Onam Sadya

Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala. It marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali.

My childhood memories of Onam were only of Onam Sadya as we never celebrated it at home but one of our family friends would regularly call for Onam Sadya. On our way back from school, my brother and I would get down at their house; have a grand sadya and go back home. Those days I never thought of how they arranged the food item or how the course goes.  It was just about good food, yummy payasam and lots of fun with friends.

Years after that now after marriage and with kids, far from parents, Onam has a different meaning.  It’s  a get-together of all Malayali friends, pookalam, preparation of  different types of payasams, exhibiting your collection of  Kasava saree, etc.

This year the celebration was a little different.  The Sadya was a group preparation.   All the ladies prepared one or two item.  We all met at one house and had a yummy Sadya.  Thanks to  Darshana, Bubby, Deepti, Sudha, Smita, Amrita  and Neetu. Due to them I could click a nice picture of a full Sadya.

The most important thing which I learnt this time was the way the sadya is served. 

            a)   Clean banana leaf is spread out with the end towards the left.

b)      You start serving from the extreme left

1.      Pazham /Banana

10. Papadam

2.   Banana Chips / Sarkara Upperi

3.   Pullyinchi

4.   Naranga curry/ Manga curry ( Lemon /Mango curry)

5.   Kichadi

6.   Toran

7.   Kalan

8.   Avial

9.   Kutta curry  

            c)  You serve the rice only once the guest  is seated

            d) Now serve boiled rice in the centre with 12. Paripu/dal and pour ghee on top

            e) Next serve rice with 13. Sambar

            f)  Now serve the 16. Paladda or any payasam. ( Some have payasam mixed with banana or with papadam).

            g) Next is little rice with 14. Rasam

            h) The meal end with rice and 15. Moru.

You can add lot more dishes to this like erissery, pullissery, pachadi, olan, theeyal, cherupayar payasam, Palada Payasam etc. 

Note : As I get time I will start posting recipes of all these item.