Yugadi/Ugadi Festival Feast.

Happy Yugadi/Ugadi To All ...   "Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu...Samasta Sanmangalani Bhavanthu ". 
Festivals bring us joy and happiness in our life. It is also the best time we spend with our near and dear ones. Exchanging wishes and sweets are the sweet moments in every one's life. Time to have Lunch or Dinner with our family/friends. A sweet and lovely moments spent with our people is always cherished in life.

I have written the importance of Yugadi Festival in my previous post. Celebrating New Year beginning with Pooja and Elders Ashirwada (blessings) is a good beginning too. Houses will be decorated with fresh Mango, Neem leaves and fresh flowers. Rangolis are spread in bigger way, taking oil bath in the morning and wearing new dress. Having festival/feast food with all the family members. Wow these things really freshen up and takes back to our childhood days.
Yugadi is here and it is the first day of our New Year according to Hindu Panchangam. " Happy
New Year - Happy Yugadi/Ugadi/Gudi Padva ". Lets all pray for Every one's good health. Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu , Sarva Sanmangalni Bhavantu".
The feast dishes are normally according to the one's traditions and customs. The family has continued its elders footstep and followed how they have celebrated.
Let us know how do they celebrate Yugadi in Raychoor District. (in Karntaka State).
I usually go for a short walk in the evening. I met a lady called Kusuma (while walking), who hails from Soraba (Near Sagar), We started talking about the Yugadi Celebration and naturally it turned to the dishes that we prepare. Bevu bella and the way it is prepared etc etc. I always listen to people when they talk. She started telling about how do they take Bevu bella. It is something interesting In their house (Husband is from Raichoor district) They call it as Shavige sosodu. (Drain the shavige after cooking). Let me tell the whole procedure. They cook shavige (payasam shavige is used here) with more water. Once the shavige/vermicelli  is cooked the extra water is to be drained out. They add some amount of jaggary to shavige and cook till it turns thick.  Add required water if it requires. Mix it nicely and let it boil for a while. At first they serve cooked shavige jaggery mixture and serve bevu bella mixture separately. Then it is mixed together and eaten. Interesting to note right? One more thing to note is that they use only neem flowers. (No neem leaves are added). That's the way of celebrating Yugadi. It sounded interesting to me.
Each place has its own importance in celebrating and keeping up the traditions and customs.
We pray God and Wish Each one Happy Yugadi/Ugadi. Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavanthu.
The food we eat should be light and not with much hard work put up while cooking. One gets tired and lose the interest in the rest of the day. My advice is Cook simple and easy dishes and relax and enjoy. You can prepare the sweet dish on previous day, (except payasa)  if you are not keeping it for Neivedyam for God.
Lets see the festival dishes Now.
1. Carrot Capsicum Pachdi or Raitha
2. Sweet Potato-Capsicum Fry
3. Colour Cucumber/Mangalore Cucumber Bolu Huli/Dal
4. Avalakki/Flattened Rice Chitranna
5. Jack Fruit Payasa/Kheer
6. Seven Cups Burfi
7. Brinjal Bajji /Pakoda

1. Carrot Capsicum Pachdi or Raitha:

Things Needed :
Carrots : 2
Capsicum : 1
Green chilly : 1
Curry Leaves : 3 to 4
Coriander Leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Curd : 1 Small cup
Salt : To taste
Mustard Seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon,
Jeera/1/2 Teaspoon
 ingh: a pinch,
Curry leaves : 3 to 4
Oil : 1/2 Teaspoon
Method : 
Wash and cut capsicum and grate carrots and keep it aside. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Put mustard seeds. let it splutter. Add cut green chilly, jeera and c4 urry leaves. Add ingh. Mix it well and add grated carrots and cut capsicum. Mix it nicely and let it cook on low flame till soft.( 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt. Put off the fire. Let it cool. Add required curd and cut coriander leaves. Mix it well just before serving.

