Falling on 2nd April this year, Ugadi is the new year for all the South Indians belonging to the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. As per the Hindu calendar, this day coincides with the first day of Navratri, a nine-day long fast observed in northern India. Simultaneously, the Maharashtrians also celebrate their new year as Gudi Padwa on the same day. It is interesting to note how a particular day can be special and hold a wide range of significance for different people.
Now if it’s new year, can the celebrations be complete without food? The answer is a big, fat no. Indians love to eat and rejoice the day with some festive treats. Come ugadi, devotees start prepping for the special Ugadi feast as well as decorate their floors with beautiful rangoli designs. From sweets to savouries, a plethora of delicacies are enjoyed on this day. Here are some of them that you can try at home too.
1. Bele Obbattu
Also known as Bele Holige, this is a special dessert that is prepared on Ugadi. It is a kind of flatbread or roti that is stuffed with a sweet filling. While the former is made from maida, the latter is a combination of jaggery, chana dal, coconut, cardamom and ghee.
2. Ugadi Pachadi
This is one of the most important dishes of the festival. The pachadi is a Telugu chutney that is delectable in taste. Now you may ask what’s so special about a chutney? Well, it is an explosion of six different flavours in the mouth and is eaten alone instead of being a side dish. Raw mango, neem, jaggery, tamarind and green chillies go into the making of this fabulous concoction.
3. Kosambari
This is a typical South Indian salad that consists of crunchy vegetables and pulses. Chopped cucumbers, mango and coconut are mixed with split green and black gram, mustard seeds and a host of spices. Doused with curry leaves and ginger, it has a very refreshing taste.
4. Sweet Corn Sundal
Sundal is a popular street food from Chennai that is usually made from black chickpeas and spices. This is a special Navratri recipe that involves sweet corn and vegetables. Add carrots, pomegranates, coconut and mustard seeds and toss it all together in coconut oil.
5. Mavinkayi Chitranna
Summers are the season of mangoes and would be unfair to welcome the new year without a mango dish in the feast. A simple preparation of mango-flavoured rice, Mavinkayi Chitranna is significant to Ugadi celebrations. The tartness of raw mangoes makes the rice dish a splendid delight.
