Medhu Vadai

Happy Ugadi !!!!
I know it is celebrated as Telugu New year, but I have no idea on other details. Being Married in an Telugu family, U need to know these tradistional festivals. I was just Googling for details and to know whereabouts of Ugadi...


Ugadi is the festival of the first day of the new religious year according to the Hindu Chandramana (Lunar) calendar. In the Telegu and Karnataka communities, Ugadi is celebrated on the first day of month of Chaitra (March-April). The origin of the name Ugadi has been derived from the Sanskrit words “Yuga Adi” (yuga + adi meaning "beginning of a new age"). It is believed that Brahma started creation on this day, the Chaitra suddha padhyami or the Ugadi day. Symbolically, Ugadi signifies a giving of thanks for bounteous crops and the beginning of a new era. It marks the onset of spring, of new life, and new possibilities.

Ugadi is celebrated with great festivity by many communities. It is considered to be one of the most auspicious times for Hindus to start new ventures. On Ugadi, families wear new clothes signifying a new beginning and taste a dish made out of sweet and sour (bitter) ingredients signifying that life in the New Year will have a mixture of good and hard times. People worship the Lord, asking for his blessings for the New Year. They pray for their health, wealth and prosperity and success in business. (Source)

Ugadi special foods are Holige (Poli, obbatu), Kosumbari, Payasam (Kheer), Shrikhand, Gaarelu, Uddina Vade ( Vada/Vadai) . The must have is Ugadi pachadi which is made of neem leaves and jaggery. It symbolically represent that sweet and sourness are essential part of life!!! I decided to make methu vada with available ingredients....


Ingredients:

2 cups whole Urad dhal
1 small onion(optional)
2 tbsp ground pepper
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

Preparation:

Soak Urad dal overnight or minimum 6 hours. Add the soaked urad dal to the grinder. Don't add water. Let the grinder run for few minutes. sprinkle water and let it run for few minutes. Repeat the process until the urad dhal is ground to fine paste. Don't add more water, It makes it very difficult get puffy vadas. Remove the dough. Add salt and coarsely ground pepper.

Heat oil for deep frying. Take a Zip lock and grease it with oil. Make ball out of the dough and spread in the zip lock. Use little bit of water to flatten them. Make a hole in the center. Carefully drop it from the zip lock into the oil . Cook till golden brown. Remove from heat and strain any extra oil with paper towel. Serve hot with coconut chutney or puthina chutney..