Bhaji:
The same recipe as above, but you can make the gravy healthier with all veggies added into it.

10. Vada Pav:
Another Pav delicacy and the credit go to Bollywood for making it popular. Spicy mashed potatoes like bondas of South India inside the Pav with mint chutneys can make your taste buds 100% satiated.

Try all the gorgeous foods of Maharashtra, and you will know why they are proud of their foods.