Thursday, September 18, 2025

Cooking Up Tradition: Your Guide to Onam Sadya

 


28 items!!! Going from to left towards the right -

Buttermilk, hot water boiled with herbs, salt, banana chips, sharkaravarati, ginger curry (pulinji), mango pickle, bittergourd chips, yam chips, raw banana kalan, kootukari, olan, beans mezkukkupurrati, mathanga (pumpkin) erissery, cabbage thoran, avial, pineapple pachadi, cucumber-onion kichadi, okra kichadi Banana, pappadam, parippu, red rice, sambar, pulissery, ada payasam, Kadala parippu payasam

Ingredients list

Grains, Lentils & Legumes

Rice (preferably Unda Kerala Matta)

Chana dal (if making kadala payasam)

Moong dal (split yellow, for parippu payasam)

Toor dal (for Sambar)

Ada (rice flakes, for Ada Pradhaman)

Cowpeas (black-eyed beans)

Red vanpayar (for Erissery)

Kala Chana (kootukari)

Fruits & Vegetables

Ash gourd (white pumpkin)

Yellow pumpkin

Raw banana (plantain)

Yam (elephant foot yam)

Cabbage

Bhindi

Beans (French beans or long beans)

Cucumber

Pineapple

Mango (ripe, for Mambazha Pulissery)

Carrot,

Drumstick,

Snake gourd,

Kundru (Ivy gourd) (for Aviyal and Sambar)

Green chillies

Small onions (shallots or sambar onion)

Broad beans,

Cluster beans,

Okra (for Sambar and Aviyal)

Red chillies (dry)

Coconut

Coconut milk

Coconut oil

Dairy

Curd/yogurt (sour)

Ghee

Jaggery

Nuts & Dried Fruits

Cashews

Raisins

Coconut pieces (cut into bits and fried for

topping some curries and payasam)

Spices & Powders

Sambar powder (Kerala style for Sambar)

Methi seeds (for powder & tempering)

Mustard seeds

Other

Curry leaves

Tamarind

Banana leaf

Pappadam

Banana chips

Sharkara upperi

Order the day before:

Buttermilk

Flowers



Menu

 

Main:

• Rice

• Parippu Curry

• Sambar

• Pulissery

Side Dishes:

• Kalan

• Olan

• Eriserry

• Aviyal

• Beans Mezhukupuratti

• Kootu Curry

• Cabbage Thoran

• Cucumber Kichadi

• Pineapple Pachadi

Pickles, Chips and Others:

• Sharkara Upperi

• Nendran Chips 

• Inji Puli 

• Instant Mango Pickle

• Moru

• Jeera vellam

• Papadam

• Karela(Bitter gourd) chips

Payasam:

• Kadala Parippu Pradhaman

• Ada Pradhaman

Recipes

1.      Parippu

Ingredients:

2 cups moong dal

1 tbsp pepper, salt to taste

To grind

1 cup grated coconut

3 green chilies

3 pods garlic

1⁄2 tsp jeera

12-14 curry leaves

1⁄2 tsp haldi (haldi)

Tempering

2 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 dried red chilies

3-4 shallots, chopped (or 2 tbsp chopped

onion)

A sprig of curry leaves

Method:

Dry roast the dal until fragrant, and then pressure-cook it with 5 cups water and salt.

Mash it well and add more water if necessary.

Grind grated coconut, green chillies, 6-7 curry leaves, turmeric powder, garlic, jeera.

Add the paste to the dal and simmer for a minute.

Add pepper and cook for 5 more minutes with occasional stirring.

Heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds.

When they splutter, add the red chillies, shallots and curry leaves.

When the onions turn brown, pour it over the curry.

2.      Sambar

Ingredients:

1 cup toor dal

5 cups vegetables, cubed (drumsticks, snake gourds)

2 tsp Sambar masala powder

2 tsp haldi

A pinch of asafetida (hing)

Marble-sized ball of tamarind

Salt

Tempering:

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp mustard seeds

5-6 shallots or 1⁄2 onion, finely chopped

6-7 Curry leaves

Method:

• Pressure-cook the dal for 5 min with 2 cups water.

• Soak tamarind in half cup water for 10 mim. squeeze and extract its juice. Keep aside.

• Add sambar masala powder and vegetables and stir for a minute.

• Add salt, asafetida, tamarind juice, 11⁄2 cups water, and pressure cook for 3 more minutes.

• Heat ghee, add rai, onion, curry leaves, fry till shallots are soft and light brown.

3.      Pulissery

Ingredients:

2 cups curds

1⁄2 tsp haldi

1 green chili

1⁄2 tsp mustard seeds

2 tbsp chopped shallots or onion

6-7 curry leaves

Salt, water

Method:

• Beat the curds until smooth and stir in the haldi.

• Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil and add the mustard seeds.

• When the seeds splutter, add the chopped shallots, curry leaves and green chili.

• Lower the heat to minimum and pour the curds in. Add water if required.

• Heat with stirring, and take off heat before it comes to a boil.

• Serve hot.

4.      Kalan

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup raw green plantain

• 1⁄2 cup elephant yam

• 1⁄2 tsp haldi

• 1⁄2 tsp pepper pd

• 1⁄4 tsp roasted & ground methi

• curry leaves

• 1 cup sour curd

• salt to taste

To grind:

• 1⁄4 cup coconut

• 1⁄2 tsp jeera

• 1 green chili

To temper:

• coconut oil, mustard seeds

• 1 red chili

• few curry leaves

 

1. Whisk curd until smooth.

2. Grind 1⁄4 cup coconut, 1⁄2 tsp jeera and 1 green chili.

3. Cover and cook on a medium flame 1⁄2 cup plantain, 1⁄2 cup yam along with 1⁄4 tsp haldi,

salt to taste and 1 cup water.

4. Once cooked, switch off the flame and add the curd, mix and coconut paste

5. Mix well, cook for 5 min on low heat.

6. Temper with mustard seeds, red chilies, curry leaves

7. .Add 1⁄2 tsp pepper powder, 1⁄2 tsp fenugreek seeds powder.

5.  Olan

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups white ash gourd

• 1⁄2 cup cowpeas

• 2 green chillies slitted

• 1 cup thin coconut milk

• 1 cup thick coconut milk

• 1 small sprig curry leaves

• 1 tsp coconut oil

• salt to taste

• water as needed

Instructions

1. Take 1⁄2 cup cow peas, rinse well and soak in water overnight. Cook covered until soft.

2. Add ash gourd, few curry leaves and 2 green chilies slit into half lengthwise. Salt

3. Now add 1 cup thin coconut milk. Quick mix.

4. Cook covered until ash gourd turns soft.

5. Ash gourd and cow peas is cooked well. Switch off the stove.

6. Add 1 cup thick coconut milk.

7. Add few curry leaves and 1 tsp coconut oil to it. Give a quick mix.

6. Mathanga Vanpayar Erissery

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin diced

• 1⁄2 cup red cowpeas

• 1⁄4 tsp haldi

• Salt to taste

To Grind :

• 1-2 Shallots (optional)

• 3-4 Green Chillies

• 1⁄2 cup Grated Coconut

• 1⁄2 tsp jeera

For Tempering :

• 2 Dry Red Chillies

• 4 tbsp Grated Coconut

• 1 sprig curry leaves

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 2 tsp Coconut Oil

Instructions

1. Soak red beans overnight; pressure cook with chilly powder, haldi, salt for 4-5 whistle.

2. Add pumpkin, cook uncovered till soft, When pumpkin is cooked, slightly mash the pieces.

3. Grind coconut, jeera, green chillies, small onions with a little water to coarse smooth paste

4. Add this ground coconut paste and mix thoroughly with pumpkin and red beans.

5. Tempering: Coconut oil, mustard seeds, dry red chillies, grated coconut, curry leaves. Fry

till they turn golden brown. (Careful not to burn it)

6. Pour this tempering and drizzle 1/2 tsp of coconut oil over the gravy, mix well, adjust salt.

7. Aviyal

Ingredients:

4 cups mixed vegetables (ash gourd, raw banana, yam, cluster beans, snake gourd, drumsticks,

potato, cucumber, pumpkin and carrots)

1⁄2 tsp haldi

1 cup sour curds

Salt to taste

Garnish

5 tsp coconut oil

1 sprig of curry leaves

To grind

1 cup fresh grated coconut

1 tsp jeera

7-10 green chilies

Method:

• Boil 2 cups water in a pan. Add the vegetables and turmeric.

• Simmer till the vegetables are tender.

• Grind coconut, jeera and green chilies to a fine paste. Add salt.

• Add the paste to the vegetables and mix well.

• Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.

• Stir in the curds and cook for 2 min.

• Add the coconut oil (uncooked) and curry leaves.

8. Beans Mezhukkupuratti

Ingredients

300 grams Green beans sliced

2 Onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp Rai

1 sprig Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Haldi

1 tsp Black pepper powder

1 tsp Coconut Oil

Salt, to taste

Process:

• Cut the beans lengthwise and then into 2 inch pieces.

• Heat oil, add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add the curry leaves and let it splutter.

• Add onions and saute the onions until they are tender.

• Add beans, haldi, pepper, season with salt, mix well and stir fry the beans until cooked.

• Check the salt to taste and adjust accordingly. Once done, turn off the heat and transfer the

beans Mezhukkupuratti to a serving bowl.

