Gongura Pachadi (Andhra Sorrel Leaf Chutney)

Method

1. Pick the gongura leaves off the stems and wash them in 2–3 changes of water. Spread them on a cloth and pat them completely dry; water left on the leaves splutters in the oil and shortens how long the pachadi keeps.
2. Roast the coriander, cumin and fenugreek till fragrant; let them cool. Use a dry pan on low heat and stir all the time: the fenugreek should turn one shade darker, about 2 minutes, but not brown.
3. Fry the gongura leaves in 1 tbsp oil till they wilt to a dark mash, 6–8 minutes. Use a wide pan on medium heat and stir often; the leaves shrink fast, turn from green to a dull olive-brown, and almost all their water cooks off.
4. Spread the leaves on a plate and let them cool completely, about 10 minutes.
5. Grind the spices with the garlic, chilli powder and salt, then pulse in the leaves. Grind the roasted spices, the 6 garlic cloves, Teja chilli powder and salt to a coarse powder first.
6. Add the cooled leaves and pulse 3–4 times to a coarse paste, without any water. Many Andhra homes pound it in a stone mortar (rolu) instead.
7. Taste: it should be sour, hot and well salted. Add a pinch more salt if the sourness feels too sharp.
8. Temper mustard, dals, red chillies and curry leaves in the rest of the oil; mix it in. Heat the 2 tbsp sesame oil in a small pan, let the mustard seeds crackle, fry the chana dal and urad dal till golden, then add the red chillies, crushed garlic, curry leaves and asafoetida for a few seconds. Pour it over the pachadi and stir well.
9. Let the pachadi sit for 30 minutes if you can, so the flavours come together, then spoon it into a clean, dry glass jar.

Tips

• Dry the leaves fully before frying so the pachadi keeps longer.
• Teja chilli powder is very hot. For a milder pachadi use 1 tsp, or half Teja and half Sannam chilli powder.
• Keep the fenugreek to ¼ tsp and roast it only one shade darker; more, or darker, makes the pachadi bitter.
• Pulse, do not grind smooth: gongura pachadi should be coarse, with bits of leaf you can see.
• Do not skimp on the oil; the layer of oil on top helps the pachadi keep.

Variations

• With onion: stir 1 small onion, finely chopped, into a portion just before serving, and eat it the same day.
• Whole red chillies: in place of the chilli powder, fry 12–15 dried red chillies in a little oil and grind them with the spices.
• Green chilli gongura: fry 6–8 green chillies with the leaves and cut the chilli powder to 1 tsp, for a sharper, greener heat.