Yugadi Feast

Yugadi or Ugadi, name it self depicts, is the beginning of the year or a New Year day. Yugada Aadi or the first day of the Year. Yugadi or Ugadi derived from the Sanskrit words "Yuga" (age) "aadi"the beginning of the new age. 
Yugadi /Ugadi  is celebrated as New Year. According to Hindu Calendar (Panchangam)  which follows lunar/solar.( The calendar is written on the movement of moon Chandramana) and the calendar which followed the movements of Sun (Sauramana).
It is believed that the creator of Brahma started the creation on this day. Chaitra Shudda Padhyami of the Yugadi/Ugadi Day. Great Indian Mathematician Bhaskaracharya also states the Yugadi day as the beginning of the New Year, New month and New Day. Yugadi day sun marks a beginning of new life with plants getting new life, shoots and leaves.
Yugadi is called in different names in different parts of India .The people of Karnataka and Andra Pradesh they call as Yugadi or Ugadi for this festival. Even in Maharastra they say Gudi Padwa in Marati and Marwari or Rajastanis celebrate the festival as Thapna. In Sindh (Sindhis) celebrate as Chetu Chand, Manipuris celebrate their New Year as "Sajibu nongma pamba". In Punjab they call it as "Baisakhi". They call Puthandu in Tamil and In West Bengal it is known as Pohela Boishakhi. In Southern Part of Karnataka and Kerala April 14 or 15, the New Year is celebrated as Saura Yugadi and Vishu. Yugadi festival is celebrated as New Year even in Mauritius and Hindus of Bali and Indonesia.
The day is celebrated with taking oil bath, wearing new dresses and special poojas , having Bevu -Bella as we call in Kannada (Neem flowers or its buds and Jaggery mix). Eating bevu bella symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experience (happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise) which should be accepted together with calm and self control mind.(equanimity). This special BEVU BELLA is called Yugadi Pachadi. Later people enjoy having feast food and visiting friends and going to temples.
These recipes are easy to prepare and light to have and one must remember that one should not overeat even on festival day. Have it as much as you want and enjoy. 
Lets see some of healthy and yummy recipes of Yugadi Festival.
1. Carrot- Cucumber Kosumbari.

Things needed :
Carrot : 1 (medium size)
Cucumber : 1 (small)
Coriander leaves : 1 Table spoon
Method :
Wash and grate carrot and cut cucumber into very small. Add cut coriander leaves and mix it well. (Adding salt is optional. I did not).
Note : You can add salt, moong dal or channa dal (soaked), green chilly, ingh and salt.  I wanted my kosumbari to be very light.

2. Tovve :
Wash and pressure cook toor dal and leave it for cooling. Keep a pan on the fire, add a tea spoon of oil, mustard seeds and jeera. Let the mustard spurt. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add cooked toor dal. (1/2 Cup will do), salt, cut green chilly, grated ginger and turmeric. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Put off the gas and shift  Toor dall Tovve to a serving dish.
Note : You can use moong dal instead of toor dal. It should be served in small quantity, since there will be many food items to eat on festival day.

3. Mango Gojju : (Menasukaai)

Things Needed :
Mango 1 small cup
Jaggery : 3 to 4 Table spoons
Ingh : a Pinch
Rasam Powder : 2 Tea spoon
Sesame Seeds : 2 Table spoons
Coconut : 2 to 3 Table spoons.
Salt : to taste
Mustard seeds :  1/2 Tea spoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Turmeric Powder  : a pinch
Method :
Wash and cut mango pieces. cook with 1/2 Cup water till soft. Add jaggery, turmeric powder and salt. Keep it aside. Dry roast sesame seeds till they turn slightly brown.  Grate coconut. Grind grated coconut, roasted sesame seeds and rasam powder. (Use little water). Remove from the mixi jar. Add this ground mixture to cooked mango. Add required water and mix it well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add mustard splutter to it and serve.

Note : Do not use lots of water while cooking mango. It should be thick. Add a spoon of coconut oil. It adds to the aroma and taste.

4. Coconut Rice

Things Needed :
Cooked Raw rice : 2 Cup
Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Red chilly : 2 to 3
Cashew Nuts : Handful ( As you wish)
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coconut (Fresh ) : 3 to 4 Table spoons
Salt : Required.
Mustard Seeds and Urid Dal : 1/2 Tea spoon each
Method :
Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add ghee, mustard seeds and urid dal. Add red chilly. Let the mustard splutter. Add cashew nuts. Let it change its colour. Add curry leaves. Add cooked Rice, salt and mix it nicely. Put off the gas. Add grated coconut and mix it well.
Shift to serving bowl.

