Ugadi is a traditional Indian festival that marks the beginning of the new year in many parts of the country. The festival usually falls in March or April, depending on the lunar calendar. The festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of a new year, new aspirations, and new hope.
The word "Ugadi" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Yugadi," which means "the beginning of a new era." The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm by colourfully decorating the houses with mango leaves and flowers, and preparing a special dish called "Ugadi Pachadi," which is made from six different ingredients, each symbolising different aspects of life. Here are the top 13 traditional Ugadi dishes which you must try in the UK.
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Ugadi Pachadi is a unique and flavorful dish that combines six different tastes - sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent, and spicy.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup raw mango, chopped
- 1/2 cup jaggery, grated
- 1/2 cup tamarind juice
- 1/2 tsp neem flowers
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Procedure:
- In a bowl, mix together raw mango, jaggery, tamarind juice, neem flowers, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Mango rice is a flavorful and aromatic dish that is perfect for lunch or as a snack.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup grated raw mango
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp hing
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- Curry leaves
- Salt to taste
Procedure:
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add urad dal, dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds.
- Add grated raw mango, turmeric powder, and hing. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add roasted peanuts, grated coconut, and salt. Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Add cooked rice and mix well.
- Serve hot.
Carrot payasam is made by cooking grated carrots in milk and sugar until they are soft and tender. The mixture is then flavoured with cardamom powder and garnished with chopped nuts such as cashews and almonds.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup vermicelli
- 3 cups milk
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios)
- Saffron strands (optional)
Procedure:
- Heat ghee in a pan and fry the chopped nuts till golden brown. Keep aside.
- In the same pan, fry the vermicelli till golden brown.
- Add grated carrots and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add milk and cook till the carrots are soft.
- Add sugar and cardamom powder and mix well.
- Add saffron strands and fried nuts. Mix well and serve hot.
Tamarind rice is a flavorful and tangy rice dish that is popular in South Indian cuisine.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1/2 cup tamarind extract
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp hing
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- Curry leaves
- Salt to taste
Procedure:
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add urad dal, dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds.
- Add tamarind extract, turmeric powder, and hing. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add roasted peanuts and salt. Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Add cooked rice and mix well and serve hot.
Dharwad peda is a type of milk fudge that is made from slowly simmering milk and sugar until it thickens and caramelises.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups milk powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp ghee
- A pinch of cardamom powder
Procedure:
- In a pan, mix together milk powder, sugar, and milk.
- Heat the pan on low flame and keep stirring continuously.
- After a few minutes, the mixture will start to thicken.
- Add ghee and cardamom powder and keep stirring till the mixture comes together and starts to leave the sides of the pan.
- Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool down for a few minutes.
- Knead the mixture well with your hands until it forms a smooth dough.
- Make small balls from the dough and flatten them slightly to form pedas.
- Decorate with chopped nuts and serve.
- Vada Pappu:
Vada Pappu is usually served as a pooja prasadam (offering) and is considered to be a healthy and nutritious dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup moong dal (split green gram), soaked in water for 2 hours
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- A few coriander leaves, chopped
- Salt to taste
Procedure:
- Drain the water from the soaked moong dal.
- Mix the moong dal, cucumber, tomato, coriander leaves, and salt.
- Serve as a salad.
- Mango Lassi:
Mango Lassi is enjoyed as a dessert or a cool drink on a hot day, and it is commonly found in Indian restaurants and grocery stores around the world.
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe mango, chopped
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2-3 tbsp sugar
- A few ice cubes
Procedure:
- In a blender, blend chopped mango, yogurt, milk, and sugar.
- Add ice cubes and blend again.
- Serve chilled.
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- Obbattu/Holige/Puran Poli:
Obbattu, Holige or Puran Poli is a delicious and indulgent dessert that is enjoyed by people of all ages in India and is gaining popularity in other parts of the world.
Ingredients:
For dough:
- All-purpose flour - 2 cups
- Water - 1 cup
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Oil - 1 tbsp
For filling:
- Chana dal or jaggery - 1 cup
- Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
- Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
- Ghee - 1 tbsp
Procedure:
- For the dough, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and knead it to make a smooth dough. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
- For the filling, cook chana dal or jaggery with water till it turns soft and mushy. Drain the water and keep the dal or jaggery aside.
- In a pan, heat ghee, add grated coconut and cardamom powder, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cooked dal or jaggery and mix well. Cook for another 5-7 minutes and let it cool down.
- Divide the dough into small balls and roll it into a small disc.
- Place a spoonful of the filling in the centre of the disc and cover it with the edges of the dough.
