A–Z Ingredient Guide: Gongura - The Sharp, Green Heartbeat Of South Indian Cooking

When I first had gongura pachadi at a friend's house, I was taken aback by the sour taste. It was not what I was quite used to. But a second and third bite later, I was sold. This was going to be my new favourite.

I realised that Gongura is not the kind of ingredient that quietly slips into a dish; it makes an entrance. Sharp, green, and bright with personality, it is the kind of flavour that imprints itself on memory long before you learn its name. Across South India, this leaf is nostalgia on a plate, the flavour of home for many, and a culinary signature that instantly transports you to hot afternoons, tempering crackling in the kitchen, and the unmistakable tang that hits before the first bite even lands.

Roots, Regions, Reputation

Gongura, also known as Sorrel, grows widely across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and thrives best in warm, tropical climates. Known as Pulicha Keerai in Tamil Nadu, Ambadi in Maharashtra, Pitwaa in parts of North India, and Roselle leaves in global culinary circles, it is part of the Hibiscus sabdariffa plant, a fact surprisingly few people know. As food content creator Aruna Vijay puts it, "Growing up in Tamil Nadu, we call gongura Pulicha Keerai, and it has always been part of everyday home food for me."

Its leaves come in two varieties: the green-stemmed kind, milder and more forgiving, and the red-stemmed version, loved for its fierce sourness. This acidity is exactly what makes it indispensable to home kitchens.

Food content creator and author Hina Gujral puts it best by saying, "It is like the leafy cousin of tamarind because it provides the same aggressive acidity but through a fresh, leafy texture. Its taste has a sharp sourness, earthy notes of greens, and long-lasting tanginess."

The Sour That Stays

To describe gongura is to describe a sourness that refuses to be background noise. For those trying it for the first time, Karma Lakelands' Executive Chef Ravinder Kumar says, "Gongura has a bold, tangy personality that instantly wakes up the palate; the sharpness softens into a pleasant tartness that stays on the tongue and balances beautifully with spice and fat."

It is also one of India’s most distinctive regional souring agents, not quite like tamarind, not even remotely like lemon. Its tang comes with a green edge and a complexity that transforms with heat.

Nutrition coach Adhya Subramanian fixes this ingredient's flavour profile as "tangy like tamarind but greener and fresher." She adds, "It’s simple, nourishing, and one of those ingredients that proves healthy food can be full of flavour too."

Its cultural significance is equally important. For many, this leaf signals comfort. A constant in a world of changing palates. And as Gujral notes, it is also "a secret global traveller - widely used in Myanmar and Africa." It will be safe to say that its journey is far bigger than its humble appearance suggests.

A Hundred Ways To Use A Handful

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vinny Shukla (@chefvinnyshukla)

At home, gongura nearly always begins with pachadi, slow-cooked leaves, ground, tempered, and stored for days of instant satisfaction. "One of my staple comfort plates is piping hot rice with ghee, podi, and gongura chutney, and I often keep it stocked in the fridge," Vijay says.

But beyond chutney, the leaf is astonishingly versatile. "We often make Gongura dal, Gongura pachadi or chutney with a drizzle of sesame oil, which is another favourite," Adhya adds.

Modern cooks have taken it even further. Gujral notes, "Try finely shredding the raw leaves and tossing them into a salad or using them as a sandwich green instead of arugula. That sharp, lemon-pepper snap is a game changer!"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by HomeCookingShow (@homecookingshow)

In his culinary world, Kumar has pushed the ingredient into inventive, contemporary takes. He says, "It works beautifully in gongura-marinated grilled prawns, gongura pesto pasta, and even a slow-cooked chicken curry. Even simple dishes like dal or curd rice topped with gongura tempering show how effortlessly this ingredient can elevate everyday food."

Few leaves can be pickled, mashed, tempered, blitzed into marinades, folded into butters, added to gravies, and even turned into seasoning powders, but gongura manages it all, often in the same household.

To cook with Sorrel or gongura is to embrace brightness, boldness, and the joy of an ingredient that refuses to stay in the background. It is tangy but grounded, humble yet transformative. And long before it appears on the plate, its aroma, its reputation, and its fiercely green character announce that a dish is about to wake up. In a way, this understated leaf not only adds flavour, but also gives identity to a dish.

So, the next time you feel that sour craving kick in, try going for a gongura pachadi or gongura dal. It might just make your day.

The A–Z Ingredient Guide is ELLE Gourmet India’s monthly series celebrating the rich tapestry of regional Indian ingredients and the many ways they’re cooked across homes and cultures. Each month, we celebrate a new ingredient. Stay tuned as we explore the next ingredient soon!