ONAM RECIPES
The state of Kerala is known for its rich traditions and exotic cuisine. The food prepared on Onam day is known as "Onasadhya" and is an impressive spread of delicacies which are served in banana leaves. The dishes are to be served in a particular order only. The plantain leaf should also be placed in a particular manner. First the deep fries called "Upperies" are served. Then comes the side dishes like curries, pappads, pickles and desserts like payasam,etc. Of course, rice is the main course. Plantain fruit is also served without fail. Onam is an important harvest festival that is celebrated in Kerala with great pomp and it attracts people from far and near. It is celebrated by the Malayalis from around the world. Boat races are an important event during this festival time. Onam is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Chingam which is the ending of August and beginning of September. The Pookkalams , that is flower arrangements are also an important part of this festival. Keralites irrespective of caste and religion celebrate Onam with great pleasure and joy. Onam is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, who is believed to come back to visit his people on the Thiruvonam day.
Our specially collected Onam recipes shall help you to prepare Onasadhya with ease and serve guests and relatives with great hospitality.
OLAN 
Olan is prepared from sliced cucumber and brinjal. Sometimes pulse is also added. They are boiled in water with salt and no chillies. When properly boiled, some fresh coconut oil is poured. The dish is seasoned with flavour kariveppila (curry leaves).
Ingredients
Ash Gourd
100 gm
Pumpkin
100 gm
Green chillies
4 nos
Red gram dal
1 tbsp
Grated coconut
1/2 qty
Salt to taste
Coconut oil
1 tbsp
Curry leaves
1 sprig
Method
- Remove the covering of the ash gourd and pumpkin and cut it into small pieces.
- Cook the vegetables and red gram dal in water. Add enough salt and the green chillies.
- When it is done, add 1cup coconut milk and boil. When it thickens well, add 1/4cup coconut milk. Bring to a boil and remove from fire.
- Add 1tbs coconut oil and the curry leaves and mix well.
AVIAL
This is a semi-dry preparation which is a mixture of all sorts of vegetables.
Ingredients
Yam sliced thinly into 1 1/2 inch length pieces
1 cup
Cucumber sliced lengthy into 1 1/2" thick pieces
1 cup
Snake gourd sliced into 1 1/2" length pieces
1 cup
Carrot sliced sliced into 1 1/2" length pieces
1/4 cup
Long runner-beans sliced into 1 1/2" length pieces
1/2 cup
Drumstick cut into 2" length pieces
2 nos
Raw bananas sliced into 1 1/2" length pieces
1 no
Mango pieces for sour
Turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Grated coconut
1/2 qty
Green chilies
5 nos
Cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves
2 sprigs
Coconut oil
3 tbsp
Method
- Coarsely grind the coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds. Keep it aside
- Clean the vegetables.
- Heat 2tbs coconut oil in a thick bottom vessel. Add the vegetables and cook in a low flame. Do not add water.
- When it is done, add turmeric powder, salt and mix it well.
- Remove the vegetables from the middle and put sliced bananas and mango pieces and cover it with the other vegetables. When steam comes out, add the coconut paste and stir well.
- Remove from fire. Mix the remaining coconut oil and curry leaves in the avial.
THORAN
Thoran is prepared by slicing beetroot and several other vegetables into very small pieces. These are then boiled in water with some salt and chillies till all the water dries up. Water can also be strained away. For seasoning, ground coconut pulp and mustard fried in coconut oil is used.
Ingredients
Cabbage, long runner-beans
500 gm
Coconut oil
2 tbsp
Mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp
Black gram
1 tbsp
Dried red chilly
4 no
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder
1/4 tbsp
Red chilly powder
1/4 tbsp
Coconut
1 cup
Cumin seeds
1/4 tbsp
Curry leaves
2 sprigs
Garlic cloves
2
Method
- Crush the coconut, cumin seeds, curry leaves and garlic.
- Put the vegetable in a pan and boil with salt and chillies.
- Heat the oil in a pan and saute ingredients.
- Add the turmeric and chilly powder, boiled vegetables and crushed ingredients.
- Mix well and serve hot.
KOOTUKARI
This is a curry consisting of a variety of vegetables and some Bengal gram. It differs from Aviyal as it does not contain tamarind.
Ingredients
Kadala Parippu
200 gm
Vegetable
200 gm
Chilli powder
Turmeric powder
Pepper powder
Mustard seed
Coconut
1 no
Coconut oil
2 tbsp
Method
- Cook Chena Dal and then add vegetables along with Manjalpodi, Mulakupodi and Kurumulakupodi as per requirement.
- Cook for 15 minutes.
- Grate and grind the coconut with jeera and add to the curry and cook well. Add salt.
- For tadka - put mustard seeds, vattal mulaku and Kariveppila in two spoon coconut oil and pour this into the curry. Delicious Kootukari is ready.
- Kootukari can be served with rice or roti /chappathi.
SAMBAR
Ingredients
Toor dal
1 cup
Tamarind paste
1 tbsp
Turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds pinch
Salt as required
Oil
2 tbsp
Mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp
Dry grated coconut
3 tbsp
Corainder leaves
Curry leaves
Jaggery or sugar
1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tbsp
Green chillies
3
Red chillies
5
Cilantro seeds
3 tbsp
Bengal gram
2 tbsp
Cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp
Onion
1
Tomatoes, drumstick, okra, capsicum, radish, carrots, onions
Method
- Cook the toor daal in the pressure cooker with double quantity of water, turmeric and salt. Keep aside to cool.
- Now, heat oil in a separate pan for about a minute and roast together whole chillies, bengal gram, coconut, curryleaves, coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds till coconut turns golden brown.
- Then, grind all of these into a smooth paste ,adding a little water from time to time.
- Put the tamarind with salt and water into a pan. Bring it to a boil.
- Add this to the toor dal and let it boil for sometime.Add the vegetables and cook till done.
- Finally, mash the pressure cooked toor daal,
- Mix everything and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Season with mustard seeds .
PACHADI
Ingredients
Cucumber
250 gms
Curd
1 cup
Chopped ginger
1 piece
Chilli powder
taste
Mustard powder
taste
Corainder leaves
Cumin seed powder
taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Method
- Peel and grate cucumber.
- Mix curd with the spice powders and beat well, adding salt.
- Mix in cucumber and ginger.
- Decorate with a sprinkling of chilli powder and coriander leaves.
PAYASAM
This is an extremely delicious dish and is a sort of pudding. It is prepared from boiled potatoes mixed with molasses and coconut milk. The mixture is flavoured with spices. There is another type of payasam called 'Pal Payasam' in which rice is boiled with milk and sweetened with sugar.
Ingredients
Milk
3 ltrs
Dried red rice
180 gm
Sugar
700 gm
Method
- Boil the milk. Add sugar and mix well.
- When it boils again, add the washed rice in it.
- Simmer in medium flame.
- Cook till the rice is done. Serve hot.
UPPERI
Upperi is prepared from various things like raw bananas (kaaya), yam (chena), jack fruit (chakka), bitter gourd (pavayka) and egg plant fruit (vazhuthanga). Slices of the ingredient are fried in coconut oil to a crisp condition.
Ingredients
Beans/carrot/snow peas /Asparagus/ potato cut into small pieces
3/4 lb
Onion
1/3
Crushed red chillie
3/4 tbsp
Oil
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds
1 tbsp
Curry leaves
Garlic
Method
- Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds and then fry onion and garlic till it turns light brown
- Add salt, and then crushed chile and stir well for a while until the chile is well fried
- Now add all the vegetables , stir well, cover it and cook in a low flame