Kerala’s biggest festival ‘Onam’ is here. It is the harvest festival and signals the end of monsoons. The festival is celebrated with high enthusiasm and the best part about it is the delicious Onam food or Onam Sadhya that is served.
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What Is Onam Sadhya
Onam Sadya is a traditional Kerala meal with over two dozen vegetarian dishes served on the banana leaf. The word Sadya means “banquet” which is an elaborate meal enjoyed with family and friends on special occasions like festivals and marriages. Onam Sadhya being the heart of the festival, no celebration is complete without enjoying the aromatic and palate-pleasing dishes.
Preparation for the astonishing line up of dishes starts a few days in advance. Everyone in the family comes together to make this feast, hence symbolizes unity and the spirit of Onam in abundance. The most interesting part of the sadhya is that every dish has a designated place on the leaf and is served in a specific order.
Onam Sadhya Food That Are A Must On Your Leaf
A typical Onam Sadhya comprises of rice, curries, dry veggie dishes, accompaniments and desserts that are freshly prepared and served hot on a plantain leaf. Here’s a list of items that’s a must on your Onam Sanya leaf.
Sambar
This simple dish with simple ingredients somehow never bores. This curry is so popular that everyone has a different style of making it. The typical Kerala style of sambar is loaded with vegetables, spices and masala, making it so savory that no one can easily get over it.
Parippu Curry
Kerala parippu curry is made of simple ingredients like moong dal, coconut, pearl onions and spices. When cooked the dish is seasoned with red chillies, black sesame seeds and curry leaves. A typical Onam Sadhya starts with the parippu curry on the rice with a dash of ghee. The very first bite brings about a feel of gastronomical heaven in your mouth.
Kerala Rice
Rice being the main part of the sadya, a special rice called the matta rice is used in the preparation. The cooking time here is a little more than the normal raw rice that we use. Matta rice is high in nutrition, fiber, magnesium, and calcium and also it is gluten-free.
Aviyal
Aviyal is a dish made of a mix of vegetables like potato, carrots, raw banana, drumstick and beans. The cooked veggies are then mixed in a coconut and yogurt base that is sure to make your mouth salivate. This traditional dish is a must on your sadya list and just cannot be missed.
Puliyinchi
“Puli” in Malayalam means tamarind and “inchi” means ginger. So as the name suggests the dish is sweet and sour with a combination of hot chilies and spicy ginger. A little bit of jaggery is added to the dish to give it a sweet flavor. It is generally used as a pickle in the sadhya.
Pachadi
Pachadi is a mouth-watering blend of coconut, curd and pineapple. The dish blended with chillies and spices gives it an aroma that you will dig right into. The wonderfully tasting pachadi can also be made with carrot, beetroot, cucumber or ladies finger.
Thoran
This coconut-based vegetable dish is another delicious Onam food that Kerala has to offer. Any vegetable of your choice can be used in the making of this dish but cabbage is the most popular of them all. The dish is dry in consistency and packed with nutrients. Earlier the dish wasn’t made with garlic but nowadays garlic is also added to make it even more delicious.
Manga Curry
Manga curry or mango curry is another delicacy offered by Kerala on Onam. Mango cooked with spices, chilies and coconut milk or dry coconut. This sweet and sour curry is semi thick in consistency and adds a lot of flavor to your sadhya.
Naranga Curry
Naranga curry is served as a pickle. It is made using curry Naranga which looks like lemon but is comparatively very juicy. It has a tangy taste and can be stored for 2-3 days and consumed in small amounts and is not recommended to consume it in bulk as it can cause acid refluxes.
Olan
This simple yet delicious curry is made of red beans, white pumpkin and coconut milk. All the ingredients are boiled, then cooked in hand-pressed coconut milk and seasoned with some mild spices. This authentic curry is not only easy to make but also very tasty for the tongue.
Ulli Theeyal
Tiny onions cooked in roasted coconut gravy give this delicacy a tangy and spicy taste. You will not be able to get over this amazing dish. On an Onam Sandhya, this dish is a must and it is understandable because this dish is more than just tasty, IT IS AMAZING! Do try it, folks!
Kootu Curry
Kootu curry is a thick curry made of black chickpea, vegetables and a sufficient amount of spices and chillies. Nutrious veggies like yam, ash gourd, carrots, snake gourd, pumpkin or raw plantains are cooked along with the chickpeas. This mouth-watering dish is hard to ignore as it is vegan and gluten-free too.
Papadam
Papadam is a crunchy item that adds more texture and taste to the other items in Onam Sadya. It can be had in between the meals or can also be had by crushing them on the payasam to provide a sweet and salty balance to the dish. No Onam Sadhya is complete without a papadum.
Banana Chips
The most famous of all, the Kerala banana chips is one of the first few items that’s served on the Onam sadya leaf. This chip is made from raw Kerala banana and seasoned with salt to get that perfect taste. Banana chips are more like a souvenir as it’s mandatory to carry some packets of banana chips back home after a visit to Kerala.
Sarkara Varatti
Sarkara Varatti is another popular item made of raw banana which has a top place in every sadhya. This is a sweet snack item where thick pieces of raw bananas are dipped in jaggery syrup and then coated in powdered sugar. One bite of this sweeter version of banana chips will leave you wanting for more.
Chena Mezhkkupuratti
Chena Mezhkkupuratti is another side snack item that’s a must on your Onam sadya items list. Cube sliced chena or Yam are boiled with turmeric, chili powder and salt and then fried in coconut oil to make it crispy. It finds a place just beside the pickle and banana chips on the leaf.
Rasam
Rasam is a spicy tamarind soup sprinkled with curry leaves, mustard and tomatoes that is generally eaten after the sadhya. It can be eaten as a rice accompaniment or can be had as a soup too. The good ingredients that go into making the rasam helps in digestion after a heavy meal.
Payasam
No Onam festival can be completed without this amazing dessert. Payasam doesn’t only come in one flavor, it comes in four. Rice Payasam also known as Kheer is one of the best ways to end this auspicious occasion. The other types of Payasams are, Moong dal payasam, Paal Payasam, and Arisi Payasam. Some of these paysams are made with jaggery and some with sugar.
Also Read: The Vibrant Festival Of Onam And How It’s Celebrated
Apart from the above items, salt, banana, pickle, ghee and buttermilk also have a place on the sadhya leaf. Each of the above mentioned dishes of the Sadhya are prepared the authentic way with fresh ingredients, making it a culinary delight. Now that you know all about what makes for a delicious Onam sadhya, surprise your family and friends with an impressive spread this Onam. Do let us know about the compliments you received in the comment box below.
Ellavarkkum Onam Aashamsakal! (Happy Onam To All)
FAQs
The 26 delicious items of Onam are Parboiled Rice, Dal Curry, Sambar, Rasam, Avial, Thoran, Olan, Pachadi, Kichadi, Kootu Curry, Erissery, Pulissery, Moru Curry, Inji Puli, Pappadam, Banana Chips, Sharkara Upperi, Payasam, Ada Pradhaman, Nendran Banana, Sarkara Varatti, Salt, Curds, Pickles and Ghee. It is not mandatory to have all of the above items. The taste and number of dishes varies from place to place.
There are many reasons as to why a sadya is served on a banana leaf. Some of the major reasons are hygiene, taste, environment, sustainability and cultural significance.
Only vegetarian food is served in a sadya during the festival of Onam.
