ANDHRA SPICY CHICKEN FRY - KODI VEPPUDU

        Andhra is known for its spicy cuisine. Being the homeland of spicy variety of Chillies from Guntur, Kurnool, Khammam, Warrangal & Hindpur. No wonder Andhra Chillies, should I say Telangana Chillies too?!!! Well, the Chillies play a major role in Andhra Cuisine, ha, again Telangana Cuisine too. Their own Avakaya & Pandu Mirapakaya Pachadi all tastes so great because of the variety of native Chillies. See what recipes have influenced me from Andhra/Telangana Cuisine - Again Pickles.  
 

    My husband who used to travel to Hindpur for a project always comes up with his anecdotes that Andhra food is so tasty & spicy and finishes off his statement with a quote written in Hindpur Super Spinning Mill Canteen - "It takes days to make a food but minutes to waste it." Well, these two points always left a strong reminiscence in my mind.
  

        This recipe was inspired by an Instagram post, posted by Sireesha Kanteti. The Chicken looked too good that I couldn't resist asking for the recipe. Thanks, Sireesha for the recipe and also for the detailed explanation. 

ANDHRA SPICY CHICKEN FRY - KODI VEPPUDU

     And here I go with it one of my first attempt with an authentic Andhra Spicy Chicken Fry alias Kodi Veppudu. Anything in the name of Spicy is loved at home and I know this Kodi Veppudu falls too much into the genre that I wanted to very badly give a try. And as expected, this recipe was liked by all at home and & my husband loved it along with Rasam. This is one Andhra/Telangana Recipe I have tried all-new, next to my all-time favourite Avakkai Mango Pickle. 

    Well, coming back to Kodi Veppudu or the delicious Spicy Andhra Chicken Fry, it is an absolute treat for spice lovers. This recipe comes with a unique heat & taste and needless to say that it is delicious. But alas, I should also mention that I had no luck using the authentic Chillies from Andhra for the recipe. Even with locally available Chillies(the Thai Ones) the recipe did total justice and imagine if it was prepared with Andhra Chillies, it is sure to take the recipe to the next level. 

HOW TO MAKE KODI VEPPUDU

ANDHRA SPICY CHICKEN FRY

ANDHRA SPICY CHICKEN FRY - KODI VEPPUDU

INGREDIENTS:

To Marinate & cook the Chicken:

Chicken - 500 Gms
Lemon Juice - 1 Tbspn
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbspn
Salt - To Taste
Oil - 2 Tbspn
Onions - 2 Nos.
 

For Andhra Spicy Chicken Fry - Kodi Veppudu:

Cinnamon - 1" Stick
Clove - 4 Nos.
Cardamom - 2 Pods
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tbspn
Curry Leaves - a handful
Cashew Nuts - 20 Nos.(Optional)
Green Chillies - 6-7 Nos.
Garam Masala Powder - 1 Tspn
 

For Garnishing:

Coriander leaves - a handful
 
 

METHOD:

To Marinate & cook the Chicken:

• Clean, wash and cut the chicken into medium-sized pieces.
• Allow the chicken pieces to drain in a colander for a few minutes.
• Then, marinate the Chicken with Salt, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Ginger Garlic Paste & Lemon Juice for about an hour.  
• If time permits keep it marinated overnight.
• Once marinated add finely chopped Onions to the Chicken along with a drizzle of Oil.
• Then, cover & cook the marinated chicken along with Onions until the Chicken turns soft & cooked.
• Stir occasionally while cooking the Chicken.
• Remove the lid and cook until the consistency of the Curry turns into a thick gravy.
• Adjust the salt.

For Andhra Spicy Chicken Fry - Kodi Veppudu:

• Meanwhile, in another pan, heat oil, splutter Cinnamon sticks, Cloves & Cardamom on a very low flame.
• Immediately add Cashewnuts and fry until it turns into golden yellow.
• Now, add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of Ginger Garlic Paste along with a handful of Curry Leaves and saute until the raw flavour goes & oil separates from the mix
• Add the cooked chicken along with the gravy to the above.
• Add Green Chillies slit into two and give a quick stir.
• Fry the Chicken on a medium-low flame until all the masala is well coated to the chicken pieces.
• Gently stir at intervals and fry until the chicken pieces turn brown & roasted.
• Now, sprinkle some Garam Masala and fry again on a very low flame for a few more minutes.
• Switch off the flame and garnish Kodi Veppudu with finely chopped Coriander leaves.
• Serve spicy Andhra Chicken Fry hot with steaming hot Rice.
• I love to eat this Kodi Veppudu with Rice & Rasam.

