Gongura Pachadiగోంగూర పచ్చడి

Name: Gongura Pachadi
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Telugu (Andhra & Telangana)
Ingredients: 4 cups Gongura (sorrel) leaves, packed; 4 tbsp Sesame or peanut oil; 8–10 Dried red chilies; 8 Garlic cloves; 1 tbsp Coriander seeds; 1 tsp Cumin seeds; 1/4 tsp Fenugreek (methi) seeds; 1/4 tsp Turmeric; to taste Salt; 2 tbsp Oil; 1 tsp Mustard seeds; 1 tsp Urad dal; 1 tsp Chana dal; 3 Dried red chilies; 4 Garlic cloves, crushed; 1 sprig Curry leaves

⏱ Prep 15m🍳 Cook 20m🍽 Serves 6🌿 Vegan

Video: HomeCookingShow (YouTube)

Gongura pachadi is the soul of Andhra and Telangana kitchens — a fiercely tangy chutney of gongura (sorrel) leaves whose natural sourness needs no tamarind. A spoonful with hot rice and a little ghee is comfort itself; many Telugu households treat it almost as a badge of identity. This is the classic roti-pachadi style: the leaves cooked down, ground coarse with roasted spices and garlic, then finished with a crackling tempering.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪Gongura (sorrel) leaves, packed4 cups
▪Sesame or peanut oil4 tbsp
▪Dried red chilies8–10
▪Garlic cloves8
▪Coriander seeds1 tbsp
▪Cumin seeds1 tsp
▪Fenugreek (methi) seeds1/4 tsp
▪Turmeric1/4 tsp
▪Saltto taste
For the tempering (tadka)
▪Oil2 tbsp
▪Mustard seeds1 tsp
▪Urad dal1 tsp
▪Chana dal1 tsp
▪Dried red chilies3
▪Garlic cloves, crushed4
▪Curry leaves1 sprig

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Fresh gongura is seasonal and hard to find abroad — most Indian grocery stores stock frozen gongura leaves or gongura paste, and both work beautifully.
No gongura at all? French sorrel is the closest match; a mix of spinach with extra tamarind or lemon approximates the signature tang (not authentic, but close).
Sesame or peanut oil is traditional for the Andhra flavour, but any neutral oil will do.

Method

1Rinse the gongura leaves thoroughly and discard the thick stems; pat dry.
2Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and sauté the gongura on medium heat until fully wilted and the moisture has cooked off, about 6–8 minutes. Set aside.
3In the same pan, dry-roast the coriander seeds, cumin and fenugreek until fragrant, then add the dried red chilies and roast briefly. Let cool.
4Coarsely grind the roasted spices, chilies and garlic. Add the cooked gongura, salt and turmeric and grind to a thick, coarse chutney — no water; the leaves carry enough moisture.
5Make the tempering: heat 2 tbsp oil, splutter the mustard seeds, then add urad dal, chana dal, red chilies, crushed garlic and curry leaves and fry until golden.
6Pour the tempering over the pachadi and mix well. Serve with hot rice and a spoon of ghee, or alongside pesarattu, idli or dosa.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.