The Kerala harvest festival of Onam, also known as Thiru-Onam or Thiruvonam, is celebrated with food, colour, dance, and fun. It is distinguished by a large feast called Onam Sadhya or Onasadhya. Ten days prior to the festival, preparations get under way. The festivities this year starts on August 20 known as Onam or Thiruvonam, on August 31, 2023. Atham, Chithira, Chodi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketta, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradom, and Thiruvonam are all significant days in this festival for different reasons. But the best thing about the celebration are the tempting dishes required for the grand Onam Feast aka Onam Sadhya. Here is a list of foods that are served as part of the magnificent feast on the holiest day of Thiruvonam, or Onam:

  • Pappadam: The rice-flour pappads are a must-have for every Onam Sadhya.

  • Upperi: Banana chips are served before the other 25 items and are arguably the most popular food on this list.

  • Sharkara Varatti: This jaggery-based, sweetened variation of banana chips is difficult to consume, but it will leave you craving more.

  • Inji Curry: Ginger, tamarind, and jaggery are used to make inji curry. This is typically the first meal made in Malayali houses in the days preceding Onam's tenth day.

  • Mango Curry: Your meal will have a spicy kick from this mango pickle.

  • Naranga Curry: This sour lemon pickle, one of the two varieties of pickles offered during Onam Sadhya, will undoubtedly give your dinner some zest.

  • Pachadi: A curry cooked with grated coconut, grated pineapple, or bitter gourd.

  • Ellisheri: Red beans, pumpkin, and copious amounts of grated coconut are all ingredients in this recipe.

  • Naranga Curry: This sour lemon pickle, one of the two varieties of pickles offered during Onam Sadhya, will undoubtedly give your dinner some zest.

  • Pachadi: For the feast, there will also be a curry cooked with grated coconut, grated pineapple, or bitter gourd.

  • Olan: This is prepared with red beans and ash gourd, then generously drenched in real, hand-pressed coconut milk.

  • Avial: On this occasion, Avial is one of the best mixed vegetable meals but is frequently overlooked. It is produced by combining grated coconut and vegetables, which are then cooked in coconut oil and milk.

  • Thoran: Any vegetable can be used to make thoran, a dish that is common in Malayali homes. Typically, it's cooked with beans and grated coconut, or just cabbage and carrots.

  • Chor: Onam Sadhya requires rice, yet most Malayalis serve crimson rice on this special day.

  • Parripu Curry: In this recipe, black sesame seeds, red chilies, and ghee are added to basic moong dal.

  • Chenna Mezhkkupuratti: Yam is chopped into tiny pieces for this dish, cooked with spices, and then fried in coconut oil.

  • Sambhar: Every family has its own recipe for sambhar, which is a necessary meal for the feast. Every vegetable, including yam, beans, and potatoes, is used in its preparation.

  • Pulissery: Made with curd, your choice of vegetable, such as pumpkin or cucumber, and generous amounts of grated coconut on top.

  • Kaalan: This traditional Onam Sadhya meal is made with yoghurt, grated coconut, yam or raw banana.

  • Morru Kachiyatha: This belongs in every Malayali person's comfort meal collection. The right combination of yoghurt, shallots, ginger, garlic, and black sesame seeds is boiled to make it.

  • Kichadi: This meal, which uses spicy yoghurt and your choice of veggie, is fantastic.

  • Rasam: This can be used as a side dish with rice or sipped to help with digestion. It is prepared with hot tamarind soup and generous amounts of tomatoes, mustard, and curry leaves.

  • Kootu Curry: The ingredients in this dry curry may surprise you; they include grated coconut, black chana, and raw bananas.

  • Neyy: A teaspoon of this, which is typically known as ghee in Hindi, is used to add flavour to the rice and parripu.

  • Inji Thayir: Lots of thinly sliced ginger is combined with yoghurt, black sesame seeds, and spices to make this delectable dish.

  • Poovan Pazham: Bananas in their smaller form are included in this. It mixes incredibly well when combined with Payasam.

  • Palada Pradhaman: The final course is a sweet dish called rice ada created with milk, dry fruits, and other ingredients to help balance the heat.

Here you go with the proper list of items for Onam Sadhya. People typically eat it with their right hand while sitting cross-legged on the ground and receiving it at lunchtime on banana leaves. The foods are placed on the banana leaf in a certain order, and they are likewise served in that order.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 29, 2023 02:23 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).