Thiruvonam, the main day of Onam, falls on the 26th of August this year, capping off ten days of celebration that start with Atham. Kerala spends that stretch laying pookalam flower carpets on doorsteps and getting the house ready for King Mahabali, who's said to visit his old kingdom once a year. Ask anyone what they actually look forward to, though, and most people say the Sadhya.
The traditional vegetarian meal served on a banana leaf, Sadhya, features more than twenty dishes to be eaten with your hands. While the spread usually features the same dishes, no two regions in Kerala make them the same way. So, this Onam, why don’t you make your festive spread and give Sadhya your unique touch? Follow these regional recipes shared by chefs and celebrate Kerala’s harvest festival the right way.
Red Pumpkin Erussery
By Anuj Mathur, Executive Chef, Taj Surajkund Resort & Spa, Delhi NCR
Ingredients:
- 500 g red pumpkin
- 100 g red beans
- 10 g turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- Water, as required
- 120 g roasted coconut
- 5 g cumin seeds
- 4 green chillies
- 50 ml coconut oil
- 5 g mustard seeds
- 3 dried Guntur red chillies
- 2 sprigs of curry leaves
Method:
- Pressure-cook the soaked red beans with sufficient water and salt until soft and mushy.
- Cook the red pumpkin with turmeric, salt and a little water until tender.
- Roast the grated coconut until slightly brown.
- Grind the roasted coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies into a coarse paste without adding water.
- Add the ground coconut paste to the cooked pumpkin and cook gently.
- Heat coconut oil in a pan and prepare a tempering with mustard seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves.
- Add the tempering to the cooked beans, pumpkin and coconut paste, and mix well.
- Finish with a drizzle of coconut oil and serve hot.
Kaya Mezhukkupuratti
By Abhijeet Thakre, Executive Chef, Vivanta New Delhi Dwarka
Ingredients:
- 2 raw bananas
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 6-8 shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 dried red chillies
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp coconut pieces
Method:
- Parboil the raw banana pieces with a little salt and turmeric until just tender and drain the excess water.
- Heat some oil and add mustard seeds. Let them crackle.
- Add dried red chillies, curry leaves, garlic, shallots and coconut pieces. Sauté until lightly golden.
- Mix in turmeric, red chilli powder and the cooked raw banana.
- Cook on low heat, allowing the banana to roast slowly until the edges become slightly crisp and caramelised. Adjust seasoning and serve hot.
Ada Pradhaman
By Shahul Hameed, Executive Chef, The Lalit Ashok Bangalore
Ingredients:
- 250 g rice ada
- 400 g jaggery
- 1.5 litres thin coconut milk (1st/2nd extraction)
- 500 ml thick coconut milk (1st extraction)
- 50 g ghee
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- ½ tsp dry ginger powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 40 g fried coconut pieces
- 40 g fried cashew nuts
- 25 g fried raisins
- A small pinch of salt
- Water, as required
Method:
- Wash the rice ada thoroughly and soak in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Drain.
- Cook the ada in boiling water until tender but still slightly firm. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
- Melt the jaggery with a little water. Strain through a fine sieve to remove impurities.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed vessel and add the strained jaggery syrup. Simmer until slightly thickened.
- Add the cooked ada and mix well. Cook on low-medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the thin coconut milk gradually and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not boil vigorously.
- Add ghee, cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, cumin powder and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
- Reduce the heat to very low and add the thick coconut milk. Heat gently for 2–3 minutes without allowing it to boil.
- Add fried coconut pieces, cashews and raisins. Mix well.
- Rest for about five minutes before serving. The pradhaman will thicken slightly as it cools.