Friday, March 23, 2012

Ugadi Essentials


Telugu people world over are celebrating Ugadi - New year eve today.  The most important recipe on this festival day is "ugadi pachidi".  This is made as liquid drink in Telangana region and Andhras make it semisolid and eat.  This will have six main ingredients --
                                                                                             new tamarind pulp
                                                                                                                 jaggery                                           
                                                                  salt
                                                                   oma
                                                                                     unripe raw mango
                                                                                      neem flowers         
New earthen pot is purchased.a day before or on the same day of Ugadi.  The pot is washed and cleaned well.  Tamarind pulp is diluted in water in the pot.  Powdered jaggery is added.  Neem flowers, wholly (tastes bitter) or only petals - a teaspoon added.  A pinch of salt and oma are added.  Raw mango is peeled and either grated or cut into very small pieces and a table spoon added to the water.  All the ingredients are added so as to feel all the tastes of salt, sour, spicy, sweet, tangy and bitterness.
We face different situations and emotions in life and all these are tasted with 'ugadi pachadi'.  This is the elixir of life.  Ingredients added in such quantity so as to have a particular taste sweet or sour depending on one's tastes.  In the early days of summer this will be really a very relishing drink.
In Warangal District in addition to these ingredients puffed bengal gram, banana pieces, grapes, grated coconut, and saunf.  It will be a good nourishing fruity drink.



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