9. Kootukari

Ingredients :

Ashgourd or Pumpkin /Mathan : 1 cup (diced)

Raw Plantain : 1/2 cup (diced) (you can add variety of vegetables like carrot, potato)

Chena/Yam 1 cup (diced)

Black Chickpeas /Kadala: 1/2 cup

Haldi : 3/4 tsp

Red chilly powder : 1 1/2 to 2 tsp

Jaggery : 3 tbsp

Salt to taste

For Grinding

Grated coconut : 3/4 cup

Jeera, green chili

For Seasoning:

Grated coconut : 3/4 cup

Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies : 2 – 3

Curry leaves : 1 sprig

Cooking oil : 1tbsp

Method of Preparation :

1. Soak black chickpeas /kadala overnight and pressure cook with salt for around 5 whistles.

2. Grind together grated coconut and cumin to a smooth paste with little water and keep it aside.

3. Cook the vegetables, raw banana, ashgourd and yam cubes along with 1 cup of water until

they vegetables are almost cooked and 95 % of the water is evaporated.

4. Now add salt, haldi, red chilly powder and jaggery. Mix well until the jaggery is dissolved.

5. Add the ground coconut mixture to the cooked vegetables and mix well. Cook a few min.

6. Add the cooked chickpeas to the above mixture. Mix well and cook for couple of minutes.

7. Temper with mustard seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and grated coconut and roast it

until golden brown color. Add this over the kootucurry and mix well.

9. Optional – sprinkle add 1 tsp of fresh coconut oil on the top and cover it and allow it to stand

for 10-20 minutes before serving.

10. Cabbage thoran

Ingredients

• 3 cups cabbage shredded

• 1⁄2 tsp haldi

• 1 cup water, salt to taste

• 1⁄2 cup coconut

To grind to a coarse mixture:

• 10 small onions

• 4 garlic flakes

• 1 tsp jeera

• 2 green chillies

To temper:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 2 small red chilies

• few curry leaves

Instructions

1. Grate cabbage - thin shreds as shown below. Measure 3 cups and set aside.

2. Grind together 1⁄2 cup coconut, 8 small onion, 4 garlic, 1 tsp jeera, 2 green chili.

3. Heat coconut oil - add 2 tbsp coconut oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds let it splutter.

Then add 2 small red chili, few curry leaves. Let it splutter.

5.       Once it splutters add cabbage along with salt to taste and 1⁄2 tsp haldi.

 

5. Saute for few minutes. Cook covered for 10-12 minutes. until transparent and slightly soft.

6. Add prepared coconut mixture.

7. Mix well. Cover and set aside to cook in its own steam.

11. Pineapple pachadi

Ingredients

• 1 cup pineapple cubed

• 1⁄2 cup thick curd

• 1 tsp jaggery

• 1⁄4 tsp turmeric powder

• 1⁄2 tsp red chili powder

• water as required to cook

• salt to taste

To grind to a paste:

• 1⁄4 cup coconut fresh & grated

• 1⁄8 tsp mustard seeds

• 1⁄4 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 long green chilli

To temper:

• 2 tsp coconut oil

• 1⁄2 tsp mustard seeds

• 1 small red chilli

• A sprig of curry leaves

Instructions

1. Whisk 1⁄2 cup curd until creamy and smooth, Set aside.

2. Grind to a coarse paste the coconut, mustard seeds, jeera, green chili, with a bit of water

3. Cook the pineapple with haldi, chili pd, salt, jaggery and a bit of water. Cook until soft.

4. Add the coconut paste. Saute until the raw smell of coconut leaves.

5. Cook for 3-5 minutes until it becomes dry. Then switch off and let it cool.

12.Cucumber kichadi

Ingredients:

1 cup peeled, deseeded cucumber, chopped

1⁄2 onion, finely chopped

1 green chilli, finely chopped

1⁄2 inch ginger, finely chopped

Salt to taste

1 cup beaten curd

To temper

1 tbsp coconut oil

1⁄4 tsp mustard seeds

1 red chilli broken to pieces

A few curry leaves

Instruction

1. Whisk the curd until smooth.

2. Mix all ingredients together.

3. Add the tempering, serve.

13. Ladies Finger (Okra) kichadi

Ingredients:

1⁄2 kg okra (ladies finger / bhindi)

2 cups curd

To temper

3 dried red chilies

9-10 curry leaves

4 tbsp coconut oil

Salt

Method:

• Slice the okra into very thin rounds. To ensure it doesn’t get slimy, make sure it is dry.

• Heat 3 tbsp oil and add the okra.

• Fry over low heat, tossing occasionally, until the okra turns brown and crisp.

• Mix together the curds and ladies-finger.

• Heat the remaining oil and add red chilies and curry leaves. Pour it over the kichadi.

