Onam Sadya (Detailed)

1. Parippu (Dal Curry)

Ingredients:

• Toor dal – 1 cup

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Green chilies – 2, slit

• Ghee – 2 tbsp

• Salt – to taste

Method:

• Cook the dal with enough water, salt, and turmeric powder until soft.

• Add the slit green chilies.

• Drizzle with ghee before serving.

2.. Sambar

Ingredients:

• Mixed vegetables (lady's finger, pumpkin, drumstick, etc.) – 2 cups, chopped

• Toor dal – 1 cup

• Sambar powder – 2 tbsp

• Tamarind – a small ball

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Asafoetida – a pinch

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

• Dry red chilies – 2

• Curry leaves – a few

• Salt – to taste

• Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Cook toor dal in a pressure cooker until it’s soft.

• Soak the tamarind in water and extract its juice.

• Boil the vegetables in tamarind juice with turmeric powder, sambar powder, and salt.

• Add the cooked dal once the vegetables are done.

• For the tempering, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, then add red chilies, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Add this to the sambar.

3. Avial

Ingredients:

• Mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, drumstick, yam, etc.) – 2 cups, chopped

• Grated coconut – 1 cup

• Green chilies – 3

• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

• Yogurt – 1 cup

• Curry leaves – a few

• Coconut oil – 2 tbsp

• Salt – to taste

4. Puli Inji

Ingredients:

• Ginger – ¼ cup, finely chopped

• Green chili – 2, chopped

• Tamarind – a lemon-sized ball

• Jaggery – 2 tbsp

• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

• Red chili powder – ½ tsp

• Asafoetida – a pinch

• Curry leaves – a few

• Salt – to taste

• Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Soak tamarind in water and extract its juice.

• Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.

• Add chopped ginger and green chilies. Sauté till golden.

• Add the tamarind extract, salt, jaggery, red chili powder, and asafoetida. Boil until it thickens.

• Finish with curry leaves.

5. Payasam (Kheer)

Ingredients:

• Rice – ½ cup

• Milk – 1 liter

• Sugar or jaggery – 1 cup

• Ghee – 2 tbsp

• Cashews & raisins – a handful

• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Method:

• Cook rice in milk until it's soft.

• Add sugar or melted jaggery to it and cook until the mixture thickens.

• In a separate pan, heat ghee and fry the cashews and raisins.

• Add them to the payasam along with cardamom powder.

6. Thoran

Ingredients:

• Vegetables (cabbage, beans, or carrot) – 2 cups, finely chopped

• Grated coconut – 1 cup

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

• Green chilies – 2, chopped

• Curry leaves – a few

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Salt – to taste

• Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.

• Add the chopped vegetables, turmeric, salt, and green chilies.

• Cover and cook till vegetables are done.

• Add grated coconut and mix well.

7. Olan

Ingredients:

• Ash gourd – 1 cup, chopped

• Red beans (vanpayar) – ¼ cup

• Coconut milk – 1 cup

• Green chilies – 2, slit

• Curry leaves – a few

• Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

• Salt – to taste

Method:

• Cook the beans till they are soft.

• Add the ash gourd, salt, and slit green chilies.

• Once the gourd is cooked, add the coconut milk and heat it but do not boil.

• Drizzle with coconut oil and garnish with curry leaves.

8. Kalakandhi

Ingredients:

• Bitter gourd – 1, sliced

• Yogurt – 1 cup, beaten

• Grated coconut – ½ cup

• Green chilies – 2

• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Salt – to taste

• Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

• Fry the bitter gourd slices in oil till crispy.

• Grind coconut, green chilies, and cumin seeds into a paste.

• Add this to the beaten yogurt with turmeric and salt.

• Combine the crispy bitter gourd slices.

9. Pachadi

Ingredients:

• Pineapple or bitter gourd – 1 cup, chopped

• Yogurt – 1 cup, beaten

• Grated coconut – ½ cup

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

• Green chilies – 2

• Sugar – 1 tbsp

• Salt – to taste

Method:

• Cook the vegetable with a little water, salt, and sugar till soft.

