34 UGADI PACHADI

Ugadi is a New year festival for Telugu and Kannada people. Also called as Gudi padva in Maharashtra.

Option 1 of making pachadi. See below for option 2.


Ugadi pachadi is a combination of 6 tastes/flavors( Shadrachulu) each standing for a special character a man experiences in life. That is salty, spicy, tangy, bitter, sour and sweet. The significane of making this pachadi is for us to understand that life is a mixture of all emotions, good /bad/happy/sorrow and we have to face each one equally.


In Karnataka it is called as Bevu Bella where fresh neem leaves are mixed with jaggery pieces.

1.Salt - 1/2 tsp - For Saltness( Uvarppu)- To represent scareness
2.Red chilli powder/or Black Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp( Spicy/Hot) ( Kaaram)- To represent Angry
3.Raw Mango - Few cut into small pieces - For Tanginess( Pulippu)- To represent excitement.
4.Neem flowers(or can use Methi seeds) - 2 tsp - For Bitterness( Kasappu)- To represent sorrow.
5.Tamarind( or can use Lemon Juice) - One small lime size- For Sour( Thuvarppu) - To represent Mischieveness.
6.Jaggery(or can use Honey or Sugar) - 2 - 3 tbsp - For Sweetness ( Inippu)- To represent Happiness.

Soak tamarind in water for 20 minutes and extract a dilute pulp . Mix in jaggery until it melts. Add mango pieces, salt and chilli powder. Mix well and add neem flowers. Mix and have a tbsp or 2 .

Option 2 of making pachadi.


The other way is cooking this like a thokku/pickle.With the same above ingredients we need additionally a tbsp of oil preferably gingelly oil. Few mustard seeds and curry leaves and a pinch of hing/asafoetida.


Heat oil in a pan and add mustards seeds, curry leaves and hing. When it crackles add the tamarind pulp and allow it to boil and reduce in volume. Add mangao pieces and cook for sometime. Next add salt and chilli powder and mix. Then add jaggery and stir in for few minutes until it gets little thick. Finally add the neem flowers( First dry roast seperately and then add).
If you do not have neem flowers, then add few methi(fenugreek) seeds in the oil itself before pouring in tamarind pulp.


Usually my mom sends in a batch of dry neem flowers mainly to prepare neem flower rasam. So it comes in handy anytime I want to make use of it.

Tomorrow is Ugadi( New year for Telugu and Kannada people). Will post in my Ugadi feast pictures tomorrow.