NOTES:

• This is a spicy Curry as the name suggests. But adjust the amount of spices to suit your spice level.
• Roast the Chicken on a very low flame until it crowns & gets roasted well.
• Marinating the chicken for a long time yields soft, juicy & succulent meat pieces.

ANDHRA MANGO DHAL - MAMADIKAYA PAPPU

      Cooking a Curry with Dhal is as often a scenario at home & to give a mild twist or try new versions of curries with Dhal/Paruppu is something I love to do.  The list of dishes & curries prepared with Dhal is long enough, which gives a variety when it comes to daily cooking. When I saw this Andhra Style Dhal recipe, I was damn sure to give it a try & all the more, it was a quick fix recipe prepared with Tuvar Dhal/Pigeon Pea Dhal.  

    The original inspiration for this Andhra Style curry got into my head from Amulya Malladi's Novel - The Mango Season & Song of a Cuckoo Bird. In the Mango Season Novel, she even has written a brief recipe for Mango Pappu which inspired me to the core and the next time when got a few Raw Mangoes, I cooked this curry. In the novel A Cuckoo Bird, the kids at the ashram would look forward for this curry during Mango season.

    The recipe was more or less similar to Thalicha Paruppu & Andhra Tomato Pappu, but the addition of Raw Mangoes in dhal literally fancied my instincts - for a person who loves tangy food, needless to say... This Andhra Style Mango Dhal gave a wonderful flavour with a high note of tanginess in its taste. We call LENTIL/DHAL as Paruppu/Parippu in Tamil/Malayalam & the same is called as Pappu in Telugu.  As this recipe is cooked along with a good amount of Mangoes, the recipe gets to be known as Mamadikaya(Mango) Pappu.

      Mamadikaya Pappu served with piping hot Rice & a hearty drizzle of Ghee is an absolute treat. Combine it up with your choice of Stir-fries for a complete meal.  This Mango Pappu is a traditional recipe from Andhra/Telangana prepared with Tuvar Dhal/Pigeon Pea Dhal.  Mangoes are cooked along with the Dhal, and then mashed & mildly seasoned with Onions & Garlic & then the dhal is tempered with spices which gives additional notes of flavours to this dish. I have left a few Mango Pieces without mashing, so that I could bite into some raw mangoes from the curry. 

    I usually cook Dhal in a Pressure Cooker, which makes the cooking faster. And all the more, it is hassle-free & I feel lot more comfortable cooking Dhal in a Pressure Cooker.  Can soak the Tuvar Dhal for about 30 Minutes if you are cooking the Dhal in a regular Sauce Pan.  Soaking facilitates fast cooking, and draining out the water used for soaking helps avoid the bloating caused by certain Pulses.  I have seasoned the cooked Tuvar Dhal first and then have cooked it for a few minutes, which helps the flavours to get well infused into the Dhal before tempering the Mango Pappu.

For more Recipes with DHAL, Click here...


Cuisine - South Indian
Course - Side Dish
Spice Level - Medium
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 2 -3
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5-10 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20-30 Minutes

For more Recipes from ANDHRA/TELANGANA CUISINE, Click here...

HOW TO MAKE ANDHRA MANGO DHAL - MAMADIKAYA PAPPU 

ANDHRA MANGO DHAL - MAMADIKAYA PAPPU

NOTES:

• Andhra Style Mamadikaya Pappu is cooked with Tuvar Dhal/Pigeon Pea Dhal.
• Can make the same recipe with Yellow Moong Dhal or Masoor Dhal too.
• Cook the Dhal accordingly.
• Care should be taken while cooking Dhal in a Sauce Pan so that it doesn't get burnt at the bottom. Adjust the amount of water and cook accordingly.
• Cook the Dhal well and mash it up before adding it along with the seasoning, or cook the Dhal Al dente to suit your preference.
• I have used about a cup of Raw Mangoes in this recipe.  Adjust the amount of Mangoes to suit your taste.
• Andhra Mango Pappu curry is a tangy curry.  If the Mangoes aren't tangy enough, can add Tomatoes or Tamarind to balance the taste.
  
• Adjust the consistency of Mango Pappu to suit your preference.
• Adding sugar helps to balance the overall taste, but it is purely optional.
  

