The annual harvest festival of Kerala, Onam is here, and the spirit of festive lovers in the state is high. From religious rituals to marvellous decorations, Kerala is currently in its celebratory mood. And the preparations of some traditional Onam Sadhya recipe has to be the best one. The festivity and good food take over as the state celebrates its 10-day annual harvest festival. This sadhya traditionally comprises of 26 or more vegetarian dishes, and is served on a banana leaf. The entire gathering includes upperi and sharkara varatti followed by all the other dishes, rice and ending with payasam as dessert. On the joyous festival of Onam 2019, let us look at the top five traditional delicious Sadhya item list that Malayalis love to prepare during the harvest time. Onam 2018 Recipes: From Payasam to Avial, Here’s How You Can Make Delicious Onam Dishes At Home!

Sambar

Sambar has to be the most important curry at the table for Onam. It is cooked with vegetables from beans to potatoes to yam to drumsticks and many more. The Malayalis preparation for Sambar is said to be a little different from the regular South Indian style because it involves a medley of vegetables.

Kaalan

Made out of thick, creamy yoghurt, Kalan is yet another signature dish for the festival. The food contains coconut and various vegetables, including raw banana.

Pachadi

Pachadi can be of various types. It is cooked with bottle gourd or yellow cucumbers or even pumpkin. Individuals also make it with seasonal fruits like pineapple. A final tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, red chillies and of course curry leaves is what adds the special taste to the dish.

Olan

Olan is made of pumpkin and pulses with coconut milk as its base. The dish is an accurate balance to rice and other curries. It might taste too plain for people who opt for more spicy flavours. This is the reason, Olan is meant to be had in combination with other dishes.

Payasam

The final—a sweet dish made with milk, dry fruits and rice. Served during the end of every meal, Payasam is the delicious desert, perfect to balance all the spices.

These are the top dishes that people indulge in during the harvest festival. Onam Sadhya is enjoyed without any cutlery and is eaten while sitting on the floor. These recipes compliment plain rice well. Try out these Onam Sadhya dishes and make the festival even more special.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 31, 2019 03:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).