Thursday, March 30, 2006

Ugadi Pachadi -Andhra Delicacy Reflecting Different Flavors Of Life

Today we are celebrating Ugadi,the Telugu New Year Day, which is the first festival of our Telugu calendar and the first big festival that comes after Sankranti.Our Andhra festival is known by different names in different states of India like “Gudi Padwa” in Maharastra and “Ugadi” in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.Whatever the name this festival takes in different regions,it heralds the dawn of Vasanth Rutu (Spring Season),which is considered the first season of the year (Chaitra Maasam) .Ugadi to the Telugu speaking people marks a beginning of a new year in which nature is in full bloom, symbolizing regeneration and celebrating the season’s freshness.
With the coming of Ugadi, mango season is in full swing with fresh green mangoes flooding the rythu bazaars,garlands of marigold,roses,kanakaambaram, chamanti,naturally perfumed jasmine flowers (mallepuulu) which are in full bloom adorn the deities in temples and yes,you find most of our Andhra women’s braids are adorned with clusters of mallepuulu (jasmine flowers).The doorways of our homes are adorned with mango leaves which signifies prosperity and general well-being.But the most unique and significant tradition of Ugadi is beginning the new year with savoring a unique flavored pachadi (chutney) that epitomizes the spirit of Ugadi called "Ugadi Pachadi",with sweet,sour,pungent and bitter tastes (shadhruchulu or six tastes). This chutney or sauce is a symbolic reminder of the myriad facets of life in a sense prepares us for the year ahead.Of course,other than the special pachadi we also prepare special foods with the use of raw mango like papppu maamidikaaya,maamidi pulihora,maamidi kobari pachadi,pulihora,bobattulu, payasam and garellu.

Ugadi Pachadi is a special preparation prepared in every Andhra home on Telugu New Year’s day.Its made with fresh tamarind,jaggery(panela),fresh mangoes and neem flowers (margosa).One can add sugarcane,coconut and bananas also.The sweetness of jaggery,the sourness of tamarind,the bitterness of neemflower and the pungent flavor of the green mango skin,spice of the chilli powder ,raw tender mango’s taste and lastly salt form the shadhruchulu or six tastes of the sauce.

Andhra Ugadi Pachadi Recipe
Ingredients:

1 cup of raw fresh mango (cleaned and dried and finely chopped along with skin into small pieces)
1 tbsp of margosa flowers (neem tree flowers)
1 cup of grated jaggery
1 tbsp of fresh finely chopped coconut pieces (optional)
3 -4 tbsp tamarind paste
red chilli pwd (according to your choice)
salt to taste

Mix all the above ingredients to form a sauce like appearence.If you want a thin and watery chutney add very little water (2-3 tbsps).
Note: You can also add small pieces of sugarcane,pieces of ripe banana,putanaala pappu(roasted channa dal) along with the above ingredients.
Each home has its own version of preparing the ugadi pachadi but the main ingredients (reflecting all the six flavors) are as specified above.

The myriad rich taste of this delicacy tickles and lingers on our tongue for a long time leaving a medley of flavors.The flavors of the Ugadi Pachadi signifies that the mixture of bitter margosa flowers and sweet jaggery reflect the myriad facets of life,both joy and sorrow and prepares one to face both good and bad in the year to come.During this season we find people eating neem leaves and flowers at the onset of Vasantha Ruthu and through out the spring season as its a counter measure for kapha dosha individuals (kapha dosha increases around this period).Ugadi Pachadi is a healthy low calorie pachadi where the Neem flowers , new tamarind, jaggery and fresh raw mangoes contain nutrients that cleanse the system and act as prophylactics(prevention of illness or disease).

Ugadi Subhakankshulu!Wishing you all a very happy Ugadi and a great year ahead!

,,,,,

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

you have described the essence of Ugadi very well. We do miss the whole atmosphere of festivals with people dressing up and families getting together etc.

In karnataka we do the almost the same but we have something called Bevu bella( Neem flowers and Jaggery grated and made into small marble sized laddus and given to everyone saying let this year balance out the good and bad things.

Have a wonderful Ugadi and prosperous New year

Tanuja said...

Ugadi shubhakankshalu to u and ur family sailu:)

Anonymous said...

Sailu, fantastic pictures!!! that bowl of pachadi looks sooo yummy! really nice.

