Gongura Chutney Recipe (Andhra Style) – Spicy, Authentic & Easy

Gongura chutney is one of the most iconic Andhra recipes, loved for its tangy, and spicy flavor. Made with fresh sorrel leaves (gongura), this traditional pachadi pairs perfectly with hot rice and ghee. If you enjoy authentic South Indian chutneys, this recipe is a must-try for its unique taste and simplicity.

If you are looking for other authentic Indian Chutneys you can serve with rice, then you will love my Curry Leaves Chutney and Tamarind Chutney, both are rustic Andhra Recipes.

About the recipe and some memories!

Today's recipe is Amma's signature dish. She has been making this ever since I remember and its our favorite version. The memories of this gongura pachadi kindles childhood memories. Since Daddy is very fond of this chutney, Amma makes sure she often makes it. This chutney has a very good shelf life, so Amma makes a big batch and stores it for later use.

I have another version of this gongura chutney with peanuts that I learnt from Athamma. Sharing the picture I took of the plant with fresh flowers, grown in my sis-in-laws house back garden.

What is Gongura?

Gongura Akku as it is called in Telugu, are the green leaves known as Red Sorrel Leaves in English. Botanical name is hibiscus sabdariffa, roselle, We call it as Pulicha keerai in Tamil, Ambad bhaji, ambada, ambadi in Hindi. Pulicha Keerai literally means sour as these leaves are sour in taste.

One of the most popular recipes in Andhra Cuisine is this Gongura Pachadi. Apart from this chutney, other popular dishes are Gongura Pappu (Lentils), Gongura Pickle, Gongura mamsam (goat/mutton), and Gongura royyalu (shrimp).

Red Sorrel comes in two varieties, one is green leaf and the other being red variety which is sourer than the green/white stem variety. These are popular sour greens are widely available during season. While it has many culinary uses, the most popular is the pickled version.

Ingredients you need to make this pachadi

Red Sorrel Leaves - I have used a bunch of these leaves. We can measure by holding the bundle in our hands and see if it fits. The normal bundle size available in our markets comes to about 4 to 5 cups after cleaning the leaves.
Spice - We need to use both green chilies and red chilies to make this chutney. We use green chilies for boiling and making a paste. Red chilies for tempering.
Onions - Both shallots and regular onions are used. Shallots are mostly used as whole, while the purple onions are finely chopped.
Other Ingredients - Regular tempering ingredients like the mustard, urad dal are used for tempering.

Refer the recipe for exact measurements.

Instructions to make to Gongura Chutney

Prepping the Greens

Pluck the leaves from the stem, discord any leaf that has holes, withered and coloured. Wash at least 3 to times in clean running water, soak the leaves in salted water atleast once, wash again in water before draining it in sieve.

Boiling the Greens

Take the leaves along with green chilies in a vessel. Add about half a cup of water and let it boil. Since the leaves let out water, half cup of water is enough to cook these leaves. We used about 11 chilies. The number of chillies used depends on how the leaves colour look. If the grens are very bright, it means the leaves are quite sour, so we increase based on it.

Let the leaves cool down after boiling. You can know its cooked when the leaves turn soft and turn dark green in colour. Take the leaves along with 9 chilies along with salt and grind to a paste. Use the pulse mode to ensure you don't grind the leaves to smooth paste.
Check if the paste is spicy and then add if required. We found we needed about 11 of them. Once you grind to a smooth paste, you can season it.

Tempering the pachadi

Heat a pan with oil. Add the mustard and urad dal. Once it splutters, add the sambar onions, regular onions. We don't chop the Shallots fully, they are just cut into halves. Sauté these to brown, along with the red chilies. Then add the ground gongura paste. Simmer and let it cook, till the oil comes out on the sides. You need to add oil based on the texture of the chutney. Add some more if you find it not sufficient. Keep stirring. so that bottom is not burnt.

It takes about 15 to 20 mins to cook the paste and the oil coming out. This pachadi tends to be a little on the oily side as it can stay good for over a week when stored in the refrigerator. We can safely store this at room temperature for 3 days.
Enjoy this with hot steamed rice and Ghee! And it tastes great with Curd rice too!

This tends more on the pickle than a pacchadi. though stays for a shorter period.

How to Serve Gongura Chutney

Traditionally, Gongura Pachadi is served with hot steamed rice and a generous drizzle of ghee. It also pairs wonderfully with curd rice, mudda pappu, and simple Andhra-style meals. If you enjoy spicy Andhra flavors, try serving this chutney alongside pesarattu, dosa, or even as a side for vegetable stir-fries.

