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Local spices and fiery flavours define the cuisine of Andhra Pradesh. Rice is a staple, which has resulted in biryani being a speciality. Biryani and salan aside, the state is also known for traditional tea time snacks. Great accompaniments to hot cups of tea, these seven snacks from Andhra Pradesh are worth trying:
Chakodi
Mainly prepared for Diwali and Dussehra, chakori are hot, crunchy rings made with rice flour, moong dal, red chilli powder, cumin and sesame. Since it is believed that Lord Krishna liked foods that used rice flour, some believers also prepare chakodi for Janmashtmi every year.
Punugulu
Available as street food across Andhra Pradesh, punugulu is made using rice, urad dal batter and spices. The snack is served with different chutneys like peanut, tomato or coconut. Leftover idli or dosa batter can also be used to make punugulu. These are popular beachside snacks.
Atukula gunta ponganalu
Atukula gunta ponganalu uses urad dal, rice and poha, along with onions, green chilli and curry leaves. The dish is similar to paniyaram or paddu, which is eaten in Tamil Nadu. Moulds are needed to prepare the snack, which is best enjoyed hot with or without chutneys.
Palakayalu
Palakayalu are crunchy balls made with rice flour, freshly grated coconut, chilli powder, salt and a pinch of hing. They are a deep-fried snack that go well with tea and are prepared during Janmashtami. Palakayalu are similar to uppu cheedai, another snack from Tamil Nadu.
Uppindi
Uppindi is a comforting snack that’s similar to upma. It uses raw rice rava, moong dal, urad dal, chana dal, mustard seeds and red chillies. Slow-cooked for a long period of time, uppindi is best enjoyed with pickles. It makes a good snack for long journeys as it has a long shelf life.
Aratikaya Vepudu
Aratikaya vepudu could be considered an Andhra-style raw banana sabzi. ‘Aratikaya’ means raw banana and ‘vepudu’ translates to stir fry. It is usually made as an accompaniment to rice, using onion, ginger-garlic paste, grated coconut and spices, and garnished with a tadka of cumin, chillies and curry leaves.
Mirapakaya bajji
‘Mirapakaya bajji’ is a Telugu phrase that means chilli fritters. Large green chillies are stuffed with tamarind pulp and spices, and coated with a besan batter. These are then deep fried and served on their own, as they have a rich flavour that doesn’t need chutneys to go with it.
