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Sailaja celebrates the flavors of Ugadi | Vizag
Ugadi’s around the corner. MetroMela decided to capture some of the Ugadi fervor by focusing on the unique traditions and foods associated with the festival. So, we spoke to Sailaja, a prolific blogger, foodie and proud resident of Vizag. Her blogs on sailusfood.com explore the vast range of Andhra cuisine and provide food lovers with some truly yummy recipes.
On the significance of Ugadi
It is the welcoming of a new year and a new beginning. Basically it's a celebration of the onset of the first season of the year - Spring (vasantham) - when nature is in full bloom. In Andhra, Ugadi marks the beginning of the Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon's orbit.
Its rich traditions
Its rich traditions
The doorways of our homes are adorned with mango leaves signifying prosperity and general well-being. It is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions (panchangam) are made for the new year. But the most unique tradition is that of savoring Ugadi pachadi, a preparation comprising six flavors (shadruchulu). It is made from jaggery (prepared from freshly harvested sugarcane), neem flowers, tender raw mangoes and new pods of tamarind. Each ingredient represents a different facet of life in this combination of sweet, sour, pungent, spicy, salty and bitter flavors. It is savored as prasadam, first thing in the morning of Ugadi and is believed to augur a balanced life in the coming year. This sampling is followed by a festive lunch.
Ugadi favorites
We prepare special dishes on this festive day. Typical delicacies include pulihora (tamarind rice) or mamidikaya pulihora (prepared with raw mangoes instead of tamarind), masala vada (spicy Bengal gram fritters), bhajji (vegetable fritters), perugu vada (black gram fritters in yoghurt), garelu, payasam and bobbatlu (all typical Andhra sweets). Preparations with raw mango like mamidikaya kobbari pachadi (raw mango and coconut chutney) or mamidikaya pappu (lentils with raw mango) are also eaten with rice.
Sweets for the occasion
Varieties of payasam (milk based sweet prepared either with vermicelli, coconut, sago or moong) and bobbatlu (a wheat flour pancake with a jaggery stuffing) are some of the special sweets prepared on this festive day. Although traditional sweets like bobbatlu are time-consuming, labor-intensive and perfected through practice, you can also buy these readymade from the many home food stores in the city.
Recipes…
Recipes…
Ugadi Pachadi
Ingredients
1 cup fresh raw mango cleaned, dried, finely chopped along with skin
1 tbsp margosa flowers (neem tree flowers)
1 cup grated jaggery
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coconut pieces (optional)
3 - 4 tbsps tamarind paste
red chilly powder (according to taste)
salt to taste
Ingredients
1 cup fresh raw mango cleaned, dried, finely chopped along with skin
1 tbsp margosa flowers (neem tree flowers)
1 cup grated jaggery
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coconut pieces (optional)
3 - 4 tbsps tamarind paste
red chilly powder (according to taste)
salt to taste
Mix all the above ingredients to form a sauce like mixture. If you want thin and watery chutney add very little water (2-3 tbsps). You can also add small pieces of sugarcane, pieces of ripe banana, putanaala pappu (roasted Bengal gram) along with the above ingredients. Every home has its own version of Ugadi pachadi but the main ingredients reflecting all the six flavors are included in the above recipe.
Mamidikaya Pulihora 
Ingredients
3 cups cooked white rice (each grain should be separate)
1 1/2 cups grated raw green mango (remove skin) for a more tangy flavor
5-6 tbsps roasted peanuts
2 tbsps toasted cashew nuts (broken)
salt to taste
Ingredients
3 cups cooked white rice (each grain should be separate)
1 1/2 cups grated raw green mango (remove skin) for a more tangy flavor
5-6 tbsps roasted peanuts
2 tbsps toasted cashew nuts (broken)
salt to taste
For tempering
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp Bengal gram
1 tbsp split black gram
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp Bengal gram
1 tbsp split black gram
3-4 dry red chillies
6-8 slit green chillies
1 tsp grated ginger (optional)
1/4 tsp asafetida
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
15-20 curry leaves
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and add the mustard seeds. Once they pop, add the channa dal and black gram dal and let them turn red on medium heat. Now add the red chillies, green chillies, grated ginger, curry leaves, ginger, turmeric powder and asafetida. Toss them for a few seconds. Add the grated mango and stir fry it for 3-4 minutes. Add the roasted peanuts and cashew nuts. Turn off the heat and keep aside. Spread the cooked white rice on a wide plate, sprinkle salt and add the tempering and use your hand to combine well till the tempering is well blended with the rice. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot with vadiyalu, perugu or pachadi of your choice.
6-8 slit green chillies
1 tsp grated ginger (optional)
1/4 tsp asafetida
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
15-20 curry leaves
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and add the mustard seeds. Once they pop, add the channa dal and black gram dal and let them turn red on medium heat. Now add the red chillies, green chillies, grated ginger, curry leaves, ginger, turmeric powder and asafetida. Toss them for a few seconds. Add the grated mango and stir fry it for 3-4 minutes. Add the roasted peanuts and cashew nuts. Turn off the heat and keep aside. Spread the cooked white rice on a wide plate, sprinkle salt and add the tempering and use your hand to combine well till the tempering is well blended with the rice. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot with vadiyalu, perugu or pachadi of your choice.
Happy eating and Happy Ugadi!
