Feast on a Leaf

In the land of festivals, India, if Deepavali is associated with lights and Holi with colours, Onam is an epicure's delight. "Kaanan Vittum Onam Unnanam (enjoy the Onam feast even if you have to sell your possessions)", a Malayalam adage, emphasises the importance of the Onam feast. Every year, in August-September, the South Indian state of Kerala, celebrates Onam, with much aplomb. Vallamkali (snake boat races), Thiruvathira (traditional dance) and Kathakali (an age old dance form), among many other traditional activities, form part of the month long celebration. It is believed that the mythological king Mahabali, who was vanquished from his kingdom by Vamana, a Brahmin dwarf (incarnation of Lord Vishnu), visits his people on this day. To welcome their beloved king, people decorate their front courtyard (muttam) with a floral carpet (pookalam), wear traditional attire, and prepare a delectable sadya (feast), truly meant for the Gods.

The Onam feast is an elaborate affair. A number of curries, dry vegetable dishes, crispy accompaniments and desserts make up the feast. The main course consists of parboiled brown rice. Seasonal vegetables such as pumpkin, yam, drumstick, cucumber and raw banana are used in this strictly vegetarian fare, along with lentils and beans. Coconut is used in abundance, either fresh or roasted.

Among the array of Onam curries are Parippu curry (lentils), Avial (assorted vegetables in coconut cream), Erissery (beans and pumpkin delight), Kaalan (whipped yogurt and coconut), Olan (ash gourd and red gram curry) and Sambar (assorted vegetables in a tamarind based stew). Dry accompaniments include Thoran (cabbage with coconut), Upperi (banana chips), Sarkara-puratti (fried banana cubes coated with jaggery) and Pappadam (crisp round flour wafers). Other items such as Pachadi (cucumber in spiced yogurt), Puli-inji (tangy ginger and tamarind sauce), Rasam (spicy soup), Sambaram (flavoured salted butter milk) and Uppilittadu (pickles), spice up the feast. The dessert consists of Payasam and Prathaman, which are porridges made of split green gram, rice paste (ada) or banana with milk and jaggery.

The feast is served on plantain leaf. There is a distinct way of placing the leaf and a specific order of serving the dishes. Every dish commands a specific place on the leaf. Salt marks the beginning of the feast, followed by the dry accompaniments. Once the rice is served, the various curries follow. Payasam or Prathaman is served at the end.

In days of yore, the Onam feast included sixty-four items - eight varieties of eight dishes. To accommodate all the dishes, three plantain leaves were laid one below the other! Although the number of dishes has reduced, an Onam sadya is still a lip smacking, finger licking experience.

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