ANDHRA STYLE TOMATO PAPPU

    Anything in the name of Paruppu is devoured heads down at home. Cooking a Curry with Dhal is as often a scenario at home & to give a mild twist or try new versions of curries with Dhal/Paruppu is something I love to do.  The list of dishes & curries prepared with Dhal is long enough, which gives a variety when it comes to daily cooking. When I saw this Andhra Style Dhal recipe, I was damn sure to give it a try & all the more it was a quick fix recipe prepared with Tuvar Dhal/Pigeon Pea Dhal  Though it looked quite similar to Thalicha Paruppu Recipe which is a family favourite, the spices used in Andhra Tomato Pappu with the addition of extra Tomatoes gave a wonderful flavour & taste. We call LENTIL/DHAL as Paruppu/Parippu in Tamil/Malayalam & the same is called as Pappu in Telugu.  As this recipe is cooked along with a good amount of Tomatoes, the recipe gets to be known as Tomato Pappu.

      Tomato Pappu served with piping hot Rice & a hearty drizzle of Ghee is an absolute treat. Combine it up with your choice of Stir-fries for a complete meal.  This Tomato Pappu is a traditional recipe from Andhra/Telangana prepared with Tuvar Dhal/Pigeon Pea Dhal.  Cooked Dhal is mashed & then it is mildly seasoned with Onions, Garlic & Tomatoes & then the dhal is tempered with spices which gives additional notes of flavours to this dish.

    I usually cook Dhal in a Pressure Cooker which makes the cooking faster. And all the more it is hassle-free & I feel lot more comfortable cooking Dhal in a Pressure Cooker.  Can soak the Tuvar Dhal for about 30 Minutes if you are cooking the Dhal in a regular Sauce Pan.  Soaking facilitates fast cooking and draining out the water used for soaking helps avoid the bloating caused by certain Pulses.  I have seasoned the cooked Tuvar Dhal first and then have cooked it for a few minutes which helps the flavours to get well infused into the Dhal before tempering the Tomato Pappu.

For more Recipes with DHAL, Click here...


Cuisine - South Indian
Course - Side Dish
Spice Level - Medium
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 2 -3
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5-10 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20-30 Minutes

For more Recipes from ANDHRA/TELANGANA CUISINE, Click here...

HOW TO COOK TOMATO TUVAR DHAL - ANDHRA STYLE TOMATO PAPPU

ANDHRA STYLE TOMATO PAPPU

INGREDIENTS:

For Tempering Tomato Pappu:

• Heat Ghee in a separate Pan, splutter Cumin Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Dry Red Chillies & Curry Leaves in it.  Let the flame be at low.
  
• Once the above ingredients have spluttered, switch off the flame and add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder & Asafoetida.
• Give a quick stir and let it get roasted in the heat.
• Pour the tempering into the Cooked Dhal and mix well.
• Serve Tomato Pappu hot with Rice and a hearty drizzle of Ghee.

NOTES:

• Andhra Style Tomato Pappu is cooked with Tuvar Dhal/Pigeon Pea Dhal.
• Can make the same recipe with Yellow Moong Dhal too.
• Cook the Dhal accordingly.
• Care should be taken while cooking Dhal in a Sauce Pan so that it doesn't get burnt at the bottom. Adjust the amount of water and cook accordingly.
• Cook the Dhal well and mash it up before adding it along with the Seasoning or cook the Dhal Al dente to suit your preference.
• Adjust the consistency of Tomato Pappu to suit your preference.

Kambu Koozh - Pearl Millet Porridge with Shallots & Curd

Kambu Koozh (கம்பு கூழ் / கம்பன் கூழ்) –  Tamil Nadu’s Traditional Summer Porridge with Pearl Millets! 

    When the sun roasts the earth and our skin starts to sizzle, the body doesn’t crave spice — it longs for something cool, earthy, and soothing. And that’s when Kambu Koozh comes into the picture like an age-old friend with a pot of wisdom.

RAVA PONGAL/SEMOLINA PONGAL

HOW TO MAKE RAVA PONGAL/SEMOLINA PONGAL

INGREDIENTS :

To cook the Dhal :

For Rava Pongal/Semolina Pongal :

METHOD :

