Happy Ugadi: Celebrate Life’s Medley Of Flavours

It’s Ugadi once more! A happy reminder of new opportunities and beginnings, the festival at the core, is all about celebrating the essence of life is in its unique medley of experiences. So, best wishes for the year ahead, enjoy the myriad notes of life: sweet, savoury, sour and bitter. Read on to know our suggestions for a special celebration.
The meaning of Ugadi is wonderfully symbolized in the foods that are cooked during the time: the Bevu-Bella, a combination of sweet jaggery and bitter neem. Or the chutney-like Pachadi - made from ingredients such as tangy tamarind, bitter neem, sweet jaggery and salt.

For your extended family lunch this Ugadi, here are suggestions in keeping with the spirit of the festival.

Festive Recipes: An easy fusion of flavours  

Get inventive while preparing this year’s Ugadi specials. Stretch the idea of the Ugadi Pachadi a step further by making treats that are a smooth fusion of different flavours. Anand Sweets ready repertoire of sweets and savouriesmakes innovations in the kitchen super easy. Here are recipes for a starter and dessert. They are guaranteed to have your guests asking for seconds!

1. Raw Mavinnkayi Chutney served with a mix of Matris from Anand 

(This starter brings astringent and salty flavours together)

The start of summer is also the season of raw mangoes. Which is why dishes where the raw mango is the star ingredient are a part of traditional Ugadi fare. Finely-chopped pieces of raw mango (‘mavinnkayi’ in Kannada) add the astringent flavour to the Ugadi Pachadi. As chutney, raw mango makes for a piquant accompaniment with rice, dosas and crispy matris too. 

Ingredients (serves 4):

2 big raw mangoes 
½ cup grated coconut
5-6 dry red chilies (or as per your preference)
4 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
½ tsp channa dal (Bengal Gram )
½ tsp methi seeds (Fenugreek seeds)
A big pinch of hing (Asafoetida)
Salt to taste

One box each of Anand Sweets Gol Matri, Tricone Matri and Maida Matar

For tempering

3-4 tsp cooking oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
a few curry leaves

Steps:

• Wash, peel and grate the mangoes.
• Heat oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add the urad dal, channa dal, methi seeds, hing and salt.
• Turn flame to medium low and fry till the dals turn golden brown.
• Transfer the grated mango, coconut and the fried masala mix into a mixer or blender. Add a little water.
• Grind ingredients into a coarse paste. Transfer it into a bowl.
• For the tempering: Heat oil in a small frying pan or kadai. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour the tempering over the raw mango chutney.
• Arrange Anand Sweets scrumptious Gol Matri, Trikone Matri and Maida Matar on a platter and serve the chutney as a dip.

 2. Mysore Pak soaked in Salted Caramel Sauce

(This dessert is a smooth blend of sweet and salty flavours)

Mysore Pak, the ghee-laden indulgent sweet that was created in the royal kitchen of the Mysore Palace, can make any feast more sumptuous. Made with gram flour, high-quality ghee and a hit of cardamom, Anand Sweets Mysore Pak is a decadent treat that would make your Ugadi feast special. If you want to take the treat a few notches higher, create a dessert that melds the sweetness of Mysore Pak with the salty flavour of Salted Caramel Sauce.

Recipe for Salted Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
4 tbsps salted butter
1 cup fresh cream
½ teaspoon table salt  (sea salt is preferable)
¼ cup water
1 box of Anand Sweets Mysore Pak

Steps:

1. Mix the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan – a light-coloured one would be ideal – and cook on medium heat for 12 minutes or until the sugar turns a golden brown. Take care not to stir the entire time.
2. Once the sugar changes colour, turn off flame. Mix the butter to the sugar syrup and stir slowly and continuously. A heat-proof rubber or wooden spatula is recommended.
3. Whisk the fresh cream in and stir till the mix turns smooth. (Note: Be mindful of the fact that the mix may froth up while adding the butter and fresh cream in, so take extra care to avoid this.)
4. Add the salt to the caramel sauce and stir well for a minute.
5. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature and transfer into an air-tight jar.
6. Arrange Anand Sweets Mysore Pak pieces on a platter and drizzle the salted caramel sauce over.

Festive Décor: Add vibrant touches to your home

Ugadi festivities evoke images of summer – fresh mango leaves, neem flowers, marigold festoons and jasmine garlands. There are simple ways you can add vibrancy to your home for Ugadi.

Begin by decorating the entrance of your home with a fresh toran of mango leaves and a simple rangoli using marigold and rose petals — it makes for a welcoming sight. Or try a brass urli filled with water and flowers, at the entrance.

To brighten up the interiors naturally, hang marigold festoons from windows and door frames. Add pops of colour to corners of the house with floral bouquets and colourful rangolis.

If you are looking for specific colour themes for decor, go for the shades of summer – green, yellows and bright orange. 

Greet your guests by offering them Bevu-Bella or Ugadi pachadi in small glass cups along with jasmine gajras. You could make it sweeter by gifting them a beautiful box from Anand’s Assorted Sweets range.

Table Setting: Add a touch of warmth and greenery 

Serving a lavish Ugadi spread begins with a pretty and well-thought out table sitting. Have a brightly-coloured, brocaded table runner along the middle of the table. You may liven up the table runner by placing long jasmine garlands on either side of it – lengthwise. Or simply add a brass vase filled with bright yellow roses, carnations and tuberoses. 

An Ugadi spread is best served on banana leaves, so if your guests are comfortable with the idea, go along with the organic option. Or place the plantain laves on the plates for a little touch.

Along with serving the traditional fare that includes Raw Mango Rice, Obbattu/Puran poli, Kosambari and Semiya Payasam, you can add the dishes we recommend and some much-loved Anand Sweets creations like the Badam Halwa, Coconut Burfi, Butter Chakli and Mysore Mixture to make the feast truly memorable. 

Visit any of our stores to stock up on your favourite festival treats or order them online on www.anandsweets.in.