Ugadi and Gudi Padwa Recipes with Cold Pressed Oils

Ugadi (Telugu and Kannada New Year) and Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year) fall on the same day — the first day of the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra, typically in late March or early April. Both festivals celebrate new beginnings with special foods, rituals, and the symbolic acceptance of all of life's experiences.

The most distinctive element of Ugadi is Ugadi Pachadi — a chutney that deliberately combines all six tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy, and astringent. It's a reminder that life contains all flavours, and we must accept them all.

Here are the traditional recipes for both festivals, made with the cold pressed oils that belong in these cuisines.

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Ugadi Pachadi (Six-Taste Chutney)

The ritual food of Ugadi. Every ingredient represents a different aspect of life.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp raw mango, finely chopped (sour — challenges)
• 2 tbsp jaggery, grated (sweet — happiness)
• 1 tbsp neem flowers (bitter — sadness)
• ½ tsp salt (salty — fear)
• ½ tsp red chilli powder (spicy — anger)
• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp (astringent — disgust)
• 1 tbsp cold pressed sesame oil (for tempering)
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• Curry leaves

Method:

1. Mix raw mango, jaggery, neem flowers, salt, red chilli, and tamarind in a bowl.
2. Heat cold pressed sesame oil. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
3. Pour the tempering over the mixture.
4. Mix well. Serve in small portions — this is a ritual food, not a large serving.

Significance: Each person eats a small amount of Ugadi Pachadi at the start of the day, accepting all six tastes as a metaphor for accepting all of life's experiences in the coming year.

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Pulihora (Tamarind Rice)

The most important rice dish of Ugadi — made as an offering (naivedyam) and eaten as part of the festival meal.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 2 cups cooked rice (slightly warm)
• 4 tbsp cold pressed sesame oil
• 3 tbsp tamarind pulp (thick)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 2 dried red chillies
• 10 curry leaves
• 2 green chillies, slit
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tbsp peanuts, roasted
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat cold pressed sesame oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds — let them splutter.
2. Add urad dal and chana dal. Fry until golden.
3. Add dried red chillies, curry leaves, and green chillies.
4. Add tamarind pulp. Cook for 3–4 minutes until it thickens.
5. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, and salt.
6. Add warm rice and roasted peanuts. Mix gently.
7. Drizzle 1 tbsp raw sesame oil over the top before serving.

The sesame oil is essential: Pulihora made with any other oil lacks the characteristic flavour. The nutty depth of cold pressed sesame oil is structural to this dish.

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Bobbatlu / Puran Poli (Sweet Stuffed Flatbread)

Called bobbatlu in Telugu and puran poli in Marathi — a sweet flatbread stuffed with chana dal and jaggery. This is the centrepiece of the Gudi Padwa meal.

Ingredients (makes 12):

For the dough:

• 2 cups maida
• 2 tbsp cold pressed groundnut oil (for Maharashtrian version) or sesame oil (for Telugu version)
• Warm water as needed
• Pinch of turmeric (for colour)

For the filling:

• 1 cup chana dal, cooked until soft and dry
• 1 cup jaggery, grated
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp desiccated coconut (optional)

For cooking:

• Cold pressed groundnut oil or ghee

Method:

Dough:

1. Mix flour, turmeric, and oil. Rub oil into flour.
2. Add water gradually. Knead into a very soft, pliable dough (softer than roti dough).
3. Rest for 1 hour — this is important for the dough to become extensible.

Filling:

1. Mash cooked chana dal.
2. Cook with jaggery on low heat until the mixture comes together and leaves the sides of the pan.
3. Add cardamom and coconut. Cool completely.

Assembly:

1. Divide dough and filling into equal portions.
2. Flatten a dough ball. Place filling in the centre. Seal completely.
3. Gently roll into a thin circle (the dough is soft and needs gentle handling).
4. Cook on a hot tawa with cold pressed groundnut oil or ghee until golden on both sides.

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Kosambari (Lentil Salad)

A Karnataka Ugadi staple — a fresh, crunchy salad made with soaked lentils and tempered with cold pressed sesame oil.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• ½ cup moong dal, soaked for 2 hours
• 1 cucumber, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 2 tbsp fresh coconut, grated
• 2 tbsp cold pressed sesame oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 dried red chilli
• Curry leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander

Method:

1. Drain soaked moong dal.
2. Mix with cucumber, carrot, and coconut.
3. Heat sesame oil. Add mustard seeds, dried red chilli, and curry leaves.
4. Pour tempering over the salad.
5. Add lemon juice and salt. Mix well.
6. Garnish with fresh coriander.

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Shrikhand (Strained Yoghurt Dessert)

The Maharashtrian Gudi Padwa dessert — thick, sweet, saffron-flavoured strained yoghurt. No oil in this one, but it's the essential sweet of the festival.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 1 kg full-fat yoghurt
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• Pinch of saffron, dissolved in 1 tbsp warm milk
• 2 tbsp mixed dry fruits (pistachios, almonds), chopped

Method:

1. Hang yoghurt in a muslin cloth for 4–6 hours until thick (chakka).
2. Mix strained yoghurt with powdered sugar, cardamom, and saffron milk.
3. Chill for 2 hours.
4. Garnish with dry fruits before serving.

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The Festival Meal

Ugadi meal (Telugu/Kannada):

• Ugadi Pachadi (ritual first)
• Pulihora (tamarind rice)
• Bobbatlu
• Kosambari
• Dal, rice, and vegetable curry

Gudi Padwa meal (Marathi):

• Puran Poli with ghee
• Shrikhand
• Aamras (mango pulp, if mangoes are available)
• Katachi amti (dal from the chana dal cooking water)
• Rice and vegetables

Both festivals celebrate the new year with foods that are simultaneously festive and grounding — rich but not excessive, sweet but balanced with other tastes.

Ugadi Shubhakankshalu. Gudi Padwachi Shubhechha.

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Dune Aura cold pressed sesame oil and groundnut oil are available from ₹250 for 500ml. Delivery across Delhi NCR.

Order Cold Pressed Oil for Ugadi and Gudi Padwa

Dune Aura delivers cold pressed sesame oil and groundnut oil to all major cities — order before the festival for guaranteed delivery:

• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Hyderabad — Ugadi's home city
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Mumbai — Gudi Padwa celebrations
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Chennai
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Bangalore
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil — Gurugram Hub
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil — Delhi NCR Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

Which oil is traditionally used in Ugadi recipes? Cold pressed sesame oil (nuvvula nune / til ka tel) is the traditional oil for Ugadi cooking in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Groundnut oil is also widely used. Both are available cold pressed from Dune Aura.

What is Ugadi Pachadi and why does it use sesame? Ugadi Pachadi is the traditional new year chutney made with six tastes — sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy, and astringent. Sesame seeds (til) are sometimes included as a garnish. The dish symbolises the full range of experiences in the year ahead.

Does Dune Aura deliver to Hyderabad and Mumbai for Ugadi? Yes. Dune Aura delivers cold pressed sesame oil and groundnut oil to Hyderabad, Mumbai, and all major cities. Order at duneaura.com or call +91 99995 55242.