2. Sweet Potato -Capsicum Fry

Things Needed :
Sweet Potatoes : 2 to 3
Capsicum : 1
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Dry ginger powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder/Rasam Powder : 2 Teaspoons
Jeera Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : To taste
Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Ingh/Asafoetida : a pinch
Method :
Wash and remove the outer layer (optional) and cut sweet potatoes and capsicum in to thin pieces. Keep a pan on the fire and add oil. Let it be hot. Add mustard seeds, methi seeds. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add ingh, jeera and curry leaves and leave it for 30 seconds. Add cut capsicum and fry nicely for a minute. Add cut sweet potatoes and mix it nicely. Let it cook on low flame. It takes about 4 to 5 minutes to soften. Sprinkle water on the top. It helps to cook sweet potatoes fast. Add salt, chilly powder, jeera powder and turmeric powder. Mix it slowly and nicely. Let it cook on low flame for 1 minute. Mix nicely and remove it from the pan to a serving dish. Add cut coriander leaves and mix it nicely just before serving.

3. Mangalore Curcumber/Colour Cucumber Bolu Huli (No coconut or no powdered masala.

Things Needed :
Cucumber :1/2
Toor /Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Coriander Leaves : 1 handful
Tamarind Pulp ; 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : Required salt
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut Oil (optional) : 1Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : a Pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Method : 
Wash and remove the outer skin of cucumber and cut  into small pieces. Cook with little water till they turn soft. Wash and pressure cook toor/moong dal and leave it for cooling.
Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp.
Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put coconut oil and heat. Add mustard seeds, let it splutter. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add cut green chilly. Fry for 10 seconds and add cooked dal, cucumber pieces and tamarind pulp. Add a pinch of turmeric, required salt and jaggery. Mix it well and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt. Shift the curry to a serving bowl and add coriander leaves.

4. Avalakki/Flattened Chitranna (instead of rice you can prepare Avalakki Chitranna)

Things needed :
Avalakki : 2 Cups (Thick variety)
Mango gratings : 2 Tablespoons. (I have used Totapuri Mango)
Green chilly : 2
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Oil/Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 8 to 10 Leaves
Method :
Wash and soak avalakki for 5 Minutes. (Or remove all the water and keep it). Grate mango and coconut. Wash and cut green chilly. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add mustard seeds and urid dal. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add cut green chilly and curry leaves. Fry for a second. Add grated mango and fry for 10 seconds. Add Avalakki, jaggery, salt and turmeric. Mix it nicely and slowly. Let all the moisture disappear. Mix it well and put off the fire. Add a spoon of ghee and grated coconut. Avalakki Chitranna is ready to serve.

5. Jack fruit Payasa /Kheer. (Jack fruits are available in the market. It is nice to make Jack fruit Payasa).

Things Needed :
Jackfruits : 8 to 10
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Cardamom Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Fresh Coconut : 1 Cup
Cashew Nuts : 5 to 6
Method : 
Cut Jack fruits into small and cook with little water and jaggery. Powder cardamom. Grate coconut and grind it nicely till paste. Add ground coconut to cooked jack fruit jaggery conten. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Put off the fire and add ghee fried cashews and cardamom powder. Mix it well and serve.
Adjust jaggery according to your taste. You can also use coconut milk instead of ground coconut.

6. Seven Cups Burfi : (This burfi can be prepared previous day to save your time and energy).

Things Needed :
Channa flour/Besan/Kadale Hittu : 1 Cup
Oil : 1 Cup
Ghee : 1/2 Cup
Sugar : 2 1/2 Cups
Coconut : 1 Cup
Milk : 1 Cup
Cardamom Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Method :
Keep a big pan on the fire. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee. Heat and let it melt. Add channa flour and fry nicely till the raw smell disappear. Put off the fire. Add milk, sugar, oil and grated coconut. Mix it well. See that it is clear and well mixed. Put on the fire and stir continuously til it starts leaving the pan. Add little by little ghee in between. Once the content starts leaving the pan remove the mixture and shift it to ghee applied tray or plate. Let it cool a bit. Cut it according to your wish. It stays for more than a week.
Note : Do it on low flame and it is easy to prepare. Using ghee/oil is optional. Adding more ghee adds taste to the burfi. Adding coconut is also optional. I have used dry coconut/Copra.

20 to 25 Burfi pieces can be made. (depend on the size).

