Gongura pachadi or gongura pickle is a special instant pickle from Andhra Pradesh mainly across the andhra region. We make use of tangy leaves for this chutney dish.
Looking for some more South Indian kind of instant chutney recipes then do try tomato pickle and mango pachadi on the blog which goes well with any main course recipe such as rice or other rice varieties or any dosa recipe.
About The Recipe
If we visit South India and its several parts we find chutneys or pickles common in the vegetarian thali or the meal platter.
Meals in South Indian thalis are incomplete without chutneys and the chutneys in those regions are available in hundreds of varieties and every chutney tastes delicious and special.
This particular gongura pachadi is famous in the Andhra region but if one travels across South India there are many vegetable chutneys are available on the veg platter which can be eaten or served with just plain rice and ghee.
It is a tangy flavoured instant pickle with an aromatic tempering and gives an amazing taste if we add a topping of thickly chopped onions all over the pickle.
The pickle tastes yum by mixing it with rice and also by adding ghee into the rice.
Ingredients
Sorrel or Gongura leaves: To make this dish we use it as the main ingredient. The leaves have to cook first and then the next step is to blend it along with some spices like a chutney.
Dry spice powder: To make a spice powder in order to add to the chutney, we need to use cumin seeds, coriander seeds and dry form of red chillies which should be sauteed in little oil. This spice powder gives a pickled flavour to the dish.
Garlic: It is an essential ingredient that goes while blending the chutney. Garlic always gives a good flavor if added in pickles.
Tempering: As usual we need to use basic tadka ingredients such as mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chillies, curry leaves to give the best flavors.
Follow the recipe details for detail instructions.
What are Sorrel leaves or Gongura
Sorrel leaves are commonly called Gongura in the South Indian Telugu language and it is a green leafy vegetable with two kinds of stem. One has a green stem and the other has a red stem.
The leaves of this green leafy vegetable are plucked to use in various chutneys, pickles and in curries mixed with mutton or chicken which tastes yum.
This is rarely available in Indian places but mostly cooked in the Guntur region of Andhra Pradesh.
Benefits
- They help in weight management and also have lots and lots of minerals and vitamins such as Vitamin A, B and C.
- They have lots of fibre and aids in proper digestion.
- It strengthens the immune system if consumed regularly and helps in proper blood circulation in the body.
- It is highly useful for those suffering from Anaemia as it helps in treating iron deficiency disorders.
- One should take care while consuming these leaves especially during any sort of allergies. It may cause side effects if consumed during allergies and one should consult a doctor and eat these veggies before going ahead with its preparation.
It is the most popular pickle across the Andhra region. The Sorrel is a tangy leaf and other recipes varieties to try with it down South are gongura pappu, gongura chutney, gongura mutton, gongura chicken.
Important points to make this pickle
- The leaves should not contain any moisture content for making pickle with gongura leaves or sorrel leaves.
- Wash the leaves first and dry them well to remove the moisture or water content from the leaves.
- Dry the leaves by placing them on an absorbing cloth for a while which can absorb all the water from the leaf or use a cloth to wipe out any water on the leaves.
- Then start the cooking process.
- Water or moisture in pickles spoils the pickles.
Storage
Here I have not added onions or tomatoes as I have done for my other recipe which is instant gongura chutney.
Gongura lasts longer if stored without using onions and tomatoes in it. Onions tend to spoil the pickle quickly and does not help last longer.
Store this instant pickle in refrigerator closing it with a tight lid in a box or an air tight container for 3-4 days and have when required.
Adding onions fresh while eating is a better option. For additional taste and additional flavours adding thickly chopped onions lifts up the flavours of the delicacy.
Below are the recipe details to make this amazing tangy gongura pickle or gongura pachadi for longer storage.
Recipe
Gongura Pachadi Recipe Andhra Style, Gongura Pickle
Ingredients
- 6-7 small bunches sorrel leaves/gongura leaves
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 15 dried red chillies
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 fenugreek seeds
- salt - to taste
- 6-7 garlic cloves
- 1 large size onion (diced into thick medium size pieces)
For tempering:
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon chana dal
- ½ teaspoon urad dal
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 4-5 dried red chillies
- 6-7 curry leaves
Instructions
Note:
- Firstly, pluck all the gongura leaves, wash them and set them aside freely so that they are free from moist and any water content on the leaves.
Step 1(Cook the gongura):
- In a wok, add about 1 tablespoon oil, add the gongura leaves and cook them for about ten minutes until they turn soft and mushy.
Step 2(Cook the Spices):
- In a separate pan, add a tablespoon of oil, add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, add dried red chillies and saute them for about a minute(not for a long time).
- Take them out and set aside to cool down.
Step 3(Blending all together):
- In a blender, add the cooked spices of step 2, add some salt and blend into a fine powder.
- Into it garlic cloves and blend well.
- Into it add gongura leaves and blend roughly.
- Take the pickle out into a bowl and mix thickly sliced onions into it and give tempering as mentioned below.
Step 4(Give the tempering):
- In a tadka pan, add oil and heat it.
- Into it, add chana dal, urad dal and stir well.
- Into it add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and let them pop up.
- Add dried red chillies, stir for few seconds.
- Add curry leaves and let them crackle.
- Add the tempering to the pickle.
- Serve hot with ghee and rice!!!
Notes
- Mix thickly chopped onions only while eating this pickle instantly. Do not add onions if planning to store.
- Onions release water and may spoil the pickle.
Nutrition
Faq's
It is usually referred to with the name Sorrel and the stems are available in two colours, one is the green leafy stem and the other is the red-stemmed.
Both kinds of stems give green leaves but vary in their sour flavours.
The answer can be yes since gongura is highly sour and some bodies cannot bear the sour intensity and can lead to gas trouble due to indigestion.
It also causes allergies such as itchy skin and rashes for some.
After eating gongura, if these symptoms persist, discontinue eating those leaves.
It is said to have lots of iron and is also known to have good amount of Vitamin A and C.
It is basically sour in taste and I must say too sour and usually while making pickles this flavour is balanced by adding salt and chillies as well as by tempering which kills the intensity of sour flavour to a certain extent.
The seeds are available online which can be used to grow in pots or in gardens as well as they are easily available in Indian stores but they are seasonal and not available all the year in stores.
Vishwas
Good information about gongura pickle.Can I get the information on all the kind of preparation made out of gongure.I will be thankful if you could provide receipes for that.
Asiya
you can make gongura chicken, gongura pachadi, gongura pappu etc...
Sastry V Neti
Gongura Chutney without Hing is Non Andhra(Guntur) Gongura Chutney.
Asiya
Yes I agree and I have not added in the recipe as I am allergic to hing...
Smitha
Thank you so much for the recipe. I prepared it and it came out really delicious. Everyone in our family liked it.