5. Broken Wheat Kheer (Godhi Payasa) :

Things Needed :
Broken wheat : 1 Small cup
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup
Coconut : 1 cup
Fresh Milk : 1 Cup
Cardamom : 4 pods.
Clove : 2
Ghee : 1 Tea spoon
Cashew Nuts : 2 Table spoons  (cut in to small pieces)
Method :
Wash and cook broken wheat in a pressure cooker for 8 to 10 minutes. Grate coconut and grind with little water. Squeeze out the milk from it. ( 1 st time ). Keep this milk aside and grind the same ground coconut again with little more water and squeeze out the coconut milk (2 nd time it is thinner) and keep this separately. Keep a pan or the bowl on the fire. Put ghee and cooked broken wheat. Add jaggery and let it melt and mix it well. Add the thin coconut milk (2 nd time) and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes Stir in between so that it  does not get burnt at the bottom. Now add the thick coconut milk and let just get mixed with boiled kheer.  Do not allow it to boil. Put off the gas. Add powdered cardamom and clove. Shift it to the Serving bowl. Add fresh milk just before serving.

Note : The broken wheat should be cooked well. Do not boil the payasam after adding the thick coconut milk. It just has to get it mixed with the Payasam. Adding more or less jaggery is optional. You must stir in between while the payasa boiling since it gets burnt very quickly.

 6. Dates Holige (Dates Pooran Poli).

Things Needed :
Dates : 1 Big Bowl.
Poppy Seeds : 2 Table spoons
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon
Wheat flour : 1 Cup
Chiroti Rava : ( small size Semolina)
Oil : 1/2 Cup
Salt : a pinch
Turmeric Powder : a little
Method :
Dee seed dates and keep it aside. Mix Chiroti Rava and wheat flour with required water and prepare soft dough. (Phulka dough consistency).  Add 2 table spoons of oil on the prepared dough and let the dough rest for 4 to 5 hours. Now keep a pan and roast poppy seeds on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Put off the gas and add dee seeded dates. Leave it for cooling. Dry grind this dates, 1 table spoon of jaggery, poppy seeds (gasagase) and 2 to 3 cardamom pods. (Remove the outer skin). Let it be completely powdered.  Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a bowl. Mix it well and divide the mixture in to small portion. Prepare them as ball shape. Keep it aside. Take the choroti rava dough which is kept for resting and divide them as small portion.
Take a small portion of the dough and spread on your palm and keep a date mixture and cover the dough completely. Let it be like a ball. Dip it in the dry wheat flour and roll it with roller. Keep a pan on the fire and put the rolled holige and cook on both side. Add little oil on the top of holige before you cook the other side. Remove from the pan and arrange it on a tray. Repeat the same and complete the rest of holiges.

Note : Ground dates, jaggery and poppy seeds mixture may turn bit hard. (do not use any water or milk to soften). Just press it a bit while rolling. Do not add more oil. You can use little oil while you cook holige. I have prepared small size of holige and we can have if we want one more. After having festival food you normally feel full and it is because of over eating also. So take care and enjoy your Festival Meal.
We can prepare date mixture and roasting sesame seeds and dry grind this masala earlier and get ready for the festival.

Bottle Gourd - Tomato Juice

Ready to Serve Bottle Gourd - Tomato Juice

Bottle Gourd - Tomato Juice helps to keep your body cool. Summer has started the sun rays are strong. You need to beat the heat. It is always better you drink lots of juice and water. You can prepare varieties of juices at home. Home made juice is always good for health. I have tried this bottle gourd - tomato juice and its taste delicious. Try it out and you will really love the taste. It is not only taste, one has to take care of the health also.
These tomatoes are from our garden (pots).
Lets see the benefits of using bottle gourd and tomatoes in our diet. 
Bottle gourd helps to reduce blood pressure and supports the urinary system of our body. It also helps to reduce the chances of urinary infection. It contain vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, Vitamin A and C. Bottle gourd helps control the thirst in diabetic patients. They are rich in fiber and helps the digestive system and good for people who suffer from constipation. They also helps in reducing the liver inflammation.
Tomatoes are filled with nutrients and antioxidants. They contain Vitamin A and it helps to improve our eyesight and prevent night blindness. It helps to lower the risk of cancer. Tomatoes contain Vitamin C, A, K  potassium and iron. They are essential for maintaining normal blood health. Vitamin K controls bleeding and blood clotting. Tomatoes help in blood circulation. They are good for digestion and prevents constipation and diarrhoea. It also prevents jaundice and removes toxins from the body.
Bottle Gourd - Tomato Juice is easy to prepare and we can have them any time of the day.

Things Needed :

Bottle Gourd : 1 Small cup
Tomatoes : 4 to 5
Jaggery : 2  Table spoons
Salt : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer skin of bottle gourd and cut it in to small and keep it aside.
2. Wash and dee seed tomatoes and cut in to small and keep it aside.

3. Now grind tomatoes and bottle gourd with half glass of water nicely. Add salt and jaggery. Grind till the jaggery mixes well.

4. Remove the ground liquid from the mixi jar and put it in a bowl.

5. Add 2 more glasses of water sieve the juice and put it in a glass and serve.

Note :

You can add more jaggery if you like sweet taste. You can also add honey instead of jaggery. Adding salt is also optional. You can add ice cubes to make the juice chill. (optional). Do not throw the skin of bottle gourd. You can prepare chutney by using this. Remember to wash the whole bottle gourd nicely, before cutting it.
Serves : 2 to 3
Time : 10 minutes.