Note: To make sure the okra is fresh and tender, try bending its tip with your fingers. If it snaps

cleanly, the okra is fresh. Old and fibrous okra will tend to bend and will be hard to break at the

tip.

14. Ada Pradhaman

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup ada

• 1 cup jaggery

• 1 cup thin coconut milk

• 1⁄2 cup thick coconut milk

• 2 tbsp ghee

• 12 cashews

• 2 tbsp coconut

• 1⁄4 tsp cardamom powder

• 1⁄8 tsp dry ginger powder

Instructions

1. Rinse 1⁄2 cup ada in water first. Then boil 2 cups of water

2. Once boiled, turn off the flame, add the ada. 15 min later, strain and set aside.

It should only be slightly soft as it will be cooked again.

3. Heat 1 cup jaggery with 1⁄2 cup water, cook until it completely dissolves. Switch off.

4. Strain through a metal strainer to remove impurities if any.

5. Fry cashews in 1 tbsp ghee until golden brown. Remove, set aside.

6. Add 2 tbsp coconut and fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

7. Now add drained ada and saute for a minute. It will stick a bit, don't panic.

8. Add strained jaggery syrup, cook until thick, it will take at least 10 minutes.

9. Add 1 cup thin coconut milk, boil for about 10 minutes or until thick.

10. Add 1⁄8 tsp dry ginger powder, 1⁄4 tsp cardamom powder and 1⁄2 cup thick coconut milk, mix

well.

11. Add fried cashews, coconut and 1 tbsp ghee.

12. Give a quick stir. When it starts to boil switch off. Do not boil after thick coconut milk is

added. It thickens after cooling down so switch off accordingly.

15. Chana dal Payasam

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup chana dal

• 1⁄2 cup powdered jaggery

• 1⁄2 cup thick coconut milk

• 2 tbsp milk

• 7 cashews broken

• Tiny pinch edible camphor (optional

• Tiny pinch dry ginger powder

• 2 tsp ghee

Instructions

1. Soak jaggery in warm water (till immersing level), crush it well.

2. Dry roast chana dal until it turns golden brown. In a pressure cooker add chana dal with

water till immersing level and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles, don't make it too mushy, Set aside.

3. Heat ghee in a pan add cashews and fry till golden brown, set aside.

4. Heat jaggery until it melts and starts thickening (no need to check for any consistency). Add

chana dal at this stage. Mash it up with a ladle. Once jaggery syrup is well combined with the dal,

add coconut milk.

5. Once it starts to boil, add dry ginger powder / edible camphor and give a quick stir. Switch

off and add ghee fried cashews.

Prep Work : Mise en place

In advance:

Prepare Injipuli, karela chips, maybe yam chips

Buy banana chips, sharkaravarati, mango pickle.

The night before: Soak

1.       White Cowpeas

2.       Red cowpeas

3.        Kala chana

4.        Red rice

5.       Chana dal

6.       Toor dal

7.        Moong dal

Dishwise Ingredient List:

Parippu Curry: Moong dal, coconut, cumin seeds, green chillies, small onions, mustard, curry

leaves, red chilli, coconut oil, ghee.

Chana dal Pradhaman: Chana dal, coconut milk, jaggery, elaichi, ghee, cashews, coconut bits.

Ada Pradhaman: Rice ada, jaggery, coconut milk, coconut bits, ghee, cashews, cardamom,

ginger powder.

Kalan: Raw banana, yam, thick curd, coconut, green chilli, cumin, turmeric, pepper, fenugreek,

mustard, curry leaves, red chilli, coconut oil.

Olan: Ash gourd, cowpeas, green chillies, coconut milk, curry leaves, coconut oil, salt.

Eriserry: Yellow pumpkin or raw banana/yam, black-eyed peas or red beans, coconut, cumin,

garlic (optional), turmeric, coconut oil, curry leaves, mustard seeds, dry red chilli.

Sambar & Aviyal: Wide variety of vegetables (see above), toor dal, mixed spices, coconut for

aviyal, sambar powder for sambar.

Cabbage Thoran: Cabbage, grated coconut, green chilli, cumin, turmeric, mustard, curry

leaves, oil.

Beans Mezhukupuratti: Beans, coconut oil, mustard, red chillies, curry leaves.

Cucumber Kichadi / Pineapple Pachadi: Cucumber/pineapple, curd, coconut, green chilli,

mustard, curry leaves.

The morning tasks:

1. Soak ada

2. Grate Coconut.

3. Chop Vegetables


4. Grind to paste

Finishing up



Enjoy the Onam Sadya after all the hard work you have put in!

Courtesy: Ashwita Goel for painstakingly making this comprehensive write up and sharing, after preparing the complete Onam sadya.