Find a curated collection of 50 popular recipes that you can make for Ugadi festival. Ugadi is one of the most important festival celebrated in the Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This year Ugadi is on 13 April 2021.
Table of Contents
What is Ugadi Festival
Ugadi is celebrated as a new year by the people of the Telugu and Kannada communities in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. In Maharashtra, this new year festival is known as Gudi Padwa.
One of the most important dish that is made during Ugadi is Ugadi Pachadi. Ugadi pachadi signifies all the six tastes – sweet, salty, spicy, sour, astringent and bitter.
The six ingredients included in making Ugadi pachadi have these one taste in each one of them. These six tastes correspond to the six emotions of life which everyone goes through – joy, sadness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise.
In Karnataka, a mixture of neem leaves and jaggery is consumed. This is known as bevu bella, where ‘bevu’ means neem flowers and ‘bella’ means jaggery in kannada language.
Apart from Ugadi pachadi other sweets and snacks are also made. Here in this collection I have shared recipes that you can make for Ugadi festival. I have divided the collection list into the popular ugadi recipes, sweets that you can make for ugadi festival and lunch and dinner ideas.
Wishing all who celebrate a Happy Ugadi.
Note that some recipes may have onions and garlic. Omit adding onions and garlic if you make a satvik meal or if you plan to offer the food to the deities.
50 Ugadi Recipes
Essential and Popular
Find below some of the essential and popular recipes for this festival. This section includes sweets, savories as well as rice based dishes.
Ugadi Pachadi Recipe
Ugadi pachadi is one of the most important dish that is made during Ugadi festival. It is a festive food drink containing six ingredients having the six tastes. Ugadi pachadi comprises of six tastes that correspond with the six emotions of life.
Poornam Boorelu Recipe
Poornam boorelu – deep fried snack made with a stuffing of chana dal+jaggery and coated with rice+urad dal batter.
Lemon Rice Recipe | Chitranna Recipe
Lemon Rice also known as Chitranna or Nimmakaya Pulihora is a crunchy, flavorful and tangy rice dish that is easy to make and tastes so good. Fresh lemon juice, fried nuts, fragrant herbs and spices combine perfectly to give this steamed rice an amazing spicy, tangy and nutty flavor.
Curd Rice
Curd rice or thayir sadam is a popular South Indian rice variety that is served with a South Indian meal or South Indian thali. This curd rice recipe is my go to method and one I often make as it is a favorite with my family. Vegan yogurt made from cashew milk, almond milk or coconut milk can be used instead of dairy curd.
Sweet Pongal | Sakkarai Pongal
Sweet Pongal or sakkarai pongal is a creamy, sweet festive dish made with rice, mung lentils, jaggery and flavored with cardamoms, dry fruits and ghee.
Paal Payasam | Rice Payasam
Paal Payasam is a simple South Indian variant of a slow cooked rice pudding made with only 4 ingredients. This recipe is of a typical Tamil style Rice Payasam that is creamy and delicious.
Tamarind Rice
Puliyodharai is a popular South Indian recipe of sour and spiced rice.
Kesari Recipe
Rava kesari is a delicious melt in the mouth sweet made with rava or suji (semolina), ghee, dry fruits and saffron. It is a popular South Indian sweet and can be easily made in less time.
Medu Vada Recipe | Sambar Vada (Uzhunnu Vada)
Medu vada are crisp and fried doughnut shaped fritters made with black gram (urad dal), herbs and spices. These urad dal vada are also known as Garelu in Andhra, Uzhunnu Vada in Kerala, Uddina Vada in Kannada and Medhu Vadai, Ulundu Vadai in Tamil.
kesari bath
Rava kesari bath recipe – rich Karnataka style sweet made with rava (cream of wheat), sugar, dry fruits and ghee
Some More Sweets
We all love to have sweets during festivals. Right? There are so many sweets that you can make for the ugadi festival.
I have compiled below some more South Indian sweets recipes. While some are a breeze to make, some take more time and are not so easy.
Depending on your schedule and ingredient availability, choose any recipe that is the perfect fit for you.
Semiya Payasam Recipe
Semiya payasam is a creamy, sweet vermicelli pudding from the South Indian cuisine. This cardamom scented vermicelli payasam recipe comes together in 20 minutes and can be made by beginners too.
