Onam is one such festival where people prepare some lovely dishes in one single meal.  We get to hear about the items but then would love to eat them ourselves.  Marriott @Whitefield put together a Onam Sadhya for anyone and everyone who is love with the food.  This happened over a period of 1 week.  I got an opportunity to visit the place and enjoyed the lovely ‘Onam Sadya’.

He along with his assistant have come up with one of the best collection of dishes as part of the Onam Sadhya.

• Section to the left leads to the M Café restaurant which usually hosts most of the big events at Marriott.
• But the section right in the middle and across the left & right sides is the area where the highlight events happen.  Past few days, ‘Onam Sadya’ was on display.
  

   

• When you speak of Onam, we know that its celebrated as a festival in Kerala.  And the food served during the festive season is completely vegetarian.  Let me highlight few things that can be seen when you entered the hotel.
  

   

• Kerala as a state is quite famous for its backwater and for sure the Tender coconuts.  The main section where ‘Onam’ was written had the ‘Tender coconuts’ as a décor.
• There were plenty of chips as part of the buffet.  Traditionally the banana chips are quite famous.  But then other varieties are also quite famously served during the meal.  Specially the jiggery coated ones are quite famous.
  

   

• Many of the famous sweets that are served during the meal were spread out in the buffet in the central area.
• A selection of the famous Kerala dishes like – Avial, Poriyal (coconut based) where are included in the meal.  Infact, its not easy for 1 person to be able to taste all of it.  Its based tasted in portions so you can enjoy all the dishes.

• Rice – It is the main item in a sadya. It is always the Kerala red rice (semi-polished parboiled brown) which is used for the Sadya. The rice is also called ‘Kerala Matta’.
• Parippu – A thick curry lentil dish eaten with rice, papadum and ghee.
• Sambar – A thick gravy made of lentils, tamarind, vegetables like drumsticks, tomato, etc., and flavored with asafoetida.
  

   

• Rasam – A watery dish made of tamarind, tomatoes, and spices like black pepper, asafoetida, coriander, chili pepper, etc. It is very spicy in taste and aids in digestion. However, in some regions Rasam is not counted as part of Sadhya.
• Avial – Thick mixture of various vegetables, and coconut. It is seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves.
• Koottukari – Vegetables like banana or yam cooked with chickpeas, coconut and black pepper.
• Erissery – A thick curry made from pumpkin, black-eyed peas and coconut.
  

   

• Kichadi – Sour curry made of yoghurt and usually cucumber or sliced ash gourd cooked in coconut ground with mustard seeds and seasoned with sautéed mustard seeds and curry leaves. In Tamil Nadu, this dish is known as Pachadi. It is somewhat similar to a Raita.
• Pachadi – A sweet form of Kichadi, made with pineapple, pumpkin or grapes in yoghurt. The gravy masala comprises coconut ground with cumin seeds and green chillies. Due to its sweetness, it is also called Madhura (sweet) curry in some places.
• Pulisseri – A sour, yellow-coloured thin curry made with slightly soured yoghurt and cucumber. A sweet variant called ‘Mambazha Puliseri’ replaces cucumber with a combination of ripe mangoes and jaggery.
• Injipuli – A sweet pickle made of ginger, tamarind, green chilies, and jaggery, also called Puli-inji .
  

   

• Thoran – A dish of sautéed vegetables such as peas, green beans, raw jackfruit, carrots, or cabbage (usually) with grated coconut.
• Achaar – Spicy pickles of raw mango (Mango pickle), lemon, lime, (Narangakari) etc.
• Pappadam – Made with lentil flour, it is crispy and can be eaten as an appetizer.
• Sharkara Upperi – Jaggery Chips