Falling in the month of ‘Chingam,’ Malayalam Calendar’s first month, Onam is celebrated by the Hindus of Kerala in South India. Onam Festival too has huge amounts of food involved in its festivities, the most special being the all-vegetarian Onam Sadhya. Here, I have shared a signature compilation of Onam Recipes that are also a part of the lavish feast sadya. Most of these recipes are easy and can easily made at home.
The significance of Onam Festival is varied, of which some important ones are – one, that it is the annual harvest festival and second, that it celebrates the homecoming of the asura king Mahabali from paatal lok (the netherworlds) followed from the subsequent appearance of an avatar of Lord Vishnu, Vamana. In 2023, the main day of Onam Festival is on August 29.
Significance of Onam
Onam Festival is a 10-day festival. The last day being the main day of celebrations. Like I mentioned in the beginning, it is the rice harvest festival and is also celebrated to welcome back one of the most loved kings of Kerala, King Mahabali.
The kind of prosperity and happiness that was witnessed in his reign remains unmatched. He was banished to the netherworld by Lord Vishnu’s avatar Vamana (a short Brahmin), yet he got a boon that he could visit his subjects once a year.
Thus, Onam becomes a festival of welcoming the king back, and the ambience of the festival is the same as it was during his reign.
Feasting with the magnificent spread of the Onam Sadhya, along with other special Onam Recipes and much merriment marks the day, in Kerala and in any part of the world a Malayali resides.
The most significant part about this Malayalam festival is that it spread the message of peace and solidarity, and is a unifying factor for not just all Malayalis residing in the picturesque state of Kerala but also for people of all other religions there.
Onam Rituals
Although the last day of Onam Festival is considered the most noteworthy, but still all the other 9 days also hold some or the other importance and significance.
The most interesting part about the festivities is the ‘pookkalam’ – the typical designs and patterns made with flowers on the ground by women – very symbolic of Onam Festival.
Next most specific thing that symbolizes this festival is the delicious, hearty and a completely vegetarian feast of ‘Onam Sadya’ served on plantain or banana leaves.
A variety of Onam Recipes, comprising of curries, dry veggie dishes, rice, accompaniments and desserts are prepared and served in this meal.
In addition to these, people adorn themselves with new clothes and also gift each other the same in a customary tradition known as the ‘onakkodi.’
Then, there is the famous snake boat race or ‘vallamkali,’ which is a huge event organized in Kerala during this festival.
More of rituals include the decoration of elephants with ornaments, various cultural activities like music, art, Kathakali and the iconic Pulikali dance.
The Pulikali dance is a traditional form of folk-dance form in which dancers represent tigers by painting themselves in yellow and black.
Onam Sadya
In Malayalam language, ‘sadya’ means a ‘banquet.’ So, a classic Onam Sadya is essentially a 9-course vegetarian meal with about 26 to 28 dishes that is served on a banana leaf during the Onam Festival as well as other religious occasions and weddings too.
The Onam Recipes that make up the sadya actually depict all flavours of food, and is savoured by everyone, without any barriers.
I have had the opportunity of relishing a full-fledged Onam Sadhya meal, a couple of times. In this collection, I have shared Onam Recipes that are made for the sadya during Onam Festival.
There are variations and some or the other dishes may be interchanged, depending from individual to individual. But the essence remains the same. The dishes are also served in a particular order and not randomly.
Also, before the recipes, here’s this mighty food spread, decoded for you:
- Parippu Vadai – Fried lentil patties also commonly called Dal Vada
- Ulundu Vadai – Donut shaped fried lentil fritters popularly known as Medu Vada
- Parippu Curry – Moong lentils curry with coconut, pearl onions and spices
- Kizhangu Stew – Lightly spiced potato stew made with coconut milk.
- Moru Curry – Also referred to as Kachiya Moru is tempered buttermilk made with or without veggies.
- Thoran – A delicious sautéed or stir-fried preparation of vegetables made in coconut oil with plenty of coconut.
- Malli Chammanthi – Herby coriander chutney made with coconut and some more spices.
- Thakkali Chammanthi – Tangy and spiced tomato chutney.
- Thenga Chammanthi – Thick coconut chutney
- Ulli Theeyal – Pearl onions or small shallots in spiced coconut-tamarind sauce.
- Avial – Mixed vegetables in a coconut and yogurt sauce
- Mangai Pachadi – Sweet and sour mango relish
- Kootu Curry – Various mixed vegetables and lentils made with coconut and spices.