• Grind the coconut, green chilies, and ½ tsp of mustard seeds into a paste.

• Mix the paste with the cooked vegetable and remove from heat.

• Add beaten yogurt and mix well.

10. Kichadi

Ingredients:

• Cucumber or lady's finger – 1 cup, chopped

• Yogurt – 1 cup, beaten

• Grated coconut – ½ cup

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

• Green chilies – 2

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Salt – to taste

• Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

• Fry the vegetable in oil with salt and turmeric till soft.

• Grind the coconut, green chilies, and ½ tsp mustard seeds into a paste.

• Mix the paste with the cooked vegetable.

• Add the beaten yogurt and stir well.

11. Erissery

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin – 1 cup, chopped

• Black-eyed beans – ½ cup

• Grated coconut – 1 cup

• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

• Green chilies – 2

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

• Curry leaves – a few

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Red chilies – 2

• Salt – to taste

• Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Cook the beans till they are soft.

• Add pumpkin, turmeric, and salt. Cook till the pumpkin is soft.

• Grind ¾ cup coconut, green chilies, and cumin seeds into a paste. Add to the pumpkin-bean mixture.

• Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, then add red chilies, remaining coconut, and curry leaves. Add this tempering to the erissery.

12. Kootu Curry

Ingredients:

• Yam – ½ cup, cubed

• Raw banana – 1, cubed

• Black chickpeas (kala chana) – ½ cup

• Grated coconut – 1 cup

• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

• Black pepper – 1 tsp

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Jaggery – 1 tbsp

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

• Dry red chilies – 2

• Curry leaves – a few

• Salt – to taste

• Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Soak chickpeas overnight and cook till they're soft.

• Cook yam and raw banana with turmeric, salt, and jaggery until they're soft.

• Grind ¾ cup of coconut with cumin seeds and black pepper. Add this paste to the yam-banana mixture.

• Add cooked chickpeas and mix well.

• Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, then add red chilies, remaining coconut, and curry leaves. Add this tempering to the kootu curry.

13. Prathaman

Ingredients:

• Moong dal or chana dal – 1 cup

• Jaggery – 1 cup

• Ghee – 2 tbsp

• Grated coconut – 1 cup

• Cardamom powder – 1 tsp

• Cashews and raisins – a handful

• Coconut slices – a few

Method:

• Cook the dal till it's soft.

• Melt jaggery in a little water and strain to remove impurities.

• Add the jaggery syrup to the dal and let it simmer till it thickens.

• Fry the coconut slices, cashews, and raisins in ghee.

• Add them to the prathaman along with cardamom powder.

14. Kaalan

Ingredients:

• Raw banana – 1, cubed

• Yogurt – 2 cups, beaten

• Grated coconut – 1 cup

• Green chilies – 3

• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp

• Red chilies – 2

• Curry leaves – a few

• Salt – to taste

• Oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Cook the raw banana with turmeric, salt, and water until soft.

• Grind coconut, green chilies, and cumin seeds into a paste.

• Mix this paste with the cooked banana.

• Add the beaten yogurt and mix well.

• Heat oil, splutter fenugreek seeds, then add red chilies and curry leaves. Add this tempering to the kaalan.

15. Achars (Pickles)

There are various recipes for pickles depending on the fruit or vegetable used. Traditional Onam pickles include mango and lemon. You can find these recipes easily in Indian cooking guides or websites.

16. Buttermilk

Ingredients:

• Yogurt – 1 cup

• Water – 3 cups

• Salt – to taste

• Cumin powder – 1 tsp

• Green chilies – 2, slit

• Ginger – 1-inch piece, finely chopped

• Curry leaves – a few

• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

• Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

• Whisk yogurt and water together till smooth.

• Add salt and cumin powder.

• Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, then add green chilies, ginger, and curry leaves. Add this tempering to the buttermilk.

With this, you have a comprehensive guide to making a traditional Onasadya! Remember, the beauty of these recipes lies in the combination of flavors, so don't hesitate to adjust according to personal preferences or availability of ingredients. Enjoy your feast!