• Dry roast Semolina(White Rava) until colour changes slightly for 5-8 minutes on a very low flame.
• Keep it aside to cool down.
• Dry Roast the Moong Dhal until fragrant on a very low flame for about 3 minutes.
• Then wash it and leave it aside to drain in a colander.
• Pour 3/4 Cups of Water to the Dhal and Pressure cook for 3 Whistles on a high flame.
• Lower the flame and cook for other 2 Whistles. 
• Switch off the flame and allow the pressure to release. Heat Ghee/Oil in a Pan, fry Cashewnuts on a low flame.
• Splutter Peppercorns, Cumin Seeds on a very low flame.(care should be taken not to burn the Cumin seeds which will alter the taste of Rava Pongal).
• Immediately add finely chopped Ginger, Green Chillies(slit into two) & Curry Leaves to the above and saute it briefly. 
• Pour in 31/2 Cups of Water(I substituted 1 Cup of Water with Milk) and allow it to boil.
• Add Salt to taste.
• When Water starts to boil, lower the flame and add a tablespoon of Ghee or oil into it and give a quick stir.
• Slowly add Roasted Semolina(White Rava) in small batches.
• Stir continuously while adding the Semolina(White Rava) into the boiling water to avoid forming lumps.
• Mix well and close the pan.
• Leave it on a low flame for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture turns slightly thicker.
• Add cooked Moong Dhal to the cooked Semolina and mix gently until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
• Add some ghee(optional) and stir it at regular intervals.
• Cook on a very low flame until Semolina (White Rava) turns soft.
• Can add 2-3 Tspns of extra Ghee to the Rava Pongal/Semolina Pongal at this stage, if preferred.
• Switch off the flame.
• Can serve Rava Pongal/Semolina Pongal hot with Sambar, Puli Kolambu, Khara Kolambu, Gothsu or any Chutney of your choice.

• Perfectly dry roasted semolina plays a major role in the texture of Rava Pongal.
• Over-roasted semolina tends to become dry even after adding enough water, and under-roasted semolina turns gooey.
• Can add few teaspoons of Ghee to Rava Pongal, at the final stage too.
• Adding Ghee to Rava Pongal/Semolina Pongal gives a nice flavour and gives a soft texture to the dish.  Can substitute it with any Vegetable Oil too. 
• Dry roasting the dhal enhances its aroma and gives an even texture while cooking. 
• Can crush the Peppercorns & Cumin seeds slightly.  This would increase the flavours in it.
• Splutter Cumin seeds on a very low flame,(care should be taken not to burn the Cumin seeds which will alter the taste of Rava Pongal).
• Temper all the ingredients on a very low flame.
• Can prepare the same recipe with Samba Gothumai Rava/Broken Wheat/any other millet variety. 
• Adding extra Ghee to Rava Pongal/Semolina Pongal is purely optional. 

Sambharam – Kerala’s Cooling Elixir | Traditional Spiced Buttermilk

Sambharam – Kerala’s Traditional Spiced Buttermilk (Pacha Moru/Morum Vellam)

Beat the Summer Heat with Kerala’s Favourite Cooling Drink! 

    Summer is here, bringing with it the scorching heat that leaves us craving something cool and refreshing. While modern drinks flood the market, Kerala’s age-old wisdom has always pointed to simple, natural solutions. One such gem is Sambharam—also known as Pacha Moru, Morum Vellam, or Nadan Moru. This traditional spiced buttermilk is more than just a summer cooler; it’s a probiotic-rich, digestion-boosting elixir that has been part of Kerala’s food culture for centuries.

    Sambharam isn’t just a refreshing summer drink; it’s woven into Kerala’s traditions. It is served as part of a Kerala Sadhya (festive feast) and even offered as Naivedyam (sacred offering) during Rama Navami. But beyond festivities, this simple drink is a natural way to stay hydrated, improve gut health, and beat heat-induced fatigue.

    With modern lifestyles pushing traditional home remedies to the background, drinks like Sambharam deserve a comeback. As people shift towards healthy, natural living, this time-tested buttermilk recipe is regaining popularity. So why not bring it back into our daily routine? Let’s dive into its flavours, benefits, and the easiest way to make authentic Kerala-style Sambharam at home!

What is Sambharam? 

Sambharam is a traditional South Indian spiced buttermilk made by blending:

• Yoghurt/Curd – The base of the drink, rich in probiotics
• Green Chillies – Adds a mild spice kick
• Ginger – Aids digestion and enhances flavour
• Curry Leaves – A signature ingredient, packed with antioxidants
• Lemon Leaves – Infuses a citrusy freshness
• Salt – Balances the flavours

    These ingredients are blended together using a traditional churner (Thayir Mathu) or a modern blender, creating a smooth, refreshing drink.

• Instantly cools down the body – Perfect for hot summer days
• Aids digestion – Helps after a heavy meal
• Rich in probiotics – Promotes gut health 
• Electrolyte booster – Keeps dehydration at bay
• Simple and natural – No artificial additives or sugars
• Customisable – Add herbs and spices of your choice

Recipe Overview 

• Cuisine: Kerala (South India)
• Recipe Type: Drink
• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 3–4
• Preparation Time: 3–5 Minutes
• Author: SM