Onam 2023: 5 chef-approved authentic dishes to prepare for Onam Sadhya

Indian festival Onam is celebrated every year for a duration of 10 days. In any traditional South Indian household, the preparation and celebration of the festival include taking early morning bath, cleaning the house and decorating it with colourful flowers, making Pookalam or flower rangoli, donning traditional attire, playing games and exchanging gifts.

Onam is a traditional harvest festival predominantly celebrated in the state of Kerala. It holds cultural and religious significance, also marking the homecoming of the legendary King Mahabali, a renowned king popular for his generosity and righteous government.

Onam 2023 is observed from August 20 to 31, with the significant day of Thiruvonam on August 29. Like most other Indian festivals, Onam is incomplete without its grand vegetarian feast popularly called Onam Sadhya. This feast includes an array of authentic Kerala dishes which are artistically served on a banana leaf.

Some common dishes prepared in every household on the occasion of the festival include Avial (a mixed vegetable curry), Sambar (lentil stew), Rasam (tamarind soup), Parippu Curry, (dal curry), Payasam a sweet pudding, Puliyinchi (tamarind ginger chutney) and more. These dishes vary based on region and personal preferences.

On the joyous occasion of Onam 2023, we bring you authentic recipes from chefs that you can prepare at home for sadhya

Aviyal

A colourful medley of vegetables, no feast in Kerala can miss Aviyal. It's a dish that perfectly blends flavours of a variety of vegetables, coconut, and yoghurt giving it a creamy texture.

Ingredients

Mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, drumstick, raw banana, yam and ash gourd), chopped into equal-sized pieces - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Chopped green chilli (adjust to taste) - 1
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Yoghurt - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dried red chilies - 2-3
Salt to taste
A few curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

Method:

1. Boil chopped vegetables with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt until they are tender but not overcooked. Drain and set aside.

2. In a blender, grind grated coconut, green chilli and cumin seeds into a coarse paste. You can add a little water if needed.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the boiled vegetables, coconut paste, yoghurt, curry leaves and salt. Mix well to combine everything.

4. Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add dried red chillies and curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds.

5. Add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) and pour this tempering (mentioned above) over the vegetable-coconut mixture. Gently mix everything together.

6. Adjust the salt and spice levels according to your taste.

7. Serve Aviyal hot with steamed rice. It can also be enjoyed with other traditional Kerala dishes like sambar.

Recipe by home chef, founder, Meal On Leaf, Trishala Lunawat

Inji Puli

Also known as Puli Inji or Inji curry, this dish is a tangy and spicy ginger tamarind chutney that's a popular condiment to the traditional Kerala sadhya.

Ingredients:

Ginger, finely chopped - 1 cup
Green chilies, chopped - 2-3
Tamarind (about the size of a small lemon), soaked in water - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida (hing) - 1/4 tsp
Jaggery, grated - 1/2 cup
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
A few curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Squeeze the soaked tamarind to extract its juice. Discard the pulp and seeds.

2. In a pan, add chopped ginger and sauté for a few minutes until it's slightly brown and fragrant. Remove and set aside.

3. In the same pan, in some oil, add the green chillies, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and asafoetida. Saute for a minute.

4. Pour the tamarind extract into a pan. Add salt and grated jaggery. Stir well and let it simmer until the mixture thickens.

5. Add the sauteed ginger to the tamarind mixture. Mix everything together for the flavours to mix well.

6. In a separate pan, heat coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds.

7. Pour the tempering over the ginger-tamarind mixture and mix well. Allow the flavours to meld for a few minutes.

8. If the Inji Puli is too thick, you can add a little water to achieve the desired consistency. Adjust the sweetness and tanginess by adding more jaggery or tamarind as needed.

9. Inji Puli can be served as a condiment or side dish with rice as part of a traditional Kerala meal. It adds a burst of flavour and a tangy kick to the meal.

Remember that Inji Puli's flavours develop over time, so they can turn more delicious when enjoyed the next day.

Recipe by home chef, founder, Meal On Leaf, Trishala Lunawat

Ada Pradhaman

Another popular Kerala dish, Ada Pradhaman is a rich, creamy dessert to ensure you complete your sadhya on a happy note. This sweet dish is drenched in the goodness of rice flakes and coconut milk and is often served during festive occasions like Onam.

Ingredients:
Rice flakes (ada) - 1 cup
Jaggery, grated - 1 cup
Coconut milk (or extracted milk from grated coconut) - 1 can (400 ml)
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Ghee (clarified butter) - 2-3 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 10 -12
Raisins - 2-3 tbsp
A pinch of salt

Method:

1. Soak ice flakes (ada) in warm water for about 15-20 minutes to soften them.

Drain the water and keep the softened ada aside.

2. In a pan, add the grated jaggery with a little water and melt it over medium flame to make a jaggery syrup. Strain to remove impurities and set aside.

3. If using grated coconut, extract coconut milk from it. If you choose to use canned coconut milk, dilute the thickness with a little water to make the milk thin.

4. In a heavy-bottomed pan, pour the thin coconut milk and bring it to a gentle simmer. Add the cooked ada to the simmering coconut milk and cook for a few minutes until they are well combined. Then add the jaggery syrup to the ada-coconut milk mixture and stir well. Allow it to simmer for a few more minutes until the flavours mix.

5. Add the cardamom powder to the pradhaman prepared and mix well.

6. In a separate pan, heat ghee and roast cashew nuts and raisins until they turn golden brown.

7. Add the roasted cashew nuts and raisins, along with the ghee, to the pradhaman and mix gently.

8. Serve Ada Pradhaman warm or at room temperature as a delightful dessert and relish.

Recipe by home chef, founder, Meal On Leaf, Trishala Lunawat

Tomato Dal

Relish it with some phulkas, enjoy it with steamed rice, or gulp it down. Dal also called as ‘Pappu' in Telugu, is a staple in every Indian household. Tomato dal is one of the specialities served during sadhya. It is double delicious as it has a kick of tanginess that comes from the tomatoes.

Ingredients

Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped onion - 1
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
A few curry leaves
Sesame oil 1/2 tsp
Chopped green chillies - 1-2
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped green tomatoes - 1 - 1 and 1/2 cups

Method:

1. Rinse dal thoroughly with water about 3-4 times and let it soak for 15 mins.

2. Now, in a pot add about one and half cups of water and pour the dal in it.

3. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the dal is cooked completely.

4. Heat another pot or kadai. Add oil to it. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let it crackle. Then add chopped green chillies, chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix this for a minute. Ensure all the flavours blend well. Once the mixture softens, add the cooked dal and mix well.

5. To maintain consistency add some water according to your preference of thickness.

6. Let it simmer for five more minutes before serving. You can sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves on it and relish.

Recipe by The South Spice, Mumbai

Pal Payasam

This rich and creamy Indian classic dessert is prepared using very less ingredients and is thus easy to make. Pal payasam is a perfect example of how even a simple rice dish can be absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 litre
Sugar (adjust to taste) - 1 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts - 10-15
Raisins - 10-15
Cardamom pods, crushed - 5 - 6

Method:

1. Wash rice and soak it for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large pot, bring the milk to boil. Add the soaked rice and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until rice is fully cooked and the milk thickens.

3. Add sugar and crushed cardamom pods. Mix well and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

4. In a separate pan, heat ghee. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins until golden. Add them to the rice pudding.

5. Pal Payasam is now ready to be served warm or chilled.

Recipe by Chef Abhijeet Bagwe, executive chef, Novotel, Mumbai International Airport