Ugadi Pachadi

Ingredients: 1 cup of raw fresh mango cleaned, dried, finely chopped along with skin
1 tbsp margosa flowers (neem tree flowers)
1 cup grated jaggery
1 tbsp fresh finely chopped coconut pieces (optional)
3 -4 tbsp tamarind paste
red chilli pwd (according to your choice)
salt to taste

1 Mix all the above ingredients to form a sauce like appearence.I f you want a thin and watery chutney add very little water (2-3 tbsps). You can also add small pieces of sugarcane, pieces of ripe banana, putanaala pappu (roasted channa dal) along with the above ingredients.

Note:

Each home has its own version of preparing the ugadi pachadi but the main ingredients (reflecting all the six flavors) are as specified above.

The myriad rich taste of this delicacy tickles and lingers on our tongue for a long time leaving a medley of flavors. The flavors of the Ugadi Pachadi signifies that the mixture of bitter margosa flowers and sweet jaggery reflect the myriad facets of life, both joy and sorrow and prepares one to face both good and bad in the year to come. During this season we find people eating neem leaves and flowers at the onset of Vasantha Ruthu and through out the spring season as its a counter measure for kapha dosha individuals (kapha dosha increases around this period).Ugadi Pachadi is a healthy low calorie pachadi where the Neem flowers, new tamarind, jaggery and fresh raw mangoes contain nutrients that cleanse the system and act as prophylactics (prevention of illness or disease).

Ugadi Subhakankshulu! Wishing you all a very happy Ugadi and a great year ahead!