- Pachadi – Tempered raita made with curd or yogurt with or without vegetables.
- Pappadum or papad
- Mulaku Kondattum – Curd and salt soaked and sun-dried red chilies which are deep fried.
- Appam – Rice and coconut milk pancake.
- Kalan – Yam or plantain or both cooked with yogurt and coconut.
- Sambar – Lentils and vegetable stew.
- Steamed red rice
- Pal Payasam – Creamy rice kheer made with milk.
- Sakrai Upperi – Jaggery coated fried sweet banana chips
- Chakka Upperi – Fried jackfruit chips
- Pazham Upperi – Salted banana chips made with the variety of banana called nendram pazham in Malayalam.
- Unniyappam – Sweet appam made with jaggery and wheat flour.
- Naranga Achar – Salty and spicy lemon pickle
- Inji curry – Spiced tangy ginger curry
- Mangai Achar – Mango pickle
- Ghee or nei/ney
- Uppu or salt
- Pazham or banana
Onam Recipes
Preparing all Onam Recipes for any sadya takes a lot of time. So, you can start the day before, chop the vegetables required for the various dishes and refrigerate them.
Grate coconut and keep in the freezer. In some of the recipes, ground paste of coconut, cumin and green chilies is used. So, you can grind this together and then use it in parts for the required recipe.
If possible, do take help while preparing the Onam Sadhya, as it does take a lot of time. Also make small portions if you are a family of 3 to 4 people, as there will be leftovers the next day. In a few recipes I have used onion and garlic. But if you don’t use them, you can skip them or skip making the recipes where onion is the hero ingredient.
There are sambar recipes which will require a sambar powder. I would suggest to refer this Sambar Powder to make your own at home and use it in these Onam Recipes for an enhanced flavor.
If you have some of the leftover pachadi from this Onam Sadya, then you can have it with some steamed rice paired with Sambar or parippu, the next day.
Payasams or South Indian style kheers is what dominates this Onam Recipes list. And most of them require coconut milk as one of the main ingredients.
So, the best thing to do is to refer this How To Make Coconut Milk post and use the homemade one in your recipes. If at all, you can’t, then use a good branded one.
Popular Recipes
Moderate
40 mins
Kootu curry also known as koottukari or kootu kari is a curry based dish with a few veggies and legumes. it is one of the important dishes of onam sadhya.
Moderate
25 mins
Parippu Curry is simply a Moong Lentil Curry that is delicious and comforting. This lentil curry is also one of the popular ones that feature in the all-vegetarian festive feast called ‘Sadya,’ during Onam celebrations in Kerala.
Moderate
40 mins
Olan is a delicious curry made with white pumpkin (ash gourd), cowpeas (red lobia or chawli) and coconut milk. Olan recipe comes from the Kerala cuisine.
Moderate
30 mins
Kalan is a delicious dish made with elephant foot yam, plantains, coconut and curd. It is one of the dishes that is served in onam sadya.
Moderate
30 mins
Cabbage Thoran or Cabbage Fry is a dry vegetable dish from Kerala. Thoran is basically finely chopped or grated vegetables cooked with shallots, chilies, fresh grated coconut and spices.
45 mins
Kerala varutharacha sambar is a delicious variety of sambar made with mix veggies, lentils, roasted spices & coconut. Roasted coconut is one of the highlights of this sambar.
Moderate
1 hr 5 mins
This Kerala Sambar is a delicious and tasty variation of sambar made with mix vegetables, lentils, and a roasted coconut and spices ground paste. Tastes best with piping hot steamed rice or Idli or Dosa.
Moderate
45 mins
Pepper Rasam also called Milagu Rasam is a variation of spicy rasam made with black pepper, tamarind, tomatoes and other spices. Good for cough and cold.
Moderate
1 hr
Avial is a healthy, flavorful dish of mix vegetables in a coconut and yogurt sauce with a finishing of coconut oil and curry leaves. It is a popular traditional recipe from the Kerala cuisine.
Moderate
50 mins
Kerala ulli Theeyal is is one of the delicious gravy based dish that is served in Onam Sadya. It has a sour and spiced taste with complex flavors.
Moderate
50 mins
Pumpkin Erissery is a mild and tempered curry with light sweet tones made with pumpkin, cowpeas and coconut. A Kerala traditional dish served during onam sadya.
