Ugaadi Special Recipes By Chef Rohan Malwankar

Ugadi, also known as Yugadi or Ugadhi, marks the beginning of Telugu new year and is celebrated across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telengana. This day also marks the beginning of new Samvatsara (a cycle of sixty years). Derived from Sanskrit words 'yuga' (age) and 'adi' (starting), Yugadi means the starting of a new age'. This festival is celebrated according to Luni-Solar calendar where the position of the Moon and the Sun is observed to divide the year into months and days. Ugadi falls on the Chaitra Shukla Pratipada (end of March or beginning of April) 

Celebrating the festivities, Chef Rohan Malwankar, Executive Chef, Courtyard By Marriott Bengaluru Hebbal has shared two of his Ugaadi special recipes. 

Prep Time -15 Minute , Cooking Time- 20 Minute, Servings- 02 portion

Ingredients:-

•    2 cups Cooked rice, (leftover works fine)

•    1 Mango (Raw), grated

•    1/2 teaspoon Black Urad Dal (Split)

•    1 teaspoon Chana dal (Bengal Gram Dal)

•    1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu)

•    2 Green Chilies, slit

•    2 sprig Curry leaves

•    1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi)

•    1/2 teaspoon SSP Asafoetida (Hing)

•    Salt, to taste

•    Coriander (Dhania) Leaves, a small bunch, finely chopped

•    1 tablespoon Gingelly oil

Method of Preparation:-

•    Making the Mavinakayi Chitranna, we will first prepare the rice. 

•    Spread it out in a wide plate and allow it to cool completely. This helps in ensuring the rice doesn't get soggy, sticky and clumpy. 

•    Next, heat gingelly oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds, channa dal, split urad dal and roast the dals on medium flame until the dals turn golden brown in color. 

•    Once the dal turns golden brown, add in the curry leaves, asafetida, and slit green chilies, sauté for a few seconds until the aromas of the asafetida and curry leaves come through.  

•    Add the grated raw mango, turmeric powder and sauté until the mangoes become a bit tender. This will take about 2 minutes to mangoes have softened, add the cooked rice, salt to taste and stir well to combine. 

•    After 2 to 3 minutes, stir in the chopped coriander leaves, mix it well and switch of the gas. Serve hot Mavinakayi Chitranna 

Thondekayi Palya

Prep Time -10 Minute, Cooking Time- 15 Minute, Servings- 04 portion

Ingredients:-

For masala paste:

•    ¾ cup coconut (grated)

•    1 tsp mustard

•    5 dried red chili

For tempering:

•    3 tsp oil

•    ¾ tsp mustard

•    1 tsp urad dal

•    1 tsp chana dal

•    1 dried red chili

•    Few curry leaves

•    3 cup thondekai 

•    ½ cup cashew 

•    1 tsp jaggery

•    ½ tsp turmeric

•    1 tsp salt

•    ¼ cup water

Method of Preparation:-

•    Prepare masala by taking ¾ cup coconut, 1 tsp mustard and 5 dried red chill, blend to coarse masala paste without adding any water in a large pan.

•    Heat 3 tsp oil and splutter ¾ tsp mustard, 1 tsp urad dal, 1 tsp chana dal, 1 dried red chili and few curry leaves.

•    Add 3 cup sliced thondekai, ½ cup cashew and stir fry for a minute, further add 1 tsp jaggery, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt and mix well, additionally add ¼ cup water, cover and cook for 10 minutes on low to medium until tindora is cooked well yet retain its shape add in the prepared masala paste and mix well, 

•    Mix until the masala is coated well.