Onam 2022: Savour Erissery, Cheera Thoran, And Ada Pradhaman
Image Credit: Ada pradhaman

Onam is Kerala’s much-awaited harvest festival. The highlight of this grand event is the sumptuous and lavish banquet, Onam Sadya. It is said that more than 25 dishes are served in a traditional Sadya. The range of mouthwatering dishes makes this feast fit for the Kings. Out of the variety of dishes, there are a few that can be made at home. Though it involves an elaborate cooking process, the dishes are well worth the effort.

Here are recipes for Erissery, Cheera Thoran, and Ada Pradhaman.

Eriserry

This is a delicious pumpkin and cowpeas preparation flavoured with mild spices. 

cheera thoran

  • 2 spinach (green or red) bunches

  • 1 red onion (small)

  • Garlic cloves

  • Dry red chillies 

  • Mustard seeds

  • Grated coconut

  • Curry leaves 

  • Green chillies

  • Turmeric powder

  • Salt, to taste 

  • Coconut oil


    • Method

    • Wash the spinach thoroughly.

  • Cut the roots and chop the spinach into tiny pieces.

  • Grind, in a mixie, 3 green chillies, 2 to 3 peeled garlic cloves, 2 tsps turmeric powder, grated coconut, and a little water, to make a paste.

  • Heat 2 tbsps coconut oil in a pan.

  • Add about 3 tsps mustard seeds, and let it splutter.

  • Chop one red onion and add, stir well, add a few curry leaves, and stir until the onions turn translucent. 

  • Add the chopped spinach and salt, and stir well.

  • Then, add the spice paste and stir well.

  • Cover the pan and let the spinach cook on low flame for 10 mins. 

  • Stir the spinach well and ensure it doesn't stick to the pan. 

  • Serve hot.


    • Ada Pradhaman  

    This is a luscious pudding made with jaggery and coconut milk.


    Ingredients

    • Rice ada

  • Coconut milk

  • Cashew nuts

  • Raisins

  • Coconut slices

  • Cardamom Powder

  • Ghee 


    • Method

    • Boil a pot of water, add one cup of rice ada, wait for a few seconds, and take off from the flame.

  • Keep aside the rice ada, soaked in the boiled water, for about half an hour.

  • Drain the water, and wash the rice ada with cold water well, and keep aside.

  • To make jaggery syrup, boil half a cup of grated jaggery in water for a few minutes.

  • Strain the jaggery using a sieve to get a syrup.

  • Heat 2 tbsps of ghee in a pan, add cashew nuts, raisins, and coconut slices, and fry all the ingredients together till a fragrance is emitted, and take off the flame.

  • In a pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee, add the rice ada, and saute for about a minute.

  • Add the jaggery syrup, and let it cook, with the rice ada, on low to medium flame. 

  • Wait for the jaggery to thicken.

  • Dilute a cup of coconut milk with water and add a teaspoon of cardamom powder, the cooked cashew nuts, raisins and undiluted coconut milk, and take off from flame.

  • Garnish the Ada Pradhaman with fried cashew nuts.

  • Serve hot.


    • Serve the Erissery and the Cheera Thoran with steamed rice, you can also serve the Ada Pradhaman cold.