Onam is celebrated over 10days with Sadya eaten over plaintain leaves, it is difficult to find these traditions outside Kerala. But I always try and manage to make the sadya in the traditional way.
The first course of an Onam Sadya is always Paripp curry and ghee with red boiled rice and pappadam.
Paripp curry -Roast the Moong Dhal then add water and cook it with some salt and a coarsely ground coconut, jeera and green chillies. When it is cooked , temper it with dry red chillies, mustard and curry leaves.
Olan – Cut the vegetables into fairly big pieces as for avial (Raw banana, Brinjal, Raw papaya, Lady’s finger, pumpkin, snake gourd and split green chillies). Boil Red gram (vanpayar) . Cook all the vegetables add the boiled gram. Crush the garlic cloves with the grated coconut and stir well. The curry should be fairly thick. Temper the curry using coconut oil, mustard, dry red chillie and curry leaves.
Avial – Cut the vegetables into big pieces (Brinjal, pumpkin, snake gourd, string beans, drumstick etc., ) Boil the vegetables along with slit green chillies , turmeric powder, curry leaves and salt. When the vegetables are done add coarsely ground coconut and cumin seeds mixed in curds. When the gravy is fairly thick. Season the curry using coconut oil, mustard, dry red chillies and curry leaves.
Thoran – Thoran can be made with cabbage, beans, carrot and other vegetables also. You need to grate the vegetables for making thoran or slice it very thin. Add oil and cook the vegetable with salt and turmeric and when it is half done add coarsely ground coconut, jeera, green chillie and garlic. Heat oil add mustard seed, red chillie and curry leaves and season the thoran ( please don’t add water while cooking the vegetables)
Pulinji Curry – In oil fry mustard, curry leaves,jeera and methi seeds. Add ginger and tamarind pulp and jaggery and cook till the gravy thickens. Garnish with fried curry leaves.
Along with the above curries the usual Sambar, rasam , moru curry along with Kaduku manga pickle, pachachdi etc are served.
Now let’s move on to the sweet dishes served on Onasadya. There will be Ada payasam, pal payasam, parippu payasam
Ada Payasam - Boil the ada. Add milk cook until done. Then add sugar and cardamon powder. Stir well. Add ghee and garnish with fried coconut pieces
Make your Onasadya and Enjoy your Onam
Onam Ashamsagal!
