Avakaya, maagaya or nimmakaya: which jar to start with
Three Andhra pickles compared by heat, texture and the meals they suit, for anyone ordering for the first time.
Five ways to eat podi
Beyond rice and ghee: how Andhra kitchens use kandi podi every day.
Kandi podi is one of the most useful things in an Andhra kitchen, and it is not only for rice.
The classic way is first: hot rice, a spoon of podi and a spoon of melted ghee, mixed with your fingers. This is the first course of many Andhra meals.
With idli and dosa, mix the podi with gingelly oil into a coarse paste and serve it on the side. Some people spread it inside the dosa before folding.
Sprinkle it over a plain omelette or scrambled eggs, just before they set. It adds crunch and gentle heat.
Toss boiled potatoes or roasted vegetables in a little oil and podi for a quick dry curry.
And for a snack, mix podi into puffed rice with a few drops of oil, chopped onion and coriander.
Podi tastes best within three months of roasting, so buy a small pack, keep it in an airtight jar, and make a fresh order when it starts to lose its smell.
