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.





Sankranthi

సంక్రాంతి వచ్చింది

సంతోషం తెచ్చింది

భోగి మంటల వెచ్చదనం

భోగి పళ్ళ సంబరం

రంగవల్లుల అందం

గొబ్బి పాటల కోలాహలం 

సంక్రాంతి వచ్చింది 

సంతోషం తెచ్చింది 

పొంగలి తీయదనం 

సకినాల కమ్మదనం

పతుంగుల పయనం

బసవన్నల విన్యాసం

సంక్రాంతి వచ్చింది 

సంతోషం తెచ్చింది

మూడురోజుల పండుగ

ముచ్చటైన పండుగ 

ఇల్లంతా సందడిగా 

మురిపాల పండుగ

సంక్రాంతి వచ్చింది 

సంతోషం తెచ్చింది 

Sankranti

Sanskranti is the only Hindu (Indian) festival which falls on the same day of English Calendar. Makara Sankranti comes on 14th January (15th in leap year) every year. This is the time when farmers get their produce home. It is celebrated in pompous gaiety with all the family members coming together for three day festivities.
In Telangana this is celebrated also as festival of kites. Rangoli (drawing colorful muggus) in front of the house is part of the festival. The most important item that is prepared on this festival day in Telangana is ‘Sakinalu’. This is the specific item that is made in good quantities to last for a month or so. Every household will make it a ritual of this preparation. As large scale 5-10kg of Sakinalu are made, women join in groups and help one another in its preparation. Even professionals who make it at home are also available.
Ingredients:
Rice – 1kg
Sesame – 100-200gms (as per taste)
‘Voma’ – 1-2 teaspoons (as per taste)
Salt to taste.
Oil to fry

Preparation: soak the cleaned rice in water for about 4hrs. Drain the water. Get the rice pounded to flour by hand or machine. Wash sesame and ‘voma’ and add to the rice flour. Add salt. Mix the flour well with added ingredients. Take thick cloth and spread it on the floor or any table. Take small quantity of the mixed rice flour into small bowl and add water to make soft dough. Take lime size of this dough onto the palm and string it out between the thumb and index finger and make circular sakinalu with at least two complete loops. There should not be gaps between the loops of the circles. If there are gaps these will break when they are picked up by the spatula from the cloth. Before picking up the Sakinalu allow these to partially dry. Allowing the sakinalu to be left for about an hour are two will result in excess water being absorbed by the cloth. This will make picking up Sakinalu easy. Pick up sakinalu onto a small plate. Put these in heated oil and allow them to deep fry, or until the sakinalu turn ivory white or faint brown. Remove from oil put it in a bowl. Once they are cold put them in an air tight container and store. These can be kept for more than 2-3 months.
Sakinalu taste good when eaten as such or eaten with tomato chutney or gravy of mutton or chicken or any other hot sauce.