25/07/2026
**Who Decided What Is?**
We thought we knew the answer.
Then we started asking families.
Across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, we heard different stories.
Some called it **Uggu**.
Some knew it as **Ukkiri**.
Some had no special name for it at all.
Just **"baby food."**
The ingredients changed too.
Rice.
Toor dal.
Moong dal.
Chana dal.
In some families, green gram.
In a few preparations, a little horse gram.
Later, perhaps groundnuts, cashews or badam.
And suddenly, we found ourselves asking a much bigger question:
**If the name changes…
If the ingredients change…
If every family has its own way of making it…
Then what exactly makes Uggu, Uggu?**
Perhaps traditional food was never meant to have just one fixed recipe.
Perhaps a recipe tells us *what to make*.
But a food tradition teaches us *how to decide*.
We spent time listening to families, exploring the language around Uggu, looking at its regional variations and asking what "authentic" really means when a food tradition has been passed from one generation to another.
We have put all of this together in our latest research essay:
**"Who Decided What Uggu Is?"**
If you have grown up with Uggu, Ukkiri, or your family's own version of this traditional baby food, we'd genuinely love to hear from you.
**What did your amma or grandmother put in it?**
And what did your family call it?
👇 Tell us in the comments. Your version may be part of a story we haven't heard yet.
Read the full research essay here:
https://nutreatlife.medium.com/who-decided-what-uggu-is-be2b4a5c2d58
