21 August,2020 07:19 AM IST | Mumbai | Sukanya Datta
A sadhya served by Ribin Balan
From rekindling bonds with loved ones, to the doling out of crispies, chammandis, and of course, the mammoth sadhya - Onam is more than just a festival for Malayalis; it's about bonhomie, love and happy bellies. Ahead of the 10-day celebrations, two Malayali Mumbaikars, who serve the spirit of the festival for those away from Kerala, tell us why Onam is about finding the Mahabali in you.
For Vinod G Nair, co-owner of the Keralite fare delivery service NairOnFire and founder of the food chain Poori Baatein, Onam has always been a special affair. The first reason is that his birthday usually coincides with Onam, and so, as a kid, that meant the bonus of gifts. Nair, who spent his childhood in Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram, shares that apart from new clothes and connecting with friends and family, food is central to his memory of the festival. "On the first day of Onam, you clean up; then, you deck up the house, and after that, it's about prepping for the sadhya. So, something is always on the stove - murukku, banana chips, pickles and chammandis, etc," he shares, reminiscing about his mother's olan, a preparation of red beans and white gourd, and the sweet and spicy pineapple pachhadi, a kind of pickle. But his favourite bit, he admits, was devouring ghee during the sadhya. "Back when I was a kid, it was a real luxury and we'd be begging the server for more dollops of ghee." He explains that although the sadhya has about five to six courses, it's a scientifically laid-out meal, to ensure "good digestion and a great nap afterwards".
Vinod G Nair (with the dog) at a sadhya he hosted for friends including Hariharan, Sanjeev Kapoor and Ranveer Brar
The second reason why Onam is close to his heart, is that NairOnFire went from being a weekend deli to a full-time one after he hosted a sadhya for his friends at the Bandra restaurant Thangabali last year. "While it was a decision taken over a few too many drinks, my partners and I realised that we could run this full-time. We served over 150 sadhyas to my friends, including singer Hariharan, chefs Ranveer Brar and Sanjeev Kapoor," he adds.
Pro-tip: While making alu thoran, fry the masala separately, dry-roast the coconut, mix them both together by hand, and cook the potatoes in the masala. Don't pre-boil the potatoes, he shares. "And don't forget to câook with a smile on your face," Nair adds.
Thirty-two-year-old Ribin Balan, who runs the Kalina-based eatery Theeram, tells us that Onam at home in Calicut is synonymous with the memory of pookalam or flower decoration. "There would be pookalam competitions in school. Even at home, we would visit the temple in the morning, post which we kids would head out to pluck flowers and make designs on the courtyard," he shares. Balan, who usually spent Onam at his grandparent's house, adds he would look forward to the sweet aroma of payasam wafting in the house. "My mother's moong dal payasam or cherupayar payasam was my favourite. That tadka of ghee used to be a delight. I also enjoyed the avial, sambar, and uniappams," he recollects.
Ribin Balan
However, for the past four to five years, Onam has meant making family out of his friends and colleagues in the maximum city. After all, they are the ones who helped him set up Theeram, he says. "Onam is a busy affair now. On the tenth day, about 20 of my friends and I dress up in our mundus, and serve the customers ourselves." And that's what the spirit of Onam is for him - making others' sadhya special with his dear ones.
Pro-tip: For the cherupayar payasam, add a few strips of banana leaves while frying the moong dal in ghee. "Remove it later. It helps to gauge if the dal is getting burnt," he adds.
Chef Marina Balakrishnan has 27 dishes on the sadhya menu, and you can expect flowers and a potli of local rice from Kerala, too.
Call 9820217676
Dig into a sadhya, with non-veg add-ons like buff bapas, karimeen fry, and more from Just Kerala.
Call 9004170484
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