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Last year, Paragon from Kozhikode was listed as the 11th Most Legendary Restaurant In The World by a Croatia-based food guide. Plenty of other Indian restaurants also made it to the list, but those who have been to Paragon’s branches in Kozhikode as well as Kochi would tell you that the iconic eatery is known for more than just its Malabar Biryani made with Kaima rice. In fact, those who flock to the state during Onam to be a part of the celebrations often visit Paragon for its unique Sadhya, served on the last or 10th day of the festival.
Chef Nibin Thomas, who has been working with Paragon at both Kozhikode and Kochi for the last three years, took Slurrp through what makes this Onasadhya so unique and popular. This incredible chef not only has 20 years of experience, but during his time with Paragon, he has entertained celebrities from across the length and breadth of India--including designers like Rajeev Sethi and Itchha Talreja, Bollywood actors like John Abraham, and most importantly, stars from the Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada film industries like Nyla Usha, Jacob Gregory, Ashish Vidyarthi, Annie and Shaji Kailas, and Soubin Shahir.
Chef Nibin Thomas with Padma Bhushan Rajeev Sethi and actor John Abraham.
Chef Nibin Thomas with Malayalam film industry stalwarts, Shaji and Annie Kailas, Nyla Usha.
Chef Nibin Thomas with Malayalam actors Vincy Aloshious and Jinu Joseph.
Chef Nibin Thomas with Malayalam movie director Anwar Rasheed and celebrity Chef Suresh Pillai.
Chef Nibin Thomas with Malayalam actor and singer, Shabareesh Varma; With designer Itchcha Talreja.
Given the fact that celebrities and tourists alike flock to the Paragon branches in both Kozhikode and Kochi, you should definitely know more about the Sadhya served here during Onam. The first thing to note here is that this Onam Sadhya is available at Paragon Kozhikode and Kochi for only the last day of Onam, Thiruvonam. The meal is fully vegetarian, available during lunch, and is standardised across all Paragon branches in Kerala. Packed with 33 traditional dishes, this Sadhya is served on a banana leaf—just like an Onasadhya should be.
“Usually, at most restaurants that serve Onam Sadhya, they count the banana leaf and water also as elements of the meal just to increase the count to 28-29,” Chef Nibin says. “But we don’t do that at Paragon. Here you will find 33 edible items served on the plate without any compromise. No matter which branch of Paragon you go to, you will find this 33-item Sadhya without any compromise at all.”
So, what goes into this pure vegetarian Onam Sadhya at Paragon? Chef Nibin explains the whole ritual. “First, we place a banana leaf on the table, then we serve salt and two pickles. Then we add the Sarakara Varatti, Banana Chips and Mysore Pak, along with Njalipoovan Pazham, which is a dish made with local small bananas. Next to this, we place the Inji Puli.” What makes this spread even more remarkable is that Ammayii Chammanthi, a Paragon-special dish, is served as a special feature of the Sadhya.
“After all the dishes are arranged and served on the banana leaf, we then add the rice,” Chef Nibin adds. “The ritual after that is to first serve ghee and Parippu on the side of the rice. Once you finish that serving, we add rice and Sambar. Once that serving is done, we serve the Ada Payasam, Rasam and Pachamoru. After eating the Payasam, you are supposed to eat some more rice mixed with Pachamoru to finish the Sadhya.”
Here’s a list of all the dishes served at the Onam Sadhya at Paragon:
1. BANANA CHIPS
2. SHARKARA VARATTI
Sharkara Varatti
3. MYSORE PAK
4. NJALIPOOVAN PAZHAM
5. PULI INJI
Inji Puli
6. VADUKAPULI ACHAR
7. MANGA ACHAR
8. AMMAYII CHAMMANTHI
9. PAVAKKA VARAVAL
10. MULLAKU KONDATTAM
11. KOVAKKA FRY
Kovakka Fry
12. PARIPPU VADA
13. PAPPADM
14. FRYUMS
15. MEZHUKKUPURATTI
Avial
16. AVIAL
17. CABBAGE THORAN
18. ERISSERY
Mathanga Erissery
19. BEETROOT PACHADI
20. VANDAKKA KICHADI
21. OLAN
22. ISHTU
23. KOOTU CURRY
Kootu Curry
24. SALT
25. RICE
26. PARIPPU
27. GHEE
28. SAMBAR
29. RASAM
30. KURUKKU KALAN
Kurukku Kalan
31. PACHAMORU
32. ADA PAYASAM
33. GOTHAMBU PAYASAM
If you are wondering solely about the two types of Payasam on the menu, then you should know that Ada Payasam, also known as Palada Payasam, is made with reduced milk, while the Gothambu Payasam is made with wheat. Both the sweet dishes highlight the harvest bounty of Onam, as do all the other dishes. Erissery, made with pumpkins and beans, and Avial, made with a whole bunch of vegetables like yam, are of course the mainstays of any Onam Sadhya.
But will those visiting Paragon get a taste of any of these Onam Sadhya dishes on any other day? “Not all together in this 33-item format, but yes, you will find a lot of these dishes on your regular menu,” Chef Nibin explains. “We serve daily meals, which have 10-12 items, so yes, a lot of these dishes would be available on a regular basis. The must-have condiment at Paragon, which is also a part of the Onam Sadhya, is the Ammayii Chammanthi. This is a red chilli and shallots chutney which is very spicy.”
With 20 years’ experience of working in the culinary industry in India and abroad, Chef Nibin says that the knowledge about Kerala’s Onam Sadhya, especially Paragon’s unique Sadhya, is something that should spread far and wide—especially given the love and hard work his team puts in creating and serving it up. “We started working on the Sadhya last night, basically the night before Thiruvonam,” he explains. “We clean the kitchen area and before the guests arrive, we will first offer the entire Sadhya to Lord Ganapathi. It’s only after this that we will move on to the rest of the day’s work.”
The footfall during Onam at Paragon is huge, so Chef Nibin and his team are gearing up to serve everyone celebrating the festival. But even on regular days, if you are in Kochi’s Fort area and looking for a meal at Paragon, don’t just make a beeline for the Malabar Biryani. Give their vegetarian delicacies a try too, because clearly, during Onam and beyond it, the meals here offer the best of God’s Own Country.
