Ugadi festival: Savour special delicacies on this Telugu New Year’s Day

HYDERABAD: India is well-known for its vibrant and colourful festivities. And each Indian festival has its own special element, whether it's unique rituals, décor, or delicacies prepared exclusively for the occasion.

Every Indian festival is defined by an array of delectable cuisines and sweets. Similarly, the Ugadi festival is well-known for a variety of Indian delicacies.

Ugadi, also known as the Hindu New Year according to the Hindu calendar, is celebrated by Telugus, Kannadigas, and Maharashtrians with a wide range of delicacies.

Let's have a look at some of the popular Ugadi delicacies

Ugadi Pachadi

The most important element of the Ugadi Festival is the 'Ugadi Pachadi'. Ugadi pachadi is a chutney-like delicacy prepared with tamarind paste, neem flowers, brown sugar or sweet jaggery, salt, and raw mango at the Ugadi Festival. The recipe includes all flavours - sweet, sour, tangy, and bitter - and serves as a metaphor for the different phases of life that can be anticipated in the upcoming year. Also, it is customary to start consuming the season's mangoes only after savoring Ugadi Pachadi.

Ugadi Pachadi is a traditional dish in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They make Ugadi Pachadi delicacies on Telugu New Year's Day, which symbolize the six emotions of life, such as sweet, tangy, bitter, and sour. New neem flower (vepa puvvu), new jaggery (bellam), new chilli/pepper (karam), salt (uppu), tamarind (chintapandu), and mango are the six essential ingredients used in the Ugadi Pachadi (mamidi).

Bobbatlu

Bobbatlu, also known as puran poli, bakshalu, and obbattu, is a must-have for the Ugadi festival. Bobbatlu is traditionally made with wheat flour, sweet-flavored lentils, and a splash of Ghee. Bobbatlu is a versatile dish that can be prepared with a variety of fillings, including coconut and even khoya or palkova. Bobbatlu is a time-consuming dish, nevertheless it's worth it since when served hot, the soft and smooth Bobbatlu melts in your mouth.

Poornam boorelu

Poornam boorelu, also known as Poornalu, is a deep-fried snack made with chana dal and jaggery stuffing and coated in rice and urad dal batter. The sweet lentil filling is the major ingredient in these boorelu. The laddu-like filling is dipped in thin pancake batter, similar to dosa batter, and fried till golden. Purnam burelu, which has a crispy outer layer and a soft, sweet filling in the inside, is an appropriate treat for the Ugadi festival.

Source/Hebbars Kitchen

Pulihora

Pulihora, also known as tamarind rice, is a crispy, savoury, and tangy rice dish that is simple to prepare and delicious. Fresh lemon juice, tamarind paste, fried nuts, fragrant herbs and spices combine to give this steamed rice an outstanding spicy, sour, and nutty flavour.

Daddojanam

Daddojanam, also known as curd rice, is a popular and traditional South Indian dish in which cooked rice is blended with curd (yoghurt) and seasoned with spices and herbs. It is a staple in many South Indian households and is also prepared during Hindu festivals.

Chakkara Pongal

Sweet Pongal, also known as Chakkara Pongal, is a creamy, sweet festive meal prepared with rice, moong lentils, jaggery, and flavoured with green cardamoms, cashews, raisins, and ghee.

Moong dal payasam

Yellow moong lentils, jaggery, and coconut milk are combined to make this creamy moong dal payasam. Soft cooked moong lentils are boiled with coconut milk, sweetened with jaggery, and flavoured with cardamoms in this traditional South Indian pudding. The cuisine is flavored with ghee, which is fried with almonds, raisins, and sometimes chopped chunks of coconut. The coconut milk, which lends a nutty flavour and a creamy texture to this dish, is the highlight of the dish.

Medu Vada

Black grams (urad dal), herbs, and spices are used to make crisp, fried fritters in the shape of doughnuts called medu vada. These urad dal vadas are also referred to as Garelu in Tamil and Andhra, Uzhunnu in Kerala, Uddina in Kannada, and Medhu Vadai, Ulundu in Andhra.