New Delhi: Onam 2024 marks the auspicious rice harvest festival of Kerala, also known as Thiru-Onam or Thiruvonam, starting from 6 September 2024 and culminating on 15 September 2024. Celebrated in the first month of the Malayalam calendar, Chingam, this festival honours the return of the revered King Mahabali. Onam is marked by vibrant decorations, rangoli designs, new clothes, festive greetings, and, most notably, a grand feast known as Onam Sadhya or Onasadhya.
The Onam Sadhya is a rich banquet featuring 26 distinct dishes, prepared with over 60 ingredients. Each dish plays a crucial role in the meal, which is served on a banana leaf, symbolising equality and humility. The feast showcases a balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavours using regional ingredients like coconut, jaggery, yams, and various lentils.
Significance of 26 dishes served in a traditional Onam Sadhya
Here’s a closer look at the significance of each of the 26 traditional dishes served in an Onam Sadhya
Pappadam: Crispy rice flour wafers that add a satisfying crunch.
Upperi: Crispy banana chips that are a favourite in the feast.
Sharkara Varatti: Sweetened banana chips coated in jaggery syrup and flavoured with cardamom and cumin.
Inji Curry: A tangy mix of ginger, tamarind, and jaggery.
Mango Curry: A spicy raw mango curry with coconut milk.
Naranga Curry: A zesty lemon pickle that adds a sour kick.
Pachadi: A yoghurt-based curry made with pineapple or bitter gourd.
Olan: A creamy dish with white or ash gourd and red beans in coconut milk.
Ellisheri: Pumpkin and red beans cooked with grated coconut.
Avial: A mixed vegetable curry with 13 different vegetables and grated coconut, seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves.
Thoran: A dry vegetable dish, often made with cabbage, carrots, or beans, and grated coconut.
Chor: Red rice, an essential component of the feast.
Parripu Curry: Moong dal cooked with ghee, red chillies, and black sesame seeds.
Chenna Mezhkkupuratti: Yams boiled with spices and fried in coconut oil.
Sambhar: A lentil-based vegetable stew cooked in a tangy tamarind broth.
Pulissery: A curd-based dish with vegetables like pumpkin or cucumber, topped with grated coconut.
Kaalan: A yoghurt and yam or raw banana curry with grated coconut.
Morru Kachiyatha: Boiled yoghurt with black sesame seeds, shallots, ginger, and garlic.
Kichadi: Spicy yoghurt curry with vegetables like okra, cucumber, or bitter gourd.
Rasam: A spicy tamarind soup with curry leaves, mustard, and tomatoes, aiding digestion.
Kootu Curry: A dry dish made with raw bananas, black chana, and grated coconut.
Neyy: Ghee poured over rice and parripu for added flavour.
Inji Thayir: Ginger, yoghurt, black sesame seeds, and spices combined into a tasty dish.
Poovan Pazham: Small bananas mashed with Payasam and optionally mixed with pappadam for extra crunch.
Palada Pradhaman: A sweet milk-based dish with dry fruits and rice ada, served at the end to balance the spices.
Pazham Pradhaman: A dessert with rice ada, cashew nuts, coconut pieces, and jaggery.
These dishes reflect the rich culinary heritage of Kerala and make Onam Sadhya a truly memorable feast.
Onam Sadya is a grand feast celebrated during the Onam festival in Kerala, featuring 26 traditional dishes, each with its own cultural significance. From the crispy Pappadam to the sweet Palada Pradhaman, every dish adds to the balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavours. Learn about the unique role of each item and how they reflect the rich traditions of Kerala’s Onam celebrations. Food & Drink Lifestyle News -Fashion Trends, Beauty Tips, Celebrity Party News, Relationship advice, Travel and Food Tips
