Ugadi 2024: Cook up flavours and fun in this festive meal
Ring in the New Year in a delicious way as you whip up a festive treat for your loved ones.
Time to wish your friends and family a very happy Ugadi today. The day marls the onset of the Telugu New Year. Like all festivals, it is accompanied by joy tradition as much as it is also about a food indulgence. We got chefs to share recipes of a few dishes for you to try, so happy cooking!
MUVVANKAYA
Inputs by Tushar Bhattacharya, Senior Sous Chef, Peshwa Pavilion, ITC Maratha Mumbai
Ingredients
Brinjal, onion - 250gm (each)
Tomatoes - 5
Gingelly oil - 100ml
Green chillies - 3
Curry leaves - 6
Coriander leaves - 25g
Turmeric, cumin seeds, mustard seeds - 1tsp (each)
Salt, to taste
For the paste (Dry roast everything)
Poppy seeds - 1tbsp
Tamarind - 50g
White til - 1tbsp
Coriander seeds - 2tbsp
Dry coconut - 50g
Ginger, garlic - 25g (each)
Dry red chillies - 5
Turmeric - 1tsp
Method
Heat oil in a kadai, fry brinjal then keep aside. Add mustard, curry and cumin seeds, onion, tomatoes and sauté. Add the paste, fried brinjals, salt to taste and coriander leaves. Serve hot.
RICE GETS TANGY
Both lemon rice and tamarind rice are a must-have on the table. T Prakash, Culinary Director, Niraamaya Retreats Surya Samudra shares how to make these two rice preparations.
Lemon Rice
Ingredients
Basmati rice, boiled - 2 cups
Turmeric – ½ tsp
Curry leaves - 10
Salt, to taste
Butter – 1 tbsp
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Raw peanuts – 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 2 pinches
Red chillies – 2, dried
Onion, finely chopped - 1 small
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - ¼ tsp
Fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
Method
Cook basmati rice and season with fresh lemon juice. Set aside. Melt butter in a pan, add mustard seeds, peanuts, dried red chilies, and curry leaves. Fry for a minute and add chopped onion and sauté. Add ginger-garlic, turmeric and red chili powder. Then add the seasoned rice to the pan and gently mix. Cook for four minutes and remove from heat. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Tamarind rice (Puliyogare)
Ingredients
Tamarind - 1 lemon-sized ball
Gingelly oil (Indian sesame oil) - 2 tbsp
Black mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Raw unsalted peanuts - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - a few
Dry red chillies, torn into pieces - 3
Finely chopped onions (optional) - ½ cup
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Cooked rice - 4 cups
Salt to taste
Method
Soak the tamarind in 3/4 cup warm water for 30 minutes, then extract the juice of tamarind with fingers and discard any seeds and pulp that remains. Heat the oil in a wide pan and add the mustard seeds, chana dal, and peanuts. Allow the mustard seeds to pop and the peanuts and dal to roast to a light golden brown. Add the curry leaves, red chillies, hing, and onions (if using) and roast for 2-3 minutes. Add the tamarind. Season with salt and let the mixture boil until it thickens slightly. Now add the cooked rice and mix. Let the rice sit for an hour before serving. Enjoy with curd, papad and red chili coconut chutney.
QUICK FIXES
Prepare these accompaniments to go with the festive meal. Chef Prakash Mohanarangan, Dakshin, ITC Grand Central shares these chutney recipes:
Beetroot Chutney Recipe
Heat oil in a pan, add urad and chana dal and roast well. Add ginger, garlic and onion. Sauté and add green chili, beetroot, and coconut. Add tamarind and grind coarsely. Heat oil and add mustard, red chili, curry leaves and hing.
Ridge gourd chutney
Heat oil in a pan, urad and chana dal roast well. Add ginger, garlic and onion. Add green chili, ridge gourd and coconut and cook well. Add tamarind and grind coarsely. Heat oil and add mustard, red chili, curry leaves and hing.
