Vankaya Tomato Pachadi / Brinjal Tomato Chutney

Pachadi is one of the popular recipes in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Many years back when we shifted to Telangana, I was confused with the name of Pachadi as in Tamil Nadu we call it as Raita. In Andhra and Telangana, chutney varieties are known as Pachadi and there are wide varieties of pachadi which can also be served with rice. The authentic Andhra Thali has a minimum of two varieties of chutney which is generally served with hot rice and ghee or with Ragi Sankati (Ragi Mudde). To my surprise, I have seen people still using a Mortar and Pestle to prepare Pachadi and even I believe that dishes made out of mortar and pestle enhance the taste and gives a delicious flavor.

My today's recipe is also one variety of Pachadi using Brinjal and Tomato which was given as my secret ingredients in Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge. This month's theme was Andhra Pradesh recipes and I was paired with an excellent blogger and an amazing food photographer Kriti Singhal Agrawal who blogs at Krispy Kadhai. Personally, I admire her food styling and food photography. Check out her wonderful page to hop into wide varieties of interesting recipes and also to check a delicious Andhra Pradesh recipe prepared by her using the secret ingredients given by me.

Vankaya Tomato Pachadi is one of a simple and tasty chutney variety which goes perfect with plain rice or roti. The brinjals and tomatoes are cooked separately and added in a thalimpu which is further made into pachadi using a Mortar and Pestle. The same recipe can also be prepared using mixer jar, but personally I feel, grinding using mortar and pestle enhance the taste and also gives a delicious taste.

Ingredients :

6-7 Brinjals, cut into small cubes
2 Tomato. finely chopped
6 Green chillies, sliced
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tsp Cumin / Jeera seeds
1 1/2 Tsp Urad dal
A pinch of Hing
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 Sprigs of Curry leaves

Method :

Add chopped brinjal and tomato pieces in a pan and cook it for 5 minutes in a low flame by adding little water.

Once done, remove from the flame and keep aside.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds followed by cumin seeds, urad dal, hing, green chillies and turmeric powder.

Fry it for a minute and add the cooked brinjal-tomato mixture.

Add salt and let it cook till the mixture gets mashed.

Once done, transfer the brinjal - tomato pachadi into Mortar and Pestle and grind it coarsely.

Alternatively, mixer jar can also be used to grind it according to the desired consistency.

Transfer it to a bowl and serve.

Serving Options :

Serve with hot plain rice or Roti.

Gonkura Pachadi / Gonkura Chutney

When it comes to Andhra cuisine, food is incomplete without Gonkura pachadi which is served with hot rice and ghee. This leaves are widely consumed in Andhra pradesh and very popular dish in all restaurants. In Tamil Nadu, it is called as "Pulicha Keerai". There are two varieties of gonkura available in the market based on the stem ( red and green stem). Red stemmed one is more sour than the green ones. Numerous varieties of dishes can be prepared, out of these sour leaves and it includes both veg and non- veg. Few dishes which are popular and available in Andhra restaurants are Gonkura pappu, Gonkura pachadi, Royyalu gonkura, gonkura mamsam and gonkura chicken. Apart from these, rice varieties and pulusu can also be prepared. It is also a very rich source of Iron, Vitamin C, Folic acid and anti- oxidants. Additionally, its is rich in calcium and very good source of Riboflavin.
Coming to our Today's pachadi, this is a hot and spicy chutney prepared using red stemmed Gonkura variety.  This can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. Chopped onions can also be added in the chutney while serving.

Ingredients :

2 Bunch Gonkura leaves
8-10 Dry red chillies ( adjust according to taste bud )
1 Tsp Jeera
1/4 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tsp Coriander seeds
1 Tbsp Chana dal
1/4 Tsp Methi seeds
10 Garlic pods
2 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

For Thalimpu :

1 Tbsp oil
1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Dry red chilly
1/2 Tsp Jeera
1 Tsp Chana dal
Handful of Curry leaves
Less than 1/4 Tsp Hing

Method :

Clean, wash and keep the gonkura leaves aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add red chillies, fry it for a minute and add Jeera followed by Mustard seeds, Coriander seeds, Chana dal, Methi seeds and Garlic pods.

Fry it for 3-4 minutes in a low flame and remove from the flame.

Now add the washed gonkura leaves in the same pan and saute well till it turns soft.

Add sauteed gonkura and fried masala items in a mixer jar or mortar and pestle.

Grind it into fine paste and transfer it to a bowl.

For Thalimpu, heat oil in a pan and add Mustard seeds.

Once, it starts spluttering add Jeera followed by chana dal, dry red chilly, curry leaves and hing.

Fry it and add it to the ground chutney.

Serve.

Serving Options :

Serve with hot rice and ghee, Idly or Dosa.