Coconut Ladoo | Nariyal ke Laddu (3 Variations)
Make coconut ladoo with three recipes. The first one is a quick 3 ingredient recipe made with fresh coconut, milkmaid and cardamom powder. The second recipe has 2 ingredients – desiccated coconut and condensed milk. The third recipe is made with desiccated coconut and sugar.
Rava Laddu | Suji Ke Laddu | Rava Ladoo
An easy method to make rava laddu for Diwali or any festival. This rava ladoo also known as suji ke laddu is made with rava (sooji or semolina), coconut, powdered sugar, dry fruits and ghee.
7 Cup Burfi | 7 Cups Sweet
7 cup burfi is a easy and delicious South Indian sweet made with gram flour, ghee, fresh coconut, milk and sugar. It is also known as 7 cup cake or 7 cups sweet as it is made with 7 measures of ingredients.
Coconut Burfi | Nariyal ki Barfi
This Coconut Burfi is a delish, melt in the mouth fudge made with sweetened condensed milk, milk, and desiccated coconut.
Mysore Pak Recipe
Mysore pak is a popular and super delicious Indian sweet from the city of Mysore in the Karnataka state in South India. Mysore pak is made with only three ingredients – gram flour, ghee and sugar. It is rich, luxurious and melt in the mouth sweet.
Boondi Laddu (Boondi ke Ladoo)
Boondi laddu is a popular Indian sweet made by combining lovely little bits of fried and sugar-soaked batter (made with gram flour) with seeds and fragrant spices. Each bite is a delightful blend of smooth, soft, and melt-in-the mouth texture.
Badam Halwa
Badam ka halwa is a rich, luxuruous and popular South Indian style delicious halwa made with blanched almonds, ghee and sugar. This recipe gives you one of best almond halwa that you can make.
aval laddu
Aval laddu are delicious ladoo made with thick poha (flattened rice or parched rice), jaggery and ghee.
til gud ke ladoo
Til gud ke ladoo is easy recipe of delicious ladoos made with sesame seeds, peanuts, desiccated coconut and jaggery.
Sabudana Kheer
Sabudana kheer is a sweet pudding made with tapioca pearls or sabudana, milk and sugar.
Puran Poli Recipe
Puran Poli is a sweet flatbread stuffed with a sweet lentil filling made from hulled and spilt bengal gram/chana dal, jaggery and ground spices. This traditional recipe is from the Maharashtrian cuisine.
Bobbatlu Recipe
Bobbatlu or Holige or obbattu are sweet flat breads made with chana dal stuffing or tuvar dal stuffing. This bobbatlu recipe is one of the best bobbatlu made with a spiced chana dal stuffing.
Wheat Appam
These are instant appams made with whole wheat flour, jaggery and bananas.
pasi paruppu payasam
Delicious creamy moong dal payasam made with yellow moong lentils, jaggery and coconut milk.
Aval Payasam
Delicious poha kheer or payasam made with flattened rice, ghee and milk.
Snacks and Savories
Some of the snacks listed below can be made a day ahead like murukku, thattai, kara boondi, ribbon pakoda and mixture.
Punugulu
Punugulu are spiced and crisp fritters made from idli dosa batter. Quick snack from the Andhra cuisine.
Murukku Recipe | Murukulu Recipe
Murukku is a popular South Indian crunchy and crispy snack made with rice flour and lentil flour. It is also known as murukulu, chakralu and jantikalu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Butter Murukku | Butter Chakli
Butter Murukku is a South Indian fried snack made with butter and rice flour. It can also be called Butter Chakli. This recipe is surely for the win as it is scrumptious and tasty.
Thattai Recipe | Thattu Vadai
Thattai or Thattu Vadai are deep-fried crispy rice crackers served as a snack and made during festivals like Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtmi) or Diwali. Thattai are made with rice flour, spices and herbs having a spiced, crunchy and crispy taste.
Kara Boondi
Kara boondi is a spiced version of boondi and a mixture consisting of boondi, peanuts, cashews, curry leaves and a few spices.
Mixture Recipe | Madras Mixture
One of the popular South Indian snacks made during Diwali is this Madras Mixture Recipe which is basically a mix of various edible ingredients, nuts and dry fruits. It is also called as Omapodi Mixture.
Ribbon Pakoda | Ribbon Murukku
Ribbon Pakoda or Ribbon Murukku are fried crisp ribbon shaped savory snack from South India. They are easy to prepare and tastes good too. They are also known as ola pakoda or nada thenkuzhal.
