Happy Ugadi with Bevu Bella (Neem Jaggery) and Mangai Pachadi(Mango Jam)

Happy Ugadi with Bevu Bella (Neem Jaggery) and Mangai Pachadi(Mango Jam)


It was long long ago. So long ago when the whole of south India was known as The Deccan or The Carnatik. Many families from the Tamizh speaking areas moved on foot in quest of their fortune to the Mysore Samasthanam –the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom. With its patronage the families were firmly rooted, and spread their branches far and wide, thus giving rise to a new clan which can be named as the Tamizh Kannadigas.
My siblings and me, were born in the seventh generation of one such family and grew up on the waters of the Cauvery and moulded in the Kannada soil. Though our family retains Tamizh and its culture, it has also imbibed the culture and traditions of the Kannadigas, and I am proud of our hybrid culture.
Today is UGADI – the Kannada New Year’s Day. We celebrate it with great festivity with the Mavu (mango) and Bevu (Neem garlands) thoranas, Bevu Bella (Neem and Jaggery preparation), Mavinakai Chitranna (manga sadam), Obattu, and Mangai Pachadi (Mango Relish).

Bevu Bella 

Tender neem leaves, neem flowers and jaggery are pounded together in a pestle and made into tiny balls which are swallowed as the first thing in the morning on the Ugadi day. 


This is to remind us that life has to be taken easy, though it is a mixture of sweet and bitter experiences. 


Neem cools down the system and helps in healing it. It also destroys worms.
Mangai Pachadi
INGREDIENTS:
Raw Mango – 1
Jaggery – 1 cup
Salt – ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
Cooking oil – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Red chillies – 2
Neem flowers ( dried or fresh ) – 1 tsp
METHOD:
1. Peel the mango and dice it into pieces. (Save the peel which can be used in chutneys or in mango rice).
2. Boil one cup of water in a pan and add the mango pieces.
3. Add salt and turmeric powder and cover with a lid.
4. Cook till the mango pieces are tender.
5. Add jaggery and cook till it becomes like jelly.
6. To seasons, heat oil and add mustard seeds.
7. When it splutters add the neem flowers.
8. Add the broken red chillies and add this seasoning to the Mangai Pachadi.

 
Savour the Pachadi which is sweet , sour, salty, spicy and bitter- all at the same time. It can be relished with rice, dosas and chapattis.

Comments

Unknown said…
Happy Ugadi! Manga pachadi is my fav....Neem jaggery looks gud!
jayasree said…
Happy Ugadi. Nice to see the traditional recipes of Ugadi.
dibbu, wish you a very happy ugadi. my blessings to your blog friends and all the best to them on ths auspicious day. manga pachidi is a dish which i like very much. already tasted it. appa
Raks said…
Happy Ugadi! We make this exactly on Tamil New Year day!
YOSEE said…
Hapy Ugadi ! Manga Pacchadi is the perfect "jam" that goes with anything.
FH said…
Happy Ugadi to you all. I have Bella but no Bevu! :D
Cham said…
Happy Ugadi :) Manga pachaddi is looking great
Lakshmi said…
Happy Ugadi to you and your family
Indian Khana said…
Happy Ugadi dear....pachadi looks nice
will try this recipe soon this week!! this is something similar to the chunda which gujjus make
Manju said…
Happy Ugadi to you too!