Andhra Cuisine - Spiciest food in India

Andhra cuisine (barring Hyderabadi cuisine) is predominantly vegetarian though the coastal people do eat fish and prawns cooked in sesame or coconut. Andhra Cuisine occupies an important place in the South Indian cuisine. Andhra restaurants have become quite popular throughout South India. 

What are the specialties in Andhra cooking?

Andhra food is spicy and hot and usually comprise of some special dishes like Pulihara, Poppdams, Pessaratu, Gongura Chutney, Pulusu, Avakkai Pickles, Bagara Baingan, or seasoned eggplant etc., apart from other than South Indian specialities like Sambar, Rasam, Curds, and Payasam etc. 

Hyderabad - Biryani capital of India

Hyderabadi cuisine is all Nizami style which is delicately flavoured and predominantly non-vegetarian.  Due to the rule of the Nawabs and Nizams, there is also a strong Muslim influence on the cuisine in the form of rich, spicy local dishes, especially in the area around the capital.

The world famous Hyderabadi Biryani, a blend of rice and meat cooked over hot coals, the Nahari, the Kulcha, and Haleem (spiced pounded wheat with mutton) and the Kababs have a lot in common with the North Indian Mughlai cuisine.  

Non-Vegetarian food of Andhra

And for the non-vegetarian, Andhra cuisine serves up tongue tingling recipes like the tangy "chapala pulusu (sour & hot fish stew), flavourful "mutton Pulao, delectable prawn and crab curry perked up with lots of spices for that tantalizing taste that typifies Andhra feasts.  The rest of Andhra Pradesh relishes a variety of vegetarian dishes. The spicy food also includes touch of Buddhist heritage peppered across the state.

Dessert Specialties

And you can round off the meals with a sweet dessert - Double Ka Meetha, Qubani Ka Meetha or you can enjoy the syrupy Kakinada Kajas (pastry with treacle filling), paper thin "Pootharekalu" (cream and sugar sandwiched rice flour wafers), scrumptious "Bandar Laddus", the exotic 'Ariselu' (sweet pounded rice and molasses pancakes) and many more sweet specialties of the region.

Don't miss the Mangoes here

Andhra is also known for the large number of mango varieties and number of mango based dishes is prepared during the season. Pick up some delicious mangoes when you are in Andhra. The Mango season usually starts from March and lasts till about August. Alphonso, Begumpalli and Badami are famous varieties.

Useful Links to other websites:

• Indian Recipes from Indian Food Kitchen
• Andhra Recipes from Andhra Kitchen
• Andhra Recipes from Pachakam
• Andhra Food Recipes from Sailus Food

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