Usher in Ugadi

Rama Gokul gives the traditional Ugadi fare a twist

Crunchy obbattu

Ingredients

For the filling

Copra gratings: 1 cup (powdered)
Almond-cashew powder: 3 tbsp (coarsely powdered)
Jaggery powder: 4 tbsp
Crushed pheda: ½ cup
Toasted poppy seeds: 2 tsp
Cardamom powder: ½ tsp

For the casing/dough: Fine sooji: 1 cup; Maida: ¼ cup; Salt, turmeric: a pinch each; Ghee: 2 tbsp

Method: Make a soft dough with the mentioned ingredients; knead well and allow to soak for 2-3 hours. Mix all the filling ingredients and divide into 8 equal portions. Knead the dough again well and make into 8 equal-sized balls.
Roll out each into a 5” dia round, place a portion of the filling in the centre and khova all around, so as to encase it.

Now roll into 1/8” thick rounds and bake on a hot tava, on both the sides, on medium heat, till light brown and crisp. Store when cool in an airtight box. A little ghee can be applied before serving. Serves four and remains good for 5/6 days.

Note: Holige, in a variation filling of cooked gram dal, jaggery and coconut is soft and pliable like rotis.

Mango rice

Ingredients

Cooked rice: 4 cups

Grated mango: 2 tbsp

Grated copra: 1 tbsp

Grated carrot: 3 tbsp

Cashew powder-coarse: 2 tbsp

Sugar: ¼ tsp

Grind the above to a coarse paste.

Coconut gratings: 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds: ½ tsp

Red chilli: 2/3 pieces

Turmeric, asafoetida: a pinch each

Seasoning

Oil: 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds: ½ tsp

Red chilli: 2/3 pieces

Groundnuts: 2 tbsp

Urad, gram dal: 2 tsp each

Asafoetida: a pinch

Curry leaves: a few

Method: Prepare rice in such a way that the grains are soft, but separate. Spread on a plate, add salt, sugar, copra, mango, carrot gratings, and cashew powder and then grind to a paste. Season with the mentioned ingredients and pour over the rice mix, and mix them thoroughly. Serves four.

Note: This can be served along with a cup of thick curds to complete the menu. Dal payasam

Ingredients

Gram dal: 2 tbsp

Green gram dal: ½ cup

Jaggery powder: ¾ cup

Cashew bits: a few

Raisins: a few
Nutmeg powder: ½ tsp

Milk: 1 cup

Ghee: 1 tbsp

Grind the above to a coarse paste

Coconut gratings: 2 tbsp

Cashew bite: 1 tbsp

Poppy/ khus khus seeds: 2 tsp

Method: Cook the two dals together with 2½ cups of water in a pressure cooker till soft, add jaggery powder and the ground paste and raisins. Then cook for two minutes till it blends well. Stir hot milk and remove from fire. Heat ghee, fry the cashews till light brown and pour over the mixture. Add nutmeg powder and mix well. Serves four.