Onam is just around the corner! So, let’s celebrate this 10-day festival of Onam with some of the best Onam Sadhya recipes that you can easily prepare at home. 

Onam is traditionally celebrated to commemorate the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali. Fresh flower decoration and excitement run through power-packed boat races during this festival. However, the main highlight of this festival is its traditional and elaborate meal called the Onam Sadhya recipes. 

Onam Sadhya translates to ‘banquet’ in Malayalam – an excellent multi-course vegetarian meal with more than 20 South Indian delicacies.

The best thing about Onam Sadhya is that it is served on a banana leaf and enjoyed without any cutlery while sitting on the floor.

We want to share some of the most delicious and mouthwatering Onam recipes that you can make to bring the feeling of Onam home! 

From a sweet payasam to a juicy Pulissery curry, here are our favorite Onam recipes.  

Appetizing Onam Recipes You Must Try! 

We dug into our treasure trove and found easy-peasy Onam recipes: 

  • Nendran Banana Chips 
  • Puli Inji
  • Beetroot Thoran 
  • Pulissery
  • Rasam
  • Palada Payasam

Nendran Banana Chips

Nendran Banana Chips are one of the most commonly available snacks across south India. Made from green raw banana or kaccha kela – this recipe is one of the staples in the Onam recipes menu. The attractive and traditional yellow color of the chips is what makes them eye-catching!

Nendran Banana Chips
Nendran Banana Chips

Quick Stats: 

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes 
  • Cooking Time: 15 minutes 
  • Serving: one large bowl

Ingredients: 

  • Raw Nendran Banana – 2
  • Turmeric powder – 2 tsp
  • Coconut Oil – to deep fry
  • Salt – to taste

Method to Prepare: 

  • Take an unripe banana and trim the edges. Make a slit on the banana. Peel the skin.
  • Add water and salt into a mixing bowl. Add turmeric powder and mix it well. 
  • Add peeled banana in turmeric solution. Soak it for at least 15 minutes
  • After 15 minutes, take them out and dry them with a clean kitchen towel.
  • Take a bowl and add salt. Add turmeric powder. Add water and mix it well. Keep it aside.
  • With the help of a slicer, slice the banana into medium size. 
  • Add sliced banana in medium heat hot oil. Sprinkle a little of the salt and turmeric mix to give these chips the traditional color.
  • Fry until it turns crisp.
  • Drain on some paper towel. Cool it down.
  • Serve and Enjoy! 

Puli Inji 

Puli Inji is a traditional pickle from Kerala served in the Onam Sadhya. It’s sweet, spicy, sour, and delicious! Puli means Tamarind, and Inji means Ginger. This dip is a perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavors of both Tamarind and Ginger. Hence, making this dish a must-have in your Onam recipe menu.

Onam Recipes
Puli Inji

Quick Stats: 

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes 
  • Cooking Time: 10 minutes 
  • Servings: ¼ cup

Ingredients: 

  • ¼ cup ginger, peeled and finely chopped   
  • Tamarind – Big gooseberry size
  • Green chili – 2 nos ( finely chopped)
  • 1 tsp of red chili powder
  • Turmeric powder – ⅛ tsp
  • Grated jaggery – 2-3 tbsp
  • Salt and water – as needed.
  • Ground methi seeds powder – ¼ tsp

For Tempering: 

  • Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
  • Red chili – 1 no ( pinched)
  • Curry leaves – few

Method to Prepare: 

  • Soak Tamarind in 1 cup of water. In the meantime, wash and peel the Ginger. Chop it very finely and set it aside. Also, chop green chilies. Dry roast methi seeds and powder them. Set aside.
  • In a wide bowl, take the tamarind extract. Add turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder & jaggery. Allow it to boil well for 5 minutes.
  • In a Kadai, heat coconut oil and temper mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, pinched red chilies, and finely chopped Ginger. Saute well till ginger turns golden brown.
  • Add these ingredients to the boiling tamarind mixture and add little water if needed. Allow it to boil till the mixture thickens. 
  • Lastly, add the methi seeds powder. Mix well and switch off the flame. Let it cool. Store in an air-tight bottle. Use a clean spoon for handling. Stays good for weeks under refrigeration.
  • Enjoy with rice!