Dal Vada | Masala Vada | Parippu Vada
Dal Vada also known as Parippu Vada or Chana Dal Vada or Masala Vada are savory, spiced, crunchy fritters that are a popular street food in South India. Gluten-free and vegan.
mix dal vada recipe
Mixed dal vada recipe – tasty vadas made from urad dal (black gram) or moong dal (green gram).
Mysore Bonda Recipe
Mysore bonda also known as Mysore Bajji is a popular South Indian snack made with lentils, fresh herbs and vibrant spices. The ingredients are combined to create a thick batter, and are then deep fried to make crisp, soft and fluffy fritters.
Sweet Corn Sundal
Easy recipe of South Indian sweet corn sundal. sundals are South Indian based dishes made with a variety of legumes and is prepared during Ganesh Chaturthi or Navratri festival.
Khara Bath
This mtr style khara bath is a savory, smooth and soft khara bhath made with mix veggies.
Semiya Upma | Vermicelli Upma
Semiya upma is a delicious upma variant made with vermicelli, aromatics, spices, cashews and herbs. This easy vermicelli recipe is also called as vermicelli upma and has unique flavors and textures.
Lunch or Dinner Ideas
Listed below are some traditional South Indian rice recipes that are made during various festivals.
Mango Rice Recipe (Mavinakayi Chitranna)
This Mango Rice recipe (also called as Mavinakayi Chitranna in Kannada) is tangy, comforting and loaded with flavors. It is made with unripe green mangoes, coconut, spices, peanuts, sesame seeds and herbs.
Coconut Rice Recipe
Coconut rice is a light, tasty, savory South Indian rice variant made with fresh grated coconut, lentils, herbs and spices. This nutty and mild rice based dish is also known as Thengai Sadam in Tamil language. The recipe is vegan and for a gluten-free version, easily skip adding asafetida.
Bisi Bele Bath (Authentic Karnataka Style)
Bisi bele bath is a delicious and healthy complete meal of rice, lentils and vegetables. Bisibelebath is one of the popular recipes from the Karnataka cuisine.
Vangi Bath (Brinjal Rice)
Vangi bath is a delicious recipe of brinjal rice from the Karnataka cuisine. This Vangi bath recipe makes use of vangi bath masala powder and tamarind pulp as two of the main ingredients.
Sambar Rice | Sambar Sadam
Sambar Rice also called Sambar Sadam in Tamil is a delicious, comforting meal of both sambar and rice cooked together. This South Indian lentil, rice and vegetable preparation is healthy and filling as well.
Coconut Milk Rice (Coconut Milk Pulao)
Coconut Milk Rice is a mild, fragrant pulao made with coconut milk, onions, herbs, spices and mixed vegetables. What’s best is the fact that it’s not just vegetarian, but a vegan-friendly recipe too.
gutti vankaya
Gutti vankaya is a stuffed brinjal curry from the Andhra cuisine.
Mysore Rasam Recipe
Mysore Rasam is a spiced and delicious rasam variety from the Karnataka cuisine – made with lentils, ground spices and coconut. Here I share both the recipes for mysore rasam and the mysore rasam powder that you can easily scale up and make a large batch to store and refrigerate/freeze.
Tomato Bath
This Tomato bath is a delicious, tangy and spiced rice based dish from the Karnataka cuisine. The recipe is made with a ground paste of tomatoes, coconut, spices and herbs. Addition of this ground masala makes the rice really delicious and flavorful.
Peanut Rice
Peanut rice is a tasty South Indian rice variety made with roasted peanut powder, lentils and spices.
Ellu Sadam
Sesame rice is an easy and delicious rice recipe made with ground sesame seeds. It is also known as ellu sadam in tamil language where ellu means sesame seeds and sadam means rice.
This ugadi recipes post from the archives (March 2017) has been republished and updated on 12 April.
ur recipes are wonderful ,dassana.i am a big fan of yours!
thank you dr shruti. glad to know. wish you a happy ugadi festival.
Recipies are very nice
thanks vasundhara.
Hi,
Looks Colourful & Tasty Traditional Foods sharing with us
Thanks & Regards
Bavani
Looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing Indian food recipes. I really loved your site. Keep going…I will be surfing around all your post…
thanks dheepika.