Saura Yugadi/Vishu/Tamil New Year Day Feast

       Happy Saura Yugadi/Vishu/Tamil New Year Day to One and All. God Bless All.

Saura Yugadi is a New Year for Hindus, who follow Panchangam (Calendar),  which is created according to Solar calendar. Some part of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu (New Year ) and Kerala (Vishu ) celebrate Soura  Yugadi festival.  Normally Soura Yugadi falls on April 14 or 15th. That day will be Sankramana or Sankranti Day. (Each month Sankranthi falls on 14/15).

   In Karnataka This festival is celebrated by keeping the " Kani " in the pooja room.

In Karnataka This festival is celebrated by keeping the " Kani " in the pooja room. Kani will be arranged in a big tray or big plate by placing a Coconut, Cucumber, Fruits and Flowers. The small mirror in the front of coconut and the God's photo or statue is kept. New year panchangam/calender is also placed in the tray. This Kani should be seen first in the mirror when you get up in the Yugadi day. Then follows the oil bath and pooja. Keeping the Kani might be because to "Samarpan" (Thanking him for his generous kindness on growing the necessary things),  the things which we got in the Nature. Festival dishes are cooked and eaten with family together.
Panchangam is read after the lunch feast to know about the future happenings of the whole year. (Rains, crops etc etc).
The feast food is some payasam (mostly channa dal and cashew kheer), Tondekai /Ivy gourd/Tindora palya with raw cashew, rice, rasam and curry. Cashews are just grown and ready to crop during this time. Even the cucumber is also ready to cut. Making use of the crops which we got from the nature.We should be Thankful to God the Creator.
I have prepared my own recipes which are easy and simple and healthy.
Lets see the recipe now:
1. Southekai (Cucumber) Peel + Doddipatre Chutney
2. Tondekai (Ivy Gourd) Palya (Dry Curry)
3. Southekai Sasive (Cucumber & Mustard curry)
4. Seeme Badane & Sweet Potato Jeera Curry.
5. Channa Dal Kheer
6. Channa Dal Holige (This can be prepared on the previous Day )
7. Soft Mysore Pak
Lets see the recipe one by one

1. Southekai (Cucumber) Peel + Doddapatre Chutney.

Things Needed :
Southekai (Mangalore Southekai) Peel : 1 Cup
Dodda Patre leaves : 6 to 8
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Tamarind : a small marble size
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Urid dal : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : to taste
Mustard, ingh, curry leaves seasoning : 1 Teaspoon
Oil : 2 Teaspoons

Method :
Keep a pan on the fire, heat and put a spoon of oil. Add a tablespoon of urid dal and fry. Add red chilly little ingh and curry leaves. Let the urid dal turn slightly golden brown. Add cucumber peel and doddapatre leaves and fry till they turn soft. Put off the fire and add coconut. Let it be cool.
Now grind this fried ingredients with little water till paste. (or your desired consistency). Add salt and grind for 10 seconds. Put this ground chutney to a serving dish and add mustard seasoning and serve. (As one of the side dish).

2. Tondekai Palya(Ivy gourd dry curry)

Things Needed : 
Tondekai (Ivy gourd) : 1/4 Kg
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Rasam Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 1
Salt : as required
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 4 to 5
Coriander Leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Tamarind pulp or lemon extract : 1 Teaspoon

Method : 
Wash and cut ivy gourd, green chilly and coriander leaves. Grate coconut and dry grind it with green chilly..
Keep a pan on the fire and add oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add curry leaves and cut tondekai pieces. Mix it nicely and add required water. (1/2 cup). Let it turn soft. Add little turmeric powder, rasam powder and tamarind pulp. Add salt. Mix it nicely. Let all the moisture disappear. Now add dry ground coconut and mix it nicely. Put this ready tondekai palya in a serving dish and add cut coriander leaves. Palya is ready to serve.

3. SoutheKai (Mangalore cucumber) Sasive 

This is one of the side dish and served in the beginning of the lunch.
Things Needed :
SoutheKai  : 1 Cup
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Ingh : a pinch
Curd/Yogurt : 1 Cup
Salt : Required
Jeera Seasoning :  Oil : 1/2 Teaspoon, Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon, Curry leaves : 5 to 6 , Ingh : a pinch

Method :
Wash and cut cucumber (with its skin) into small pieces. Grate or cut coconut. Now grind green chilly, cut cucumber pieces, coconut, mustard seeds and little ingh. Grind it to paste consistency and remove from the mixi jar. Put it in a bowl. Add curd and required salt. Shift it to the serving bowl.
Add jeera seasoning and serve.

4. Seeme badane kai (Chayote Squash) & Sweet Potato Curry

Things Needed :
Moong Dal : 1/4 Cup
Seeme badane Kai : 2
Sweet potato : 1
Coconut : 1 Cup
Jeera : 1 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2
Ingh : a little
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Salt : as required
Mustard seasoning : Oil :1 Teaspoon, Mustard season : 1/2 Teaspoon, Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 leaves, ingh a pinch

Method : 
Wash and remove the outer skin of seeme badane kai, sweet potatoes.
Wash and cook moong dal in a pressure cooker. Cook seeme badane kai pieces and sweet potatoes.
Grate and grind coconut with green chilly and jeera with little water.
Keep a big pan on the fire. Add cooked vegetables and moong dal. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Add ground coconut jeera mixture to the curry. Add water if required. Mix it well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift this curry to a serving bowl and add mustard seasoning and serve.

5. Channa dal Kheer (Payasa)

Things Needed :
Channa dal : 1/2 Cup
Coconut : 1 Cup
Cardamom : 4 to 5 pods
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Thick Avalakki : 1/2 Cup
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Method : 
Wash and pressure cook channa dal (8 to 10 minutes). Wash avalakki and keep it aside.
Grate coconut and grind it nicely with cardamom. ( You can add a spoon of raw rice while grinding).
Keep a big pan on the fire and put cooked channa dal, jaggery and avalakki. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Add ground coconut and cardamom mixture and cook for another 2 minutes and put it in a serving dish.

6. Channa Dal Holige :

CHANNA - TOOR -COCONUT -HOLIGE

7. Soft Mysore Pak (It can be prepared on previous day)

Things Needed :
Channa flour/Besan/Kadale Hittu : 1 Cup
Sugar : 2 Cups (or little less)
Ghee : 2 Cups
Cardamom : 5 to 6 Pods

Method :
Melt the ghee into complete liquid form. Apply ghee to a tray or plate. Powder cardamom.
Dry roast or fry channa dal till the raw smell disappear. Powder it nicely by hand once it is cooled.
Keep a pan on the fire and put sugar and add 1/2 cup of water. Mix it nicely and stir till it dissolve nicely. Keep stirring. Sugar content starts bubble. Let it bubble for 1 to 2 minute.
Add roasted channa flour and mix it nicely. Add a little ghee and keep stirring. Add ghee in between little by little. Stir continuously till the content starts changing its colour and starts coming up.
It starts leaving the edges. Stir for  another 2 to 3 minutes. Add powdered cardamom and stir again and pour this content to a ghee applied plate. Cut according to your desired shape once it is slightly cool.
Happy Soura Yugadi to Each and Every One.