Allam Pachadi

Ingredients

• - 1 cup ginger (allam)
• - 2 tbsp oil
• - 2 green chillies
• - 2 garlic cloves
• - Small piece tamarind
• - 1 tsp mustard seeds
• - 1/2 tsp urad dal
• - 2 dried red chillies
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Prepare ginger: Peel 150g fresh ginger. Cut into small pieces. To reduce sharpness soak in cold water 10 minutes.
2. Dry roast spices: Dry roast 1 tbsp chana dal, 1 tbsp urad dal and 2-3 dried red chillies in a pan 4 minutes until golden. Cool.
3. Fry ginger: Heat 3 tbsp oil. Fry ginger pieces on medium heat 8-10 minutes until golden. The sharpness mellows and sweetens.
4. Add garlic and tamarind: Add 5 garlic cloves and a marble-sized tamarind to the fried ginger. Fry 2 more minutes. Add 1 tsp jaggery. Cool completely.
5. Blend: Add fried ginger mixture and roasted dals to a blender. Add salt. Blend with minimal water to a smooth thick paste.
6. Taste: Allam pachadi should be spicy, sweet and deeply gingery. This is a signature Andhra condiment.
7. Make tempering: Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds. When they pop add 1 dried red chilli and curry leaves.
8. Pour tempering: Pour sizzling tempering over the pachadi.
9. Adjust: Taste and add more salt or jaggery to balance.
10. Serve: Allam pachadi is the classic companion to pesarattu. Serve with dosa, idli or steamed rice.