Ugadi Pachadi Recipe | How to make Ugadi Pachadi | Ugadi Recipes | Ugadi Subhakankshalu – Ugadi Pachadi Recipe is a combination of sweet, sour & bitter tastes made of new jaggery, raw mango pieces, neem flowers & new tamarind, all of which truly reflects life!
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in April 2016 and has been updated with Video and replaced with better edited pictures for comprehensiveness and freshness.
HAPPY UGADI !!
Ugadi is celebrated with festive fervour in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and as Gudi Padva in Maharashtra. It marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon’s orbit. Ugadi pachadi is one such dish that has become synonymous with Ugadi. I’m here today to share Ugadi Pachadi recipe.
There is no Ugadi without tasting the quintessential Ugadi Pachadi. It is made of new jaggery, raw mango pieces and neem flowers and new tamarind, which truly reflects life – a combination of sweet, sour and bitter tastes symbolising that life is a mixture of unique experiences and that we should be ready to accept everything in life throughout the New Year.
The onset of spring also marks a beginning of new life. Plants acquire new life, shoots and leaves. Spring is the first season of the year, hence heralds a new year and a new beginning. As Mother Nature awakens and spring blooms, the New Year festival brings a feeling of joy, growth and prosperity.
How do you celebrate Ugadi ?
On Ugadi day, people wake up early in the morning and take a head bath after which they decorate the entrance of their houses with fresh mango leaves. The significance of tying mango leaves relates to a legend. It is said that Kartik (or Subramanya or Kumara Swamy) and Ganesha, the two sons of Lord Siva and Parvathi were very fond of mangoes. As the legend goes Kartik exhorted people to tie green mango leaves to the doorway signifying a good crop and general well-being.
With the coming of Ugadi, the naturally perfumed jasmines (mallepulu) spread a sweet fragrance which is perhaps unmatched by any other in nature’s own creation! While large garlands of jasmine are offered to Gods in homes and temples, jasmine flowers woven in clusters adorn the braids of women. Ugadi is thus a festival of many shades. It ushers in the New Year, brings a rich bounce of flora and fills the hearts of people with joy and contentment!
It is a season for raw mangoes spreading its aroma in the air and the neem trees are in full blossom making the air healthy. Also, jaggery made with fresh crop of sugarcane adds a renewed flavour to the typical dishes associated with Ugadi.
A glimpse of Mango and Neem tree (scroll down) from the backyard of my home in India…It was very sweet of my cousin’s son to click and send the pictures to me….Thank you Kalyan!! I’m sure you will be happy to see your name here!!
What do you cook for Ugadi?
As with most Indian holidays, preparation of special foods is also important. Apart from Ugadi pachadi, in Andhra Pradesh, eatables such as Pulihora, Bobbatlu and preparations made with raw mango like maidikaya pulihora go well with the occasion. In Karnataka too, you can find similar preparations like Puliogare and Holige. The Maharashtrians make Puran Poli or sweet Rotis.
Please check out my full fledged Ugadi Festival Menu & Tamil New Year Recipes from my blog!
The Six Tastes of Ugadi Pachadi (Shadruchulu):
Each ingredient denotes the six different tastes of life:
- Sadness – Neem Buds/Flowers for its bitterness
- Happiness – Jaggery & ripe banana pieces for sweetness
- Anger – Green Chilli/Red chilli/Pepper for its hot taste
- Fear – Salt for saltiness
- Disgust – Tamarind Juice for its sourness
- Surprise – Unripened Mango for its tang
Neem is the special and very important ingredient in Ugadi Pachadi recipe. Neem tree has a lot of medicinal values. According to Ayurveda Ugadi Pachadi removes the vata, pita, kapha doshas from ones body. It is a healthy and nutritious pachadi as it contains nutrients that cleanse the system and acts as prophylactics (prevention of illness or disease).
Are you all ready to accept everything in life throughout the New Year?
With that note….Off to the recipe for Ugadi Pachadi recipe!!
Source of info: Wikipedia
Easy steps to follow for
Ugadi Pachadi recipe
You will need:
NOTE: I’m substituting neem flowers with grated bitter gourd or bitter melon (Kakarakaya) as I we don’t have neem trees here in Germany. You can also use neem powder if in hand.
- Mix all the above ingredients (tamarind pulp, jaggery powder, raw mango pieces, red chilli powder, green chillies or pepper powder,, neem flowers or bitter gourd grate, fresh coconut pieces or grate and salt to taste) to form a sauce like appearance.
- If you want a very thick chutney, add very little water and adjust consistency accordingly.
- You can also add small pieces of sugarcane, chunks of ripe banana, putnala pappu (roasted channa dal), cashews along with the above ingredients.
- Do not taste the pachadi if you intend to offer it to god. Offer Ugadi Pachadi as naivedhyam.
Ugadi Pachadi Recipe | How to make Ugadi Pachadi | Ugadi Recipes | Ugadi Subhakankshalu
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Water Adjust to desired consistency
- 1/2 Cup Raw fresh Mango Washed, Peeled & Finely chopped
- ½ to 1 tbsp Neem Flowers Margosa flowers
- 1/4 Cup Jaggery Powder
- 1 tbsp Coconut Grate Fresh or Desiccated (optional)
- 1 tbsp Roasted Channa dal Putnal pappu
- 1/4 Cup Ripe Banana Pieces
- 3 tbsp Tamarind Extract Thick Pulp, Adjust to your taste
- ½ to 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder According to your choice or 1 Green Chilli, finely Chopped
- Salt to taste
Optional:
- Sugarcane pieces
- Cashews chopped
- Raisins
Instructions
- Mix all the above ingredients to form a sauce like appearence.
- If you want very thick chutney, add very little water and adjust to desired consistency.
- Optionally, You can also include small pieces of sugarcane, pieces of ripe banana, putnala pappu (roasted channa dal), cashews along with the above ingredients.
- Do not taste it if you intend to offer it to god.
- Offer ugadi pachadi as naivedhyam.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Every home has its own version of preparing the ugadi pachadi but the main ingredients (reflecting all the six flavours) are as specified above.
- In case you can't find neem flowers, bitter gourd peel grate is a goo substitute for bitter taste.
- If required dissolve jaggery in water and filter it to remove impurities before using.
- Fresh coconut pieces is also optional but I have added grated coconut.
- Reduce or increase quantities to suit your taste & requirement.
- Savour the pachadi in moderation!! Share Ugadi Pachadi with your family members.
Other popular Ugadi Recipes from Blog:
Ugadi Subhakankshalu
Many more to come!!…..STAY TUNED!!
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Happy Cooking 🙂
Cheers!!
Padma.
Kiran
Very well written..gud recipe…useful to anyone.
Mullai Madavan
Delicious pachadi to highlight the festive occasion, nice clicks too Padma!
Padma Veeranki
Thank you Mullai 🙂
Manali @ CookWithManali
delicious recipe Padma, thanks for sharing!!
Puja Darshan
So colorful and tempting recipe Padma. Lovely sharing…
Padma Veeranki
Thanks puja 🙂
Hiba
Awesome recipes
Very vibrant and colorful. !!
Shubha
beautiful props Padma.. very well written and informative post too:)
marudhuskitchen
ss..every house have their own variations…love the choice of props…thanks for the lovely share
Rani vijoo
My mouth is watering Padma …wonderful recipe and post. Love that pic of mango tree …it brings me back home 🙂 thanks!