7. Brinjal Pakoda/Bajji (If you like fried dish in your festival lunch you can give a try)

Things Needed :
Brinjal : 1
Besan /Channa flour : 1/2 Cup
Salt : As required
Red chilly powder : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoonl
Ingh/ Asafoetida : a pinch
Oil : 1 Cup
Method :
Mix besan, chilly powder, jeera, salt, ingh in a big bowl. Add required water and prepare dough. (idli dough consistency). Wash and cut brinjal/egg plant in circle shape. (Better to use round brinjal). Wash it again. Keep a frying pan on the fire. Add oil and heat. Dip cut brinjal in besan dough and fry them one by one. Fry both sides on medium flame. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
Note : The dough should not be too thick or thin. If it is thin it absorbs more oil. It the dough is too thick bajji/fritter might turn hard. So take care of the dough while using water. You can add little rice flour to get the crispness. Cooking soda/Baking powder is not required.

All the dishes can be served for 4 to 5 people.

Capsicum-Goose Berry Chitranna

Capsicum Contain vitamin A, which is good for eyes and helps to prevent eye diseases. Eating capsicum helps in keeping the skin clear and prevents rashes and pimples.  Eating capsicum speeds up the metabolism and helps to burn more calories. Capsicum prevents indigestion, works as a cardiovascular stimulant, regulates the blood pressure and lowers cholesterol. Capsicum helps to prevent the blood clotting. Capsicum believed to prevent cancer and it is an antioxidant property.
Goose berry has many good qualities like, drinking goose berry juice is good for improving eye sight, It is also a good hair tonic, it helps to reduce the blood sugar in diabetic patients and keep their body balanced and healthy. They are rich in antioxidants , improve gastrointestinal health and lower the blood cholesterol and has lots of cosmetic benifits.
I have used capsicum and gooseberry to prepare Chitranna and it is a rice item. Chitranna is normally served in the beginning of the feast or festival. We can have this Capsicum- goose berry chitranna for breakfast, lunch, or as evening snack and even dinner too. This Chitranna will be liked by all age group I am sure.

Things needed :

 Capsicum : 2 to 3
Gooseberry : 5 to 6
Cooked rice : 2 cups
Green chilly : 3 to 4
Curry leaves : 2 Table spoons ( about 10 leaves )
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Urd dal : 1 Tea spoon
Salt : to taste
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon (grated)
Coconut : 1 Cup
Lemon : 1/2 rind

Method :
1. Wash and cook rice and keep it aside to cool.
2. Cut capsicums , green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Grate goose berry, coconut and ginger and keep it aside.
3. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and mustard seeds and urd dal. Let the mustard seeds spurt. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly.
Fry them nicely.
4. Add capsicum and fry till they are soft. Add grated ginger.
5. Add cooked and cooled rice and mix it nicely. Add turmeric and salt. Mix the mixture nicely but slowly. Add ghee to chitranna.
6. Add coconut and lemon juice and mix it again. Now add coriander leaves and grated goose berry and mix it nicely.
7. Put the ready chitranna in a big serving bowl.
8. Serve Hot Nellikai - Capsicum with a cup of curd.

Note : Do not over cook rice. You can also use cashew nuts or ground nuts. Add them when the mustard spurt and fry them. You can also add onions to chitranna. ( fry them separately and then add it) but the taste differ. Do not cook gooseberry using raw is well benifited than cooking them.
Serves :4 to 5
Time : 20 Minutes. ( with already cooked rice).

Avalakki Chitranna (Beaten Rice - Oggarane)

Beaten rice or flatten rice is known as Awalakki in Kannada. Awal in Tamil and Poha in Hindi.
I have prepared simple Awalakki Chitranna/Huli Awalakki as it is famous as.

I have used thick variety of awalakki, rasam powder, ground nuts and other simple spices.
Awalakki is also used during fasting and we can prepare many items, like Awalakki uppittu, gojjavalakki, avaalakki payasa, avalakki bisi bele bath, awalakki chitranna in many varieties. I have done Awalakki Chitranna in simple way and it easy to prepare and will be definitely loved by all. We can have this Chitranna for break fast, lunch or as evening snack and also can be prepared for dinner. Its healthy and tasty.
Things Needed: 
To Cook :
Awalakki ( Beaten Rice) : 2 Cups. (Thick Awalakki should be used)
To add :
Lemon Juice or Tamarind Pulp: 1 Tablespoon
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoon
Rasam Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Salt: to taste.
Coriander leaves: 2 Tablespoons
To Powder :
Sesame seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Coconut: 1/2 Cup
Turmeric powder: a little
To Season :
Mustard seeds: 1 Teaspoon.
Urd dal : 1 Teapoon
Oil: 2 Tablespoon
Ghee: 1 Tablespoon
Curry leaves: 10 to 15
Green chilly: 2
Ground Nuts: 2 Tablespoons.
Water:1/2 Cup

