A preparation combining six tastes — sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy and astringent — mixed together for Ugadi to symbolise the full range of life's experiences.
Ingredients
1 tbsp raw mango — finely grated (sour)
1 tbsp neem flowers or neem leaves — lightly chopped (bitter)
1 tbsp jaggery — grated (sweet)
1/4 tsp red chilli powder (spicy)
1/4 tsp salt (salty)
1 tbsp tamarind paste (astringent-sour)
2 tbsp freshly grated coconut — optional
1 tbsp water
Method
Combine all six ingredients in a small bowl: raw mango, neem flowers (or bitter leaves), grated jaggery, red chilli powder, salt and tamarind paste.
Add a small splash of water. Mix gently.
Taste — all six flavours should be distinctly present: the bitterness of neem, sweetness of jaggery, sourness of raw mango and tamarind, spiciness of chilli and saltiness all together in each bite.
Add freshly grated coconut if desired.
Serve in very small portions — this is a ritual preparation consumed symbolically on Ugadi morning, not a full meal preparation.