Onam 2024: How to Prepare and Serve a Traditional Onam Sadhya

Onam is the annual harvest and cultural festival celebrated by the Hindu community, especially in Kerala. The festival is commemorated during the Chingam month of the Malayalam Solar Calendar. This year the Onam festivities will commence on September 6 and will conclude on September 15. Onam festivities generally involve cleaning the house, taking early morning baths, decorating the surroundings with flowers, making Pookalam, meeting friends and family, and enjoying a large Onam Sadhya.

Onam Sadhya is a feast served on the last day of the annual harvest festival. The title ‘Sadhya’ alludes to the feast itself, which is noted for its numerous foods and cultural significance.

A traditional Onam Sadhya includes 26 to 28 various types of mouthwatering curries, fried veggies, desserts, snacks and more, all made with over 60 ingredients. It is believed that every member of the household must contribute to preparing the traditional Onam Sadhya on the tenth day of the festivities.

This 26-course meal includes Rice, Sambhar, Rasam, Kaalan, Inji Curry, Naranga Curry, Parippu Curry, Mango Curry, Avial, Thoran, Banana, Pachadi, Uperi, Palada Pradhaman, Poovan Pazham, Kichadi,MorruKachiyatha, Pappadam,Chena Mezhukkupuratti,Pulissery, Olan, Ellisheri, Sarkara Varatti, Inji Thayir, Nei and Pazham Pradhaman.

What are the Ingredients used to prepare a traditional Onam Sadhya?

To prepare these dishes you’ll need a wide variety of ingredients:

• Vegetables like yam, eggplant, potatoes, carrots, cucumber, moringa, cabbage, beans, raw jackfruit, tomatoes, onion and others.
• Fruits like pineapple, mango and coconut
• Spices like black pepper, red chilies, cumin seeds, coriander powder, red chili powder, green chillies and mustard seeds.
• Rice
• Curd
• Milk
• Sugar
• Ghee
• Lentils or Daal
• Jaggery

How To Prepare Onam Sadhya?

The preparation of Onam Sadhya takes a of lot time and can’t be done alone. As it includes a wide variety of dishes you might need help from all your family members to get things done quickly.

1. Step 1Start with the preparation of Sambhar and Rasam as these curry dishes take time to prepare. Both of them are spicy and flavourful curry dishes made with tamarind, tomatoes and spices like black pepper, coriander, chili powder and others.
2. Step 2Assign a person to chop all the vegetables and fruits like yam,eggplant, potatoes, carrots, cucumber, moringa, cabbage, beans, raw jackfruit, tomatoes and onion.
3. Step 3Start the preparation of other curry dishes like Inji Curry, Parripu Curry, Mango Curry and Moru Kachiyathu.
4. Step 4After you prepare the curries, start the preparation for Kaalan, Avial, Thoran, Kichadi, Pachadi and other dishes which don’t require a lot of time and effort.
5. Step 5How can you forget desserts? After finishing these up start preparing Palada Pradhaman and Pazham Pradhaman which will be enjoyed at the end of the meal.
6. Step 6Lastly, start making Rice, Pappadam (to serve crisp), Upperi and Sharkara Varatti, so that they can be served hot.
7. Step 7Serve small portions of all these prepared dishes to your family members on a banana leaf.
8. Step 8Bananas and pickles can be brought from the market in advance.
9. Step 9Enjoy your traditional Onam Sadhya.

How To Serve Sadhya?

The meal is served on a banana leaf laid on the floor and is eaten with hands without any cutleries. All dishes are served in small quantities to accommodate everything and refilled after regular intervals. A special serving tip is to top rice with Neyy, also known as Ghee, and have the pickles and chutneys to add some extra flavour.