Happy Ugadi.

Priya said...

Wish u and ur family a happy and prosperous ugadi.
I love the kum kum bharani and all those cute little things in the pic. they r beautiful.

Vineela said...

Hi Sailu,
Presentation is excellent.
HAPPY UGADI TO U AND UR FAMILY.
~V

KA said...

Sailu,
Ugaadi subhakankshalu!! Chaala baaga present chesaaru.

lost in thoughts said...

Lovely pic. There is something so pure & festive about marigold flowers !

Wish you and your family a Happy Ugadi.

-Sonali

Ashwini said...

Sailu wishing you and your family a very happy Ugadi. Those are such beautiful photos and a great write up too

Anonymous said...

Hi Sailu!

Happy Ugadi to you and your family, and kisses to Nehal! Beautiful pics as usual! :)

Priya

Anonymous said...

happy ugadi Sailu!!

Anonymous said...

Wow. Sailu, you made me feel nostalgic.!
Just gorgeous!

Ugadi subhakankshalu to you and your family. Please say hai to your cute son.

Lakshmi said...

hi sailu,
Ugadi shubhakankshalu to u and ur family

Anonymous said...

Hi Sailu,

Great post and photos as always! Happy Ugadi!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful presentation and description. You just brought me back home to India in a jiffy, sitting 10,000 miles away. Happy Ugadi to you all.

I have been lurking a while, without leaving comments, today I could not resist...

Priya Bhaskaran said...

Happy Ugadi to you and your family. Nice pictures:)

Mika said...

Happy Ugadi, Sailu! Lovely pictures. Tamilians also make pachadi on Tamil new year with neem leaves. We use dry ones though. Are the fresh flowers more bitter than dry ones?

Anonymous said...

Greetings for ugadi to you and family!

Anonymous said...

Sailu
thank you for your visit.I got late for my posting on ugadi.I thought of my posting early with ugadi but ours is on April 14th .do visit on sunday.

Unknown said...

Ugadi Subhakankshalu to u & ur family.
Very authentic presentation. The banana leave makes me miss home. I love eating on them.

Shalini said...

hi Sailu,

Belated wishes and awesome presentation!

BDSN said...

Happy Ugadhi wishes to u sailu...ur presentation looks very nice....Wish I could taste ur pachadi...

Priya Bhaskaran said...

Hi Sailu, Happy Ugadi to you and your family. Nice pictures.

Anonymous said...

Happy Ugadi New Year's Day!

What an interesting recipe.

Best,
Paz

Kitchenmate said...

Sailu,
pictures looks so homely :)
and yummy Pachadi too. Happy ugadi!!!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderuflly informative and lovely post to read!

Happy Ugadi (am i allowed to say that?), Sailu!

sailu said...

Ugadi Subhakankshalu!Thank you all for your new year wishes and nice comments.

sailu said...

Mika,I havent tasted the dry neem flowers to comment on its flavor compared to the fresh ones.

Anonymous said...

Sailu, your presentations are utterly gorgeous. Happy celebrations to you and your family.

Raji said...

luv ur pics sailu
got lot better
malli ugadi pacchadi tinalanipistundiiiiiiiii :))

Anonymous said...

Happy UGADI to Everybody.Enjoy this Recipe

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Regards
free greetings

Anonymous said...

sailu ur presentation was super chala bagundi thinalanipisthundi banthi puvu chala cute ga undi its good dear

Anonymous said...

sailu ur presentation was super chala bagundi thinalanipisthundi banthi puvu chala cute ga undi its good dear

mano said...

It is wonderful and it is a very good presentation of Andhra culture and very good pictures. I wish u and ur family a Happy Ugadi.

Madhan said...

Hi Sailu...Ugadi Subhakankshulu..very good Presentation and Lovely pictures..Once again Happy Ugadi...

Anonymous said...

hi sailu

ur blog is fantastic.u r tempting me to eat ugadi pachadi whenever i see these pictures. really good. thank you very much.


pallavi

Anonymous said...

We Tamils also celebrate new year by preparing Ugadi Pachadi...But it is called as ‘maanga pachadi’ which has a sweet, sour and bitter taste as it is made from raw mangoes....

I think all the communities Tamil,Tulu,Malayalam,Telegu and Kannada have the same similiarities..

regards

Sen