- Roll it into a thin flatbread using a rolling pin.
- Heat a tawa or griddle and cook the obbattu on both sides using ghee until it turns golden brown.
- Serve hot with ghee.
- Obbattu Saaru/Rasam:
Obbattu Saaru or Rasam is a traditional South Indian soup or broth that is commonly served with Obbattu or Holige (a type of sweet flatbread).
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked toor dal
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 green chilies, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp hing
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- Curry leaves
Procedure:
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add cumin seeds, chopped onions, and green chilies. Fry till onions turn translucent.
- Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft.
- Add turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
- Add the cooked toor dal and mix well.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.
- In another pan, heat some oil and add hing, dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds.
- Add this tempering to the dal mixture and mix well.
- Serve hot with Obbattu/Bobbatlu/Holige/Puran Poli.
- Kosambari:
Kosambari is a simple and delicious way to incorporate more vegetables and lentils into your diet, and it is also a great option for those who are looking for vegan or gluten-free options.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup grated cucumber
- 1/2 cup soaked moong dal
- 2 tbsp grated coconut
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- A few coriander leaves, chopped
- A few mint leaves, chopped
- 1-2 green chilies, chopped
- 2-3 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- A pinch of hing
Procedure:
- In a bowl, mix grated carrot, grated cucumber, soaked moong dal, grated coconut, coriander leaves, mint leaves, and chopped green chilies.
- Add salt and lemon juice. Mix well.
- In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add hing.
- Pour the tempering over the kosambari and mix well.
- Serve chilled.
- Bobbarlu Vada:
Bobbarlu Vada is a traditional snack that is typically served hot with a side of chutney or sauce and is enjoyed as a tasty snack or appetiser.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups black-eyed beans, soaked overnight
- 2-3 green chilies, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- A few coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
Procedure:
- Drain the water from the soaked black-eyed beans and grind them to a coarse paste.
- Add chopped green chilies, chopped onions, chopped coriander leaves, cumin seeds, and salt. Mix well.
- Heat oil in a pan and drop small portions of the mixture into the hot oil.
- Fry the vadas on both sides till they turn golden brown.
- Serve hot with chutney.
- Bevu Bella:
Bevu Bella is a traditional dish from the South Indian state of Karnataka that is typically prepared during the festival of Ugadi. It is a mixture of bitter and sweet ingredients that symbolise the ups and downs of life.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup neem leaves, chopped
- 1 cup jaggery, grated
- 1 cup roasted gram dal
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- A pinch of hing
- Salt to taste
Procedure:
- In a blender, grind chopped neem leaves, grated jaggery, roasted gram dal, grated coconut, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and dry red chilies.
- Add salt and hing. Mix well.
- Serve at room temperature.
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- Pachi Pulusu:
Pachi Pulusu is a tangy and refreshing soup that is made with tamarind juice, tomato, onion, green chilli, and a blend of Indian spices.
Ingredients:
- 1 lemon-sized tamarind
- 1 cup fresh coriander leaves
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green chillies
- A pinch of asafoetida
- Salt to taste
- Water
Procedure:
- Soak the tamarind in water for 30 minutes. Extract the juice and discard the pulp.
- Grind the coriander leaves, cumin seeds, and green chillies to a fine paste.
- In a pan, mix the tamarind juice, coriander paste, asafoetida, salt, and enough water to make a thin soup. Cook on low heat for a few minutes.
- Kothamalli Thokku:
Kothamalli Thokku is known for its vibrant green colour and fresh flavour, and it is a great way to add some spice and flavour to any meal. It can also be used as a marinade for meats or vegetables before grilling or roasting.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh coriander leaves
- 1/2 cup grated coconut
- 5-6 green chillies
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 1 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
Procedure:
- Grind the coriander leaves, grated coconut, green chillies, cumin seeds, and salt to a fine paste.
- In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and asafoetida
- Add the ground paste and cook on low heat until the mixture thickens and the oil separates.
- Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and let it cool.
- Store in an airtight container and serve as a side dish.
- Mysore Pak Recipe:
Mysore Pak is a popular sweet dish from South India, Mysore Pak has a rich and buttery taste, and it melts in your mouth.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup besan (gram flour)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup ghee
- A pinch of cardamom powder
Procedure:
- In a pan, heat the ghee until melted.
- Add the besan and roast on low heat until it turns light brown and fragrant.
- In another pan, heat the sugar with 1/2 cup water until it dissolves and forms a syrup.
- Add the roasted besan to the sugar syrup and mix well. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and starts to leave the sides of the pan.
- Add cardamom powder and mix well.
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