For a complete Andhra meal, pair it with pappu, a vegetable fry, and papad.

Simple Andhra Style lunch

• Endu Mirapakaya Pappu
• Jeelakarra Miriyala Rasam
• Bendakaya Vepudu
• Aavakai Uragaya ~ Andhra Special
• Homemade Curds
• Sesame Dry Fruits Ladoo
• Appalam

Tips for the Best Gongura Pachadi

For the best flavor, choose fresh gongura leaves without yellow spots or damaged edges. Adjust the green chilies depending on the sourness of the leaves, as younger leaves tend to be tangier. Cook the ground paste until the oil begins to separate around the edges, which helps improve both flavor and shelf life.

Always allow the pachadi to cool completely before storing it in a clean, dry container.

Storage Instructions

Gongura Pachadi keeps well in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days when stored properly. Transfer the chutney to a clean, dry glass jar or an airtight container. A stainless steel container with a tight-fitting lid also works well.

Always use a clean, dry spoon when serving to help extend its shelf life and prevent spoilage.

Before serving, remove the required portion and warm it gently if preferred. This chutney tastes especially delicious when mixed with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of ghee.

In our home, Amma often made a large batch during the season, and the chutney would stay fresh for days, making it a convenient accompaniment for simple rice meals.

FAQs

Other Recipes you can try with Gongura Leaves:

Recipe

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Gongura Chutney Recipe (Andhra Style) - Spicy, Authentic & Easy

Authentic Andhra gongura chutney made with sorrel leaves, spices, and shallots. Learn how to make spicy, tangy gongura pachadi.

Course Chutneys, Dips and Spreads

Cuisine Andhra Pradesh

Keyword Chutney for Rice

By Cook Method Stovetop

Occasion Everyday Meal

By Diet Anti Inflammatory

Dish Type Condiments

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Calories 1207kcal

Author Srivalli

Ingredients

For Boiling the Greens

• 1 bunch Gogura Akku / Red Sorrel Leaves it will be approx. 4 to 5 cups. You can also judge by holding one bundle tightly in your hands
• 11 to 12 Green Chillies long ones
• Salt to taste

For Tempering

• 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Urad Dal
• 4 to 5 nos Dry Red Chilis
• 150 gms Shallots / Sambar Onions
• 100 gms Onion 1 medium / 1/2 to 3/4 cup
• 250 ml Cooking Oil 1/2 cup approx

Instructions

Prepping the Greens

• Pluck the leaves from the stem, discord any leaf that has holes, withered and coloured. Wash at least 3 to times in clean running water, soak the leaves in salted water atleast once, wash again in water before draining it in sieve.

Boiling the Greens

• Take the leaves along with green chilies in a vessel. Add about half a cup of water and let it boil. Since the leaves let out water, you will have enough water for it to get cooked. We used about 11 chilies. The number of chilies used depends on how the leaves colour look. If the greens are very bright, it means the leaves are quite sour, so we increase based on it.
• Once the leaves are cooked, let it cool. You can know its cooked when the leaves turn soft and turn dark green in colour. Take the leaves along with 9 chilies along with salt and grind to a paste. You can use the pulse mode to ensure the leaves are not pulsed to smooth paste.
• Check if the paste is spicy and then add if required. We found we needed about 11 of them. Once this is ground to a smooth paste, you can season it.

Tempering the pachadi

• Heat a pan with oil. Add the mustard and urad dal. Once it splutters, add the sambar onions, regular onions. Shallots are not chopped finely, they are just cut into halves. Sauté these to brown, along with the red chilies. Then add the ground gongura paste. Simmer and let it cook, till the oil comes out on the sides. You need to add oil based on the texture of the chutney. Add some more if you find it not sufficient. Keep stirring and make sure the bottom is not burnt.
• It takes about 15 to 20 mins for the ground paste to be fully cooked and the oil coming out. This pachadi tends to be a little on the oily side as it can stay good for over a week when stored in the refrigerator. We can safely store this at room temperature for 3 days.
• Enjoy this with hot steamed rice and Ghee! And it tastes great with Curd rice too!

Notes

When you store this pachadi at room temperature, the shelf life will be for shorter period.

Nutrition

Calories: 1207kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 119g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 33g | Monounsaturated Fat: 75g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1223IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

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