Happy Ugadi!

Ugadi or Yugadi  is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region in Southern India. The name Yugadi or Ugadi is derived from the name "Yuga Adi", which means 'the beginning of a new age.'

The festivities begin with a ritual oil bath followed by prayers.  Extended families gather over feasts making sure to eat specific mixtures of six tastes symbolizing sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise. 

The special mixtures include:

-Neem Buds/Flowers for its bitterness, signifying Sadness

-Jaggery and ripe banana pieces for sweetness, signifying Happiness

-Green Chilli/Pepper for its hot taste, signifying Anger

-Salt for saltiness, signifying Fear

-Tamarind Juice for its sourness, signifying Disgust

-Unripened Mango for its tang, signifying Surprise

In Andhra Pradesh, a special dish called  Puran Poli is prepared. It consists of a filling (gram and jaggery/sugar boiled and made in to a paste) stuffed in a flat roti and is usually eaten with hot/cold with a topping of milk or ghee.

Happy Holi!

Holi, one of the biggest Hindu festivals in India, is known as the festival of colors.  People celebrate with bonfires and by throwing scented powder or perfume at each other creating an atmosphere of excitement and joy. 

Holi celebrates the beginning of spring, and commemorates many events that are present in Hindu mythology.  Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colors and saying goodbye to winter.

In addition to the festivities, Holi is celebrated with a plethora of holiday foods and drinks.  One of our favorite ways to celebrate is with Thandai.  To make Thandai at home, please follow the recipe provided below.

Thandai

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups of Water
2 tblsp Fennel Seed
1/2 tsp Cardamom Seed
4 whole Cloves
2/3rd cup Raisins
1/2 cup blanched and chopped Almond
1/4th cup chopped Pistachio
1/4th cup Melon seeds, Sunflower seeds or Pine Nuts 
1 ltr Milk
1/4th tsp dry-roasted and powdered Saffron threads 

Directions:

·                 Bring the water to boil in a small saucepan.

·                 Add the fennel seeds, cardamom and cloves, cover, and remove from the heat.

·                 Set aside for ten minutes.

·                 Place the raisins, almonds, pistachios and melon seeds, sunflower seeds, or pine nuts in a bowl and add fennel tea.

·                 Cover and set aside for at least 1 hour.

·                 Transfer it to a blender, cover, and blend until the nuts & spices are reduced to a smooth texture.

·                 Pour into a strainer and set over a bowl.

·                 When some of liquid had drained through the sieve, gather the corners and squeeze tightly to extract the maximum liquid.

·                 Heat 2 tblsp of milk and add saffron.

·                 Combine the nut milk, saffron milk and remaining milk in a large jug and chill well.

·                 Serve over a crushed ice.