Easy
25 mins
This delicious Kerala Moru Curry recipe is a favorite in our household. Try my Mom’s famous recipe for this traditional Pulissery today.
Moderate
35 mins
Beetroot thoran is a dry and delectable mildly spiced preparation made with beetroots, curry leaves, pearl onions, coconut and some spices and herbs. This dish has sweet notes from the beetroot as well as the coconut.
Moderate
10 mins
Majjiga or Sambaram or Neer Mor a.k.a Neer Moru or Neer Majjige is a delicious variant of a spiced and salty buttermilk well-known across South India. This recipe variant is made with curd (yogurt) and water, which is later spiced and then tempered. It makes for an equally refreshing summer drink with digestive properties.
Moderate
20 mins
Pineapple Pachadi is a deliciously sweet, sour and spiced dish made with fresh pineapple cubes, coconut, curd (yogurt) and plenty of spices and herbs. It is one of the side dish served in the Onam Sadya which is a vegetarian feast.
Moderate
30 mins
Vazhakkai fry is a mildly spiced and slightly crisp South Indian style banana fry made with unripe bananas or plantains.
Moderate
35 mins
This Ash Gourd Recipe is a dish from the Kerala Cuisine called Ash Gourd Thoran. It is simply ash gourd cooked in coconut oil with onions, spices, herbs and finished with coconut.
Moderate
30 mins
Beans Thoran is a delicious beans recipe made with french beans (green beans) from the Kerala cuisine. Apart from the fewer spices used, both fresh grated coconut and coconut oil gives this dish a remarkable flavor and taste – not to forget the taste & flavor of beans that also merges well with the coconut flavors.
Moderate
4 hrs 40 mins
Medu vada are crisp and fried doughnut shaped fritters made with black gram (urad dal), herbs and spices. These urad dal vada are also known as Garelu in Andhra, Uzhunnu Vada in Kerala, Uddina Vada in Kannada and Medhu Vadai, Ulundu Vadai in Tamil.
Moderate
2 hrs 35 mins
Dal Vada also known as Parippu Vada or Chana Dal Vada or Masala Vada are savory, spiced, crunchy fritters that are a popular street food in South India. Gluten-free and vegan.
Moderate
12 mins
This Nurukku Manga Achar is a 15 minute tempered Kerala Style Instant Mango Pickle prepared with green mangoes for Onam Sadya. This pickle also doesn’t require any sunlight or much of cooking process.
Moderate
25 mins
Naranga Achar is a tangy and spiced Kerala style pickle made with lemons or limes, sesame oil, spices and herbs. Naranga Achar is also served in the Onam Sadya meal.
Moderate
15 mins
Cucumber pachadi is a simple but very delicious Kerala style raita made with ground coconut & mustard seeds paste, fresh curd and cucumber.
Sweets and Snacks
Moderate
50 mins
Sweet appam recipe made with ripe bananas, rice flour and jaggery. Also known as the Banana Appam or Banana Paniyaram these are an easy to make South Indian sweet snack.
Moderate
3 hrs 50 mins
Unniyappam are sweet fritters from the Kerala cuisine and are made with rice, banana, a few spices and coconut.
55 mins
These Kerala banana chips are crispy and tasty chips made with unripe nendran bananas and coconut oil.
Moderate
1 hr
Paal Payasam is a simple South Indian variant of a slow cooked rice pudding made with only 4 ingredients. This recipe is of a typical Tamil style Rice Payasam that is creamy and delicious.
Moderate
20 mins
Delicious creamy moong dal payasam made with yellow moong lentils, jaggery and coconut milk.
20 mins
Delicious poha kheer or payasam made with flattened rice, ghee and milk.
Moderate
2 hrs 35 mins
Chana Dal Payasam also called Kadalai Paruppu Payasam or Kadala Parippu Payasam in South Indian languages is a delicious sweet pudding made with chana dal, coconut milk, dry fruits, jaggery and some flavorings.
Easy
20 mins
Semiya payasam is a creamy, sweet vermicelli pudding from the South Indian cuisine. This cardamom scented vermicelli payasam recipe comes together in 20 minutes and can be made by beginners too.
Moderate
30 mins
This jackfruit payasam is from the Kerala cuisine. The payasam has the aroma and taste of jackfruit coupled with the flavors of coconut milk.
This collection of Onam Sadhya recipes from the archives, originally published in September 2017 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
