What are the main dishes in an Onam Sadya?

A: The main dishes in an Onam Sadya are:

• Rice (Choru) – The centerpiece of Sadya, served with ghee and curries.
• Parippu (Dal Curry) – Made with moong dal and ghee, eaten with rice.
• Sambar – A spicy, tangy lentil-based curry with vegetables.
• Rasam – A peppery, tamarind-flavored soup-like dish that aids digestion.
• Avial – A thick curry of mixed vegetables cooked with coconut and yogurt.
• Kaalan – Curry with yogurt, yam/plantain, and coconut.
• Olan – A mild dish made with ash gourd, cowpeas, and coconut milk.
• Kootu Curry – Made with black chickpeas or yam and coconut.
• Thoran – Stir-fried vegetables with grated coconut (like beans, cabbage).
• Pulissery – Yogurt-based curry with ash gourd or ripe mango.
• Erissery – Pumpkin-based dish with coconut and spices.
• Pachadi – Sweet-sour side dish made with yogurt and pineapple or beetroot.
• Kichadi – Yogurt-based dish with bitter gourd, cucumber, or okra.
• Pickles (Achar) – Like lemon pickle, ginger pickle, or mango pickle.
• Banana Chips (Upperi) – Thinly sliced, deep-fried raw bananas.
• Sharkara Varatti – Jaggery-coated banana chips.
• Pappadam – Crispy fried papads, eaten with rice.
• Inji Curry / Puli Inji – A spicy-sweet tamarind and ginger chutney.
• Morru (Buttermilk Curry) – Light and cooling, served towards the end.
• Payasam (Dessert) – The highlight of Sadya, usually 2–3 types like Palada, Ada Pradhaman, or Parippu Payasam.

Explanation of the Dishes

• Balanced Flavors: The Sadya is designed to give six distinct tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent – making it a wholesome Ayurvedic meal.
• Health Benefits: Dishes like Rasam and Morru help in digestion, while Avial and Thoran provide nutrition through vegetables and coconut.
• Cultural Significance: Each dish has a symbolic place. For example, Puli Inji represents balance (sweetness of jaggery, sourness of tamarind, heat of ginger).
• Celebratory Touch: Payasam is the grand finale of Sadya, signifying sweetness and prosperity in life.
• Banana Leaf Tradition: Serving on banana leaves connects people to nature and adds a subtle aroma and flavor to the meal.