Erra Karam
Veg
Vegan
The defining condiment of Rayalaseema — a coarse, brick-red paste ground from soaked dried red Guntur chillies, garlic, salt, and a little tamarind on a stone grinder, with no cooking and no dilution. 'Erra' means red, 'karam' means spicy; this is the raw concentrated heat paste that is placed on the Rayalaseema plate at every meal. Mixed into rice with ghee, spread on jonna rotte, used to spice up any dish that needs more fire. The paste is made fresh daily or in small batches; its heat level is calibrated to the individual household's tolerance. No Rayalaseema meal is considered properly set without a small mound of erra karam on the plate.
Cuisines
Rayalaseema
Andhra
Telangana
Best for
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 25 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 2 medium | onions |
| 4 cloves | garlic |
| 5 | dried red chilies |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 1 tablespoon | oil |
| — | salt to taste |
Instructions
- 1 Peel and roughly chop the onions and garlic.
- 2 Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
- 3 Add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
- 4 Add the chopped onions and garlic to the pan and sauté until the onions turn translucent.
- 5 Add the dried red chilies and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- 6 Remove the mixture from heat and let it cool slightly.
- 7 Transfer the mixture to a blender and add salt to taste.
- 8 Blend into a coarse paste, adding a little water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
- 9 Serve the Erra Karam with hot rice or as a side with dosa or idli.
Tips
Adjust the number of red chilies according to your spice preference.