Onam Special: Chefs Share Traditional Recipes For Sadhya

Kerala’s harvest festival is much more than crop cultivation. It is a grand celebration of community that is commemorated by a lavish feast prepared with fresh produce. The all-vegetarian banquet of dishes, called Sadhya, is served on a banana leaf, and everyone sits cross-legged to eat together and express gratitude to nature’s bounty.

While the traditional dishes that are a part of Sadhya include olan, avial, pulissery, and of course, payasam, here are some more options you can try at home. Whether you’re missing home on Onam or preparing the elaborate spread, here are some chef-special Onam recipes that are sure to be the highlight of your festive meal.

Beetroot Poriyal By Chef Hina Gujral

Ingredients:

  • 250 grams diced beetroot
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
  • 1 teaspoon white urad dal
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
  • 1 tablespoon curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 green chilli chopped
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 1⁄4 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon grated coconut
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Method:

  1. Remove the skin of the beetroot. Wash it. Dice it into equal-sized pieces. Keep it aside in a bowl.
  2. You can steam the beetroot after removing the skin and then dice it. I make poriyal without steaming beetroot.
  3. Using a mortar pestle, make a coarse paste of ginger and garlic. Transfer it to a bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a stir-fry pan or kadhai. Once hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, asafoetida (hing), green chilli, crushed ginger and garlic. 
  4. Sauté for a minute or till urad dal is nicely roasted. Add diced beetroot, salt, red chilli powder, and turmeric, and stir to combine.
  5. Add two tablespoons of water, cover the pan with the lid, and allow the beetroot to cook with the steam for 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Open the lid, add grated coconut and freshly chopped coriander. Stir to combine. Serve beetroot poriyal for the Sadhya feast.

Pineapple Pachadi By Chef Adhya Subramanian

Ingredients:

  • ⁠1 cup chopped pineapple
  • ⁠⁠1 tsp red chilli powder
  • ⁠⁠½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ⁠⁠2 slit green chillies
  • ⁠⁠½ tsp cumin seeds
  • ⁠⁠2 sprigs curry leaves
  • ⁠⁠4 tbsp grated coconut
  • ⁠⁠4 tbsp thick curd (whisked)
  • ⁠⁠1 tsp mustard seeds (coarsely ground)
  • ⁠⁠Salt to taste

For tempering:

  • ⁠1 tsp oil
  • ⁠⁠1 tsp mustard seeds
  • ⁠⁠2 dry red chillies
  • ⁠⁠2 sprigs curry leaves

Method:

  1. ⁠Cook the chopped pineapple with red chilli powder, turmeric, green chillies, and curry leaves until soft.
  2. Grind coconut, cumin seeds, and curry leaves into a smooth paste. Add this to the cooked pineapple and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
  3. Stir in the coarsely ground mustard seeds. Switch off the flame and mix in the beaten curd.
  4. ⁠For tempering, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, then add dry red chillies and curry leaves.
  5. Pour this over the pachadi. Serve warm with steamed rice.