HAPPY UGADI/GUDI PADVA/CHETI CHAND

Hello Everyone, Wish you all a very Happy Ugadi/Gudi Padwa/Cheti Chand.May this NewYear make us all much better people than we were last year and make us more wiser and help us achieve good results in every good effort we make in our life.

We make this Ugadi Pachadi every year for Ugadi/Telugu NewYear as it symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise) , which should be accepted together and with equanimity.

I would like to share the recipe my family has been following for generations. This special mixture or Ugadi Pachadi consists of ------------

Neem Flowers , Raw Mango , Tamarind Juice , Jaggery and Ripe Banana.

Preparation :

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In India most of the household have a neem tree in their backyard.The fresh neem flowers are available to everyone for making the pachadi.In USA it's not available in most of the Indian grocery stores.Few years back my cousin got me some dried neem flower so I freeze it and use it on this special day.

Tiny particles in(brown color)the plate is dried neem.Take the raw mango wash and peel.Cut it into small pieces.Peel the banana and cut it into small pieces.

Take fresh tamarind, soak it in water and make thick juice of it.Take jaggery and grate it.

Now take a bowl and pour the tamarind juice into it.Add jaggery,mango pieces,banana pieces and neem flower and nicely mix them so that all the flavors bind in.

Yummy,Ugadi Pachadi is ready.My kids love to eat it.