Happy Ugadi | Gudipadava

Wishing you all a very happy Ugadi/Gudipadava. This day is celebrated as the beginning of new year in the south Indian states of Karnataka, Andrapradesh and Maharastra.

Lunar new year is celebrated with festive meal at home. Its a customary to prepare neem pachadi (with neem leaves, jaggery, salt, tamarind juice, raw mango and green chillies), puran poli (holige), ambode (dal vada), kosambari, panakam (made with powdered ginger, jaggery, cardamom and water) and kheer (payasa).

As a child I never liked the neem pachadi (also called ugadi pachadi). Neem buds have a bitter taste. This ugadi dish has a special meaning – Just like the pachadi has a combination of bitter, sweet, sour and salty taste, we should also accept our life as a mixture of experiences/feelings (sad, happy, fear etc). We must understand that both good and bad times are a part of our life.

The Neem pachadi consists of: (thanks: wikipedia)

*Neem Buds/Flowers for its bitterness, signifying Sadness
* Jaggery and ripe banana pieces for sweetness, signifying Happiness
* Green Chilli/Pepper for its hot taste, signifying Anger
* Salt for saltiness, signifying Fear
* Tamarind Juice for its sourness, signifying Disgust
* Raw Mango for its tang, signifying Surprise

I made moong dal and chana dal kosambari and panakam. I have posted the recipe for puran poli and ambode. Click on the pictures to read more about these ugadi dishes.

Hope this lunar new year brings load of happiness and prosperity. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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