Beetroot Thoran 

This is a traditional Keralite dry vegetable dish made using chopped veggies like cabbage, beans, beetroot, etc., with loads of coconut. This is one of the most popular and integral Onam recipes. You can eat this salad as a side dish with daily meals on this auspicious day.

Onam Recipes
Beetroot Thoran

Quick Stats: 

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes 
  • Cooking Time: 40 minutes 
  • Servings: 4 serves 

Ingredients: 

  • 500 grams beetroot, very finely chopped or grated
  • 1 cup Fresh coconut, grated
  • One teaspoon Mustard seeds 
  • 2 Dry Red Chillies, broken
  • 2 Green Chillies, slit
  • One tablespoon White Urad Dal (Split)
  • One sprig Curry leaves
  • Salt, as required
  • One teaspoon Red Chilli powder
  • One teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder 
  • Coconut Oil, as required.
  • 1 cup Water

Method to Prepare: 

  • Take a nonstick wok and add two tablespoons of coconut oil. 
  • Then saute the finely chopped beetroot for around 3 minutes.
  • Pour in one cup of water or more if needed. Close the lid and cook the beetroot until it is soft. 
  • Turn off the gas and drain the water. Collect the water and later use it to make curry or stew. 
  • Now, add two tablespoons of coconut oil in the same wok. 
  • Then add mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, and dry red chili. 
  • Saute them until you hear mustard crackling.
  • Now, throw in the cooked beetroot and fry it until the moisture starts absorbing.
  • Then add spices such as salt, red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, and stir it. 
  • Add more oil if needed, and then close the lid and cook it for another 6 minutes. 
  • Take a mixer and grind coconut and green chilies coarsely. 
  • Once the beetroot thoran is done, turn off the gas and garnish with the freshly ground coconut and chili. 
  • Serve Beetroot Thoran with hot steamed rice and keerai sambar. 

Pulissery Recipe

Made with buttermilk and cucumber – Pulissery is an authentic Kerala recipe considered one of the most delicious Onam recipes. Pair this with rice or roti for a whole meal to tantalize your taste buds. 

Pulissery
Pulissery

Quick Stats: 

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes 
  • Cooking Time: 15 minutes 
  • Serving: 4 serves 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup buttermilk or curd
  • 1 cup ash gourd (sliced) or cucumber (chopped)
  • 2 Garlic pods
  • 2 Shallots (small onions)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 cup coconut, grated
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • Two green chili
  • 1/4 tsp red chili powder
  • Two red chilies
  • 1/4 tsp fenugreek
  • 1/2 tsp mustard
  • 2 Curry leaves
  • 2 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 cup water
  • Salt

Method to Prepare: 

  • Combine grated coconut, garlic, shallots, cumin seeds, and green chilies and blend them into a fine paste. Keep it aside.
  • Add sliced ash gourd and cucumber pieces in a pan, and then add ¾ cup of water. 
  • Make sure you cook it on low heat since ash gourd cooking time is fast, make sure the pieces are not overcooked. 
  • Once the ash gourd is cooked, throw in the coconut paste and curd. 
  • Leave it to simmer in a low flame. 
  • When the curry is just brought to boil, turn off the stove; make sure the curd doesn’t boil for more than a minute or two.
  • Now, take a pan and heat coconut oil, and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. 
  • When they start spluttering, add red chilies and curry leaves. 
  • Finally, sprinkle turmeric powder and salt.
  • Saute until it turns golden brown. For a more spicy touch, add red chili powder. 
  • Finally, combine this mix with the prepared pulissery. Give it a good stir. 
  • It is best served with hot rice.

Rasam 

A south Indian dish that is usually watery and doesn’t have a thick consistency like sambhar. Made with toor dal, lots of pepper, and tomatoes, rasam can be eaten in soup or steamed rice. Make this one of the most traditional Onam recipes and serve to infuse flavor in your celebration meal. 

