The Legend of Pappu

andraannam — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 02:20:10 +0000

I will never forget my first Andhra meal. My dear Telugu friend invited me home for a meal with such pride that it was impossible to refuse. My curiosity was piqued. Why does he want me to eat in his house so desperately? So on the appointed day, I turned up at his house expecting a full- fledged feast of the famous Andhra mutton curry et al. We sat at the dining table of his opulently furnished house. A plate was placed in front of me and out came a dish of steaming white rice. I took a generous helping and waited expectantly for the mutton. Out came a dish of fragrant ghee. Again I helped myself generously and waited for the mutton. Out came a dish of Avvakkai pickle. My radar was up but I obligingly helped myself to some of this delicious mango pickle and waited for the mutton. Out came a dish of steaming hot……PAPPU! No, not the one that can’t dance saala, but dal. Yes the famous Andhra Chintakaya Pappu.

I must tell you how ridiculously simple this dish is. Thats all! But I can also tell you that I did not miss the mutton that day. Pappu is a dish to die for and I kid you not. I helped myself to three servings of pappu that day and have not stopped since.

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A foodie’s guide to HEAVEN!

andraannam — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 02:18:35 +0000

Yeah. Everyone knows that I love food more than anything else. But I am also a traditional South Indian girl. A deeply rooted one at that. True I love food. Also true that I love my Thayir Sadam more than anything else. Beeeeep! Boring! Not true at all. Nothing can be more interesting than the subtle variations of curd and rice mixed together in the perfect proportion. The curd must be set to perfection, not too sour and not too bland, mind you. The rice must be cooked to perfection, not too mushy and not too dry. Then there are choices and more for what else you put in it. It can be mildly tempered with mustard and curry leaves or it can be turned to dynamite with green chillies and coriander leaves. I am not one for the cosmetic pomegranate seeds or grapes in the thayir sadam.

This brings me to the whole point of this blog. I discovered Andhra Annam. My first meal here was of course Thayir Sadam. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that they make it just the way I like it! And for a seasoned specialist gourmet thayir sadam eater like me, that is saying something. In all my excitement, I went there again, this time determined to try something other than thayir sadam. I tried the curry leaf rice and loved it. Feeling adventurous, I took along three non-vegetarian friends to try their other dishes. One swore by the Royalla Karepaku Vepudu (prawns in Curry leaf) and the others seemed to have found heaven in the mild looking creamy biriyani (Avakkai Kodi Biriyani). And now we are a bunch of regulars here. And so the story goes……..

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