Method: 
1. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Squeeze out the juice from the lemon and keep it aside.
2. Roast Sesame seeds for 1 minute and powder when it is cool.
3. Wash Awalakki nicely and put it in a big bowl.
4. Add lemon juice or tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, rasam powder, jaggery and salt to the Awalakki. Add 1/2 cup of water and keep it for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and add mustard seeds, urd dal. Let the mustard splutter. Add curry leaves, cut green chilly and ground nut. Fry ground nuts till brown.
6. Add soaked Awalakki mixture to the pan. Mix it thoroughly (Do this slowly) on the low flame. Add water if still required. Let all the moisture disappear. Add roasted powder sesame and rasam powder. Add coconut and mix it nicely again. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Remove the cooked Awalakki and put it in a serving bowl. Add 2 spoons of fresh ghee and cut coriander leaves.
8. Mix it again and serve hot Awalakki Chitranna with a cup of curd.

Note: You can use lemon pulp or tamarind pulp, any of  one of them. Soak tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes and squeeze out tamarind to get the pulp. This way you can get good and quick pulp. Using ground nuts is an optional. Instead you can use cashew nuts. You can also use more jaggery if you like sweet taste or you can use it very less.
Serves: 3 to 4
Time: 30 minutes.

Capsicum Chitranna

Chithrana or Lemon Rice is a rice dish, Here in Karnataka it is very famous and people love to have them even for breakfast. 
I have just added capsicum and tried this chitranna. It taste nice and capsicum aroma adds to the taste.

In South India, Rice dishes are very famous and common. May be because Rice is grown here. People have rice dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner also. Previous day's left over rice is used as Chitranna (Lemon Rice) for breakfast some time. In festive and festival days fresh rice is cooked and prepared as some type of rice dish. Like Bisibele bath, (Dals, vegetables and rice is cooked with some spice), Vanghibath. (using vegetables especially brinjals dry curry is cooked and mixed with rice), or Rice vegetable Palav, ( Though Palav has come from North India, people especially children love to have Vegetable Rice) and many more rice dishes are prepared.
Rice provide carbohydrates and gives energy. These rice dishes are also used as lunch and packed for offices as lunch box.
Let us see This Special " Capsicum Chitranna" recipe. It is an easy and quick dish. No Onion or No Garlic used in this Rice Dish.
Prepare the rice and let it cool. Then prepare " Capsicum Rice".

Lets see the recipe Now :
Things Needed:
Cooked Rice : 1 Cup
Capsicum : 2
Green chilly : 2
Lemon : 1/2 ( 1 Teaspoon)
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander Leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Ginger : A small piece
Salt : As Required
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon

Method :
1. Wash and cook rice and let it cool.
2. Wash and cut capsicum into thin pieces, slit green chilly and grate ginger and keep it aside.

3. Grate/dry grind coconut and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and urid dal.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add slit green chilly and curry leaves.
6. Add cut capsicum and fry nicely till soft.

7. Add cooked and cooled rice. Add turmeric powder, grated ginger and salt. Mix it nicely.

8. Add grated coconut and lemon juice. Mix it nicely and put off the fire. Add ghee and mix it well.

9. Shift the ready chitranna to a serving bowl and serve.

10. Serve with papad and a cup of curd/yogurt.

Note :
Fry capsicum nicely so that the rice mixes well with rice. Adding onions to chitranna is optional. Adding grated carrots to chintanna is optional. Adding ghee is optional. You can use little more oil instead. Adding more chilly is optional.
Time : 20 Minutes + Rice cooking : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.
Measurement of water and Rice ratio:
Sona Masoori Raw Rice : 1 Cup : 2 1/2 of- to 3 cups of water.
Basumati Rice : 1 Cup Rice : 2 Cups of water.