New Delhi: It is that time of year when Malayalees around the world eagerly await the 10-day harvest festival Onam, in which they celebrate the return of the great King Mahabali, by hosting a grand feast, also known as Onam Sadhya. Is known.
Onam, also known as Thiru-Onam or Thiruvonam, is celebrated during the first month of the Malayalam calendar known as Chingam. Onam preparations and celebrations last for 10 days. Onam 2021 celebrations began on August 12 and will continue till August 23.
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The harvest festival is marked by various celebrations where people in Kerala prepare more than two dozen vegetarian dishes for a grand feast served on banana leaves. The festivities usually start a few days in advance.
Known for its serene backwaters and beaches, the state turns into an idyllic scene during the Onam festival, when its rich culture enthralls the visitors.
On this day, enjoy the traditional Onam Sadhya sitting cross-legged on a mat and eating with your hands as per the rituals.
The multi-course vegetarian meal served on a giant banana leaf on the occasion is much more than just a feast. The whole feast made by our ancestors is said to be a complete, balanced and nutritious meal that ensures proper digestion and optimum absorption of nutrients by the body.
Onam Sadhya can be ordered from home cooks who have become popular through social media sites Instagram and Facebook. In addition, the traditional feast can be enjoyed in restaurants and hotels.
What is included in a traditional vegetarian feast?
Onam Sadhya is incomplete without Papad made from rice flour and 25 delicious dishes served after banana chips.
It also includes Sharkara Varatti, a sweet version of banana chips made from jaggery. Most of the Malayalee families prepare Inji curry from ginger, tamarind and jaggery, which is first prepared on the 10th day of Onam.
Even the mango curry served at the feast adds to the zing and then the orange curry, a sour lemon pickle also adds more zest to the meal. The elaborate meal consists of pachadi, a yogurt-based dish made from pineapple or bitter gourd and grated coconut.
Olan is another popular dish made with gourds and red beans sprinkled with hand-pressed, authentic coconut milk.
Other dishes include elicheri, avial, thoran and chor. Rice is an essential part of the Onam ritual but most Malayalees serve red rice on the occasion.
Parripu Curry, Chenna Mezhakkupuratti, Sambar, Pulisari, Kalan, Moru Kachiyatha, Kitchadi, Rasam, Kuttu Curry, Ney, Inji Thayer, Poovan Pazam, Palda Pradhan, Poovan Pazam and Pazam Pradhan are some of the delicious dishes that complete the sadhana.
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