Andhra Pickles Explained: Avakaya, Gongura and the Rest

Andhra pickles are not condiments in the way that word is usually understood. A spoon of avakaya with hot rice and ghee is a meal, and in many households it is the meal that a bad day gets fixed with.

Avakaya is the famous one. Raw mango, mustard powder, red chilli, salt and sesame or groundnut oil, layered and left to mature. The oil floats to the top and seals it, which is what allows a well-made jar to last a year.

Gongura pickle uses sorrel leaves, which bring their own sourness rather than relying on tamarind or mango. It is sharper and greener tasting, and it is the pickle most Andhra people abroad miss the most.

Pandumirchi, made with ripe red chillies, is hotter and sweeter than it looks. Allam, the ginger pickle, is warming and much gentler, and it is where cautious eaters should begin.

Non-vegetarian pickles, chicken and mutton boneless in particular, are a Godavari speciality. They are cooked down heavily in oil and spice and keep for months refrigerated.

Storage matters. Always use a dry spoon, keep the oil covering the surface, and refrigerate after opening in humid weather. Water is the only real enemy of a pickle.

For a first order, a small jar each of avakaya, gongura and allam covers the range from sharp to mild and shows you which direction you want to go.