Onam Recipes
Rasam

Quick Stats: 

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes 
  • Cooking Time: 30 minutes 
  • Servings: 4 serves 

Ingredients: 

  • 100 gms toor dal
  • 100 gms tomatoes
  • 500 ml water
  • 25 gms Tamarind

For Rasam Powder:

  • Ten gms peppercorns
  • Ten gms cumin seeds
  • Ten gms coriander seeds
  • 3-gram red chilies

For tempering: 

  • 30 ml oil
  • Three gms mustard seeds
  • Two gms curry leaves
  • 3 Garlic cloves
  • Ten sprigs of coriander leaves
  • Salt

Method to Prepare: 

  • Crush garlic and chop tomatoes.
  • Soak the tamarind and extract the pulp.
  • Before grinding the ingredients fine, roast them well. 
  • Take a pressure cooker and boil both dal and tomatoes together till the lentils are mashed.
  • Take a medium pan and heat oil it in. Now, heat oil and throw in mustard seeds. Cook them until it crackles.
  • Now, stir in the crushed garlic, curry leaves, and coriander leaves.
  • Mix the dal and water thoroughly to get the desired rasam consistency.
  • Mix in the tamarind pulp. Add the rasam powder.
  • Boil for 5 minutes on a low flame.

Paruppu Payasam

Creamy and delicious – this traditional sweet delicacy is made with yellow mung lentils, jaggery, and coconut milk. This moong dal payasam is one of the most delicious Onam recipes. Make this lovely dessert and bring sweet flavors to your festival!  

Onam Recipes
Paruppu Payasam

Quick Stats: 

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes 
  • Cooking Time: 5 minutes 
  • Servings: 6 serves 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup moong dal or 100 grams moong dal (pasi paruppu)
  • 2 cup water to be added in the pan containing moong dal
  • 3 cups water to be added to the pressure cooker
  • 1 cup thin coconut milk or second or third extract or water, add as required
  • 1.5 cup jaggery powder or grated jaggery
  • 2 cup thick coconut milk or first extract, 250 ml
  • Four tablespoons coconut oil
  • One teaspoon cardamom powder or seeds of 4 to 5 green cardamoms, crushed in a mortar-pestle
  • 24 to 30 cashews
  • Two tablespoons raisins

Method to Prepare: 

Cooking Moong Dal

  • Take a small bowl and add the moong dal and 1 cup water. 
  • Place this bowl in a pressure cooker. Now, pour 1.5 cups of water into the pressure cooker. 
  • Pressure cook the moong dal for around 6 minutes on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes.  
  • When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid and check the dal. The lentils should be cooked well.

Making Paruppu Payasam

  • Pour the entire contents of the small bowl (cooked moong dal + water) into a pan or a Kadai.
  • Mash the moong dal with a spoon.
  • Now, add ½ cup of thin coconut milk or water and mix thoroughly.
  • Add 3/4 cup jaggery powder. If you want your dessert to be less sweet, you can add just ½ cup jaggery powder.
  • Keep the pan or Kadai on the stovetop and a low flame; heat this mixture.
  • Keep on stirring so that the jaggery dissolves.
  • Once all the jaggery is dissolved, add 1 cup of thick coconut milk.
  • Mix it thoroughly and heat it slightly for a minute. 
  • Switch off the flame and keep it aside. Do not overheat or boil as the coconut milk can curdle.

Frying Dry Fruits

  • Take a small tadka pan and heat two tablespoons of coconut oil. Add 12 to 15 cashews.
  • Fry till the cashews begin to get golden.
  • Once the cashews turn golden, throw in 1 tablespoon of raisins and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder.
  • Now, fry the raisins until they are plump.
  • Now pour the entire content of the tadka pan (coconut oil + cashews + raisins) in the payasam.
  • Mix all the ingredients very well and serve the pasi paruppu payasam hot or warm. 
  • When the payasam comes to room temperature, slide it into the refrigerator immediately.

Read More:- Sabudana Kheer Recipe- A delicious and pearly kheer to eat during the fasting period

Final Words 

Bring out the gigantic banana leaves and cook some of the best-loved meals of Kerala while you prepare the Onam Sadhya to celebrate the festival Onam 2021. Try these Onam recipes and infuse the festival with traditional flavors!