Onam is the most popular festival in Kerala and is celebrated with great enthusiasm. It falls in the first month of the Malayalam calendar, called Chingam. This festival is observed for a period of ten days, and this year it started on August 20 and will continue till August 31. Celebrated with rangolis made with flower petals called pookalam, dance, and boat races, this harvest festival also gives an opportunity to relish a delicious feast called Onam sadhya.
Onam sadhya is an elaborate meal that is served on a banana leaf. This feast is known for its mouthwatering flavours and variety of dishes. It is a part of the tenth day of the festival, and the preparation of this enormous meal begins much in advance. It features 26 traditional dishes, which include papadam, pachadi, thoran, rasam, rice, thoran, payasam, a variety of curries, and more.
If you are also planning to prepare a sadhya platter this Onam, here are six types of curries you can add to the meal. Made with plenty of delicious ingredients and spices, these dishes are not only delicious but also very nutritious:
Inji Curry
Also known as injipuli, this sweet, sour, and spicy curry is an essential part of the Onam sadhya platter. It is made from ginger, tamarind, and jaggery as the main ingredients, along with onions, curry leaves, and methi powder. Prepared within an hour, it is commonly relished in every Malayali household. Apart from the sadhya, inji curry can be served for day-to-day lunch or dinner with steamed rice. This dish is also known to aid digestion after a heavy feast.
Mango Curry
This delicious curry, also known as mambazha pulissery, is prepared with ripe mangoes simmered in coconut-yoghurt sauce. Mango is a seasonal fruit that is popularly enjoyed during the summer and monsoon. This sweet and sour side dish is flavoured with spices like red chilli powder, mustard seeds, fenugreek, and ginger. This mango curry can be stored for up to two days and is best enjoyed with steamed rice.
Parippu Curry
Parippu curry is basically moong dal curry, which is tempered in the South Indian style. Prepared with a good dose of coconut, this golden, creamy, and vibrant delight is perfect to add to your Onam sadhya. Other ingredients used for cooking parippu curry are curry leaves, dry red chillies, mustard seeds, and onions. It is best served with rice and a pinch of ghee.
Kootu Curry
The term kootu means ‘a mix of combinations’. This is another essential part of the sadhya platter. Kootu curry is a thick stew made with yam, plantains, and black chickpeas. This dish is enriched with various flavourful ingredients like coconut paste, jaggery, pepper, and curry leaves. Apart from sadhya kootu curry, it is also a part of many celebrations like Vishu and weddings.
Errisery
Erissery, also known as 'elisseri' or 'ellisherri,' is a traditional Kerala-style curry made with vegetables or legumes, a flavorful coconut paste, and a tempering of basic South Indian ingredients. The Malayalam word 'mathanga' translates to 'yellow pumpkin' in English, and 'erissery' is a dish that beautifully combines this vibrant vegetable with a medley of spices and coconut. While pumpkin, or 'mathanga', is a common ingredient in erissery, there are various versions of this dish that include other vegetables like unripe plantains or yams. This versatile dish adapts to different ingredients while maintaining its signature flavours.
Pachadi
Pachadi is a traditional yoghurt-based, thick curry that is prepared with fresh vegetables or fruits. This curry is typically made with either pineapple or bitter gourd, along with a delicious blend of coconut and curd. There are many other variations of pachadi that are made with cucumber, beets, ridge gourd, sorrel leaves, and so on. This light and healthy dish can also be paired with rice and roti for a light and healthy lunch.