One may forget his passport while embarking a plane but not the gOmgoora paccaDi ja'Dii. In peLLiLLu, Sra'dhdha'lu, pedda ka'rya'lu, and all ceremonial occassions, one may forget to serve vuppu but not the mighty gOmgoora paccaDi. gOmgoora paccaDi is stimulant for us. We are addicted to gOmgoora paccaDi - the Andhra Dope.
Whenever we go to the Indian Grocery store, my sons shout "I want gOmgoora' - Praiya (Priya) pickle." They also add saying "Buttacker (Bedakar - how they modified this name) does not make gOmgoora'. Probably he does not know how to make it because he is from Bombay. We are glad that Bedakar does not make gOmgoora' pickle." No doubt Priya makes good gOmgoora paccaDi.
There is other brand called "Ruci". We tried it too but it is full of salt - no way - too salty. This Ruci guy does not know how to make gOmgoora' pickle - that is what my boys say. They ask me "Is this Ruci guy from Andhra?" I don't remember where Ruchi pickles are prepared.
Long time ago, while in Minnesota, we bought 777 gOmgoora' pickle in the Asia Imports store. Great! There is no substitute in the market for it. Very spicy, hot, and mouth-watering 777 gOmgoora' pickle goes well with perugu vaNNam or rice with diced sweet onions. Chiima mirapaka'yalu upon addition (generously blended) make gOmgoora paccaDi the greatest to taste and make one realize hell the next morning! That is Andhra Experience with Andhra DOPE, the mighty gOmgoora paccaDi.
An Andhra friend of Kushawant Singh asked him what he would like to have from his native state. Kushawant Singh said that he could bring anything. This Andhra friend of Kushawant Singh said "I will bring some delecious gOmgoora pickle for you." Immediately Kushawant Singh jumped and said "NO! Let me live! My mouth will burn while eating gOgu pickle and my other end will burn afterwards."
Several amerika Andhrulu cultivate gOmgoora in their gardens every summer. They carefully smuggle (smuggled in the past) the seeds. A full grown plant appears like a gamja'yi mokka because of the resemblace of gOmgoora leaves with those of gamja'yi. One may have heared many legends that the neighbours had mistaken these gOmgoora plants for gamja'yi plants (because they had only seen gamja'yi plants during the college days grown in the dorms or basements) and informed the police that this Indian guy next door was growing gOmgoora in the backyard. How do you convince the cops that it is gOmgoora but not gamja'yi? Good luck! Freshly prepared gOmgoora paccaDi has a different (great) taste as opposed to the preserved one.
I know a couple in Illinois who brought a rubbu rOlu all the way from Rajahmundry only to make gOmgoora paccaDi with the gOmgoora grown in their backyard of Bloomington. This is a ritual in their house every summer. They invite us. The rubbu rOlu is so heavy that they had to construct a separate room for it which can hold the rubbu rOlu without coming down to the ground. Funny thing is that they hand-carried it to the Air India Boeing while bringing it over to the US. The Air India guys demanded $100 for the freight. This couple left it in the Air Port in Bombay in the middle of the entrance to the plane and started walking towads the plane. Immediately after, the Air India guy came running after them and begged them to take it with them to the US without paying any freight. Miracles of gOmgoora paccaDi!
(Note! gamja'yi is in a different family.)
Recently Chandrasekhar came from India and he brought home-made gOmgoora from Guntur (his mother-in-law prepared it). BTW, Guntooru Korivikaram and gOmgoora paccaDi are dynamites. One needs a fire extinguisher while eating Guntur gOmgoora paccaDi, but, the feeling is unforgettable. Especially the paccaDi mixed with garlic is a #1 dish of Andhra. That is why gOmgoora paccaDi is called ANDHRA DOPE. Can you tell me if any other culture in the entire world knows the methodology to prepare the mighty gOmgoora paccaDi or knows how to eat gOmgoora! One of the precious assets of Andhra is our gOmgoora paccaDi - the Andhra Dope which is harmless but great to the gustatory appeal.
Sanskrit: Nali Hindi: Patsan Telugu: gOmgoora, gOgu English: Roselle Plant Family: Malvaceae (Hibiscus or manda'ra or China rose family) Resembles benDaka'ya, mamda'ra, has sticky muscilage
Botanical Name: Hibiscus cannabinus
The leaves resemble ganja'yi (Cannabis) leaves. That is why the species name is derived from Cannabis. But, gOmgoora is not in the gamja'yi family.
Cultivated throughout Andhra.