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Sadya

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Sadya
Alternative namesസദ്യ
Place of originIndia
Region or stateKerala
Other informationKamayan(Philippines)
Traditional Kerala Sadya

Sadya,also spelt asSadhya,(Malayalam:സദ്യ) is a meal ofKeralaorigin and of importance to all Malayalis, consisting of a variety of traditional vegetarian dishes usually served on abananaleaf as lunch.[1]Sadya is typically served as a traditional feast forOnamandVishu,[2]along with other special occasions such as birthdays, weddings and temple festivals. In Brahmanical tradition, the term "sadya" (सद्य) in Sanskrit means "immediate," "soon," or "quickly." It is derived from the root "sādhyā" (साध्या), meaning "achievable" or "attainable." In South Indian cuisine, especially in Kerala, "sadya" came from the concept of 'immediate brahmanical feast'.[3]

Overview

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Valla sadya

A typical sadya can have about 24–28 dishes served as a single course.[4]In cases where it is much larger, it can have over 64 or more items, such as the sadya for Aranmula Vallamkali (Valla-sadya).[5]During a traditional sadya meal, people are seatedcross-leggedon mats.[6]Food is eaten with the right hand, without cutlery.[6]The fingers are cupped to form aladle.[6]

The main dish is plain boiledrice,served along with other curries/koottaan(കൂട്ടാന്‍) which includeparippu,sambar,rasam,pulisseriand others likekaalan,avial,thoran,olan,pachadi,kichadi,koottukari,erissery,mango pickle,injipuli,mezhukkupuratti,naranga achaar (lime pickle),as well aspapadam,plantain chips,sharkara upperi,banana,plaincurdandbuttermilk.[5][7][8][9]The buttermilk is typically served near the end of the meal.[5]The traditional dessert calledpayasamserved at the end of the meal is of many kinds[5]and usually three or more are served. Some of the varieties are Paalada pradhaman,Ada pradhaman,Parippu pradhaman, Chakka pradhaman, Gothampu payasam, Paal payasam, etc. The multiple curries are all made with different vegetables and have their own flavor. The variety of curries is to symbolize prosperity and well-being.

A sadya served forOnam

The dishes are served in different spots on the banana leaf.[10]For example, the pickles are served on the top left corner and the banana in the bottom left corner, which helps the waiters to easily identify and decide on offering additional servings. The most common ingredients in all the dishes are coconut as it is abundant in Kerala. Coconut milk is used in some dishes, and coconut oil is used for frying.

There are variations in the menu depending on the place. Although the custom is to use traditional and seasonal vegetables indigenous to Kerala or the Southwest Coast of India, it has become common practice to include vegetables such as carrots, pineapples, and beans in the dishes. Traditionally, onion and garlic are not typically used in the sadya. The meal may be followed by chewing ofvettila murukkaan,betel leaf[11]with lime and arecanut. This helps with the digestion of the meal and cleanses the palate.[11]

The sadya is very similar to thekamayaninFilipino cuisinewith major differences.

Preparations

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Pachadiis sometimes used in sadya

The sadya is usually served for lunch,[12]although a lighter version is served for dinner as well. Preparations begin the night before, and the dishes are prepared before ten o'clock in the morning on the day of the celebration. Nowadays, sadya is often served on tables, as people no longer find it convenient to sit on the floor. Sourcing of items/ingredients for a sadya is an elaborate and careful process to ensure quality. The lighting of the fire to prepare the sadya is done after a prayer to Agni, and the first serving is offered on a banana leaf in front of a lightednilavilakkuas an offering toGanapati.

In a sadya, the meals are served on abanana leaf.[5]The leaf is folded and closed once the meal is finished.[13]In some instances, closing the leaf toward you communicates satisfaction with the meal, while folding it away from oneself signifies that the meal can be improved.[13]However, the direction the leaf is folded in can have different meanings in various parts of Kerala.[14]

The Central Travancore-style sadya is known to be the most disciplined and tradition-bound.[15]There is usually an order followed in serving the dishes, starting from the chips and pickles first.[10][9]However, different styles and approaches to making and serving the dishes are adopted in various parts of Kerala depending on local preferences.Aranmula Valla-sadyais the most celebrated sadya with over 64 items served traditionally.[16]

Typical ingredients

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The items include:[15][17]

Sadya items. Clockwise from top:paayasam(in mug),bittergourdthoran,aviyal,kaalan,lime pickle,saambaar,buttermilk,boiled rice in center
  • Rice: It is the main item in a sadya. It is always the Kerala red rice (semi-polished parboiled brown[15][18]) which is used for the sadya.Kerala mattarice is sometimes used.[19]
  • Parippu:A thick currylentildish.
  • Sambar:A thick gravy made oflentils,tamarind,vegetables likedrumsticks,tomato,yam etc., and flavored withasafoetida.
  • Rasam:A watery dish made of tamarind,[20]tomatoes, and spices likeblack 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 a sadya.
  • Avial:A dense mixture of various vegetables and coconut, it is seasoned withcurry leavesand coconut oil.[9]
  • Kaalan:Made ofcurd,coconut, and any one vegetable like "nendran" plantain or a tuber-likeyam.It is very thick and more sour, and typically can last for a longer period owing to the lower water content.[17]
  • Olan:A light dish, prepared ofwhite gourdor black peas, coconut milk, andgingerseasoned withcoconutoil.[9][15]
  • Koottukari:Vegetables like banana or yam cooked withchickpeas,coconut and black pepper.[21]
  • Erissery: A thick curry made from pumpkin,black-eyed peasand coconut.[22][23]
  • Pachadi:Sour curry made of curd and usuallycucumberor sliced ash gourd cooked in coconut ground with mustard seeds and seasoned with sautéed mustard seeds and curry leaves.[17][24]
  • SweetPachadi:A sweet form of Pachadi, made with pineapple, pumpkin or grapes in curd.[9]The gravy masala comprises coconut ground with cumin seeds and green chillies.[17][24]
  • Pulisseri: A sour, yellow-coloured thin curry made with slightly souredyogurtand cucumber.[10]A sweet variant called Mampazha-pulissheri replaces cucumber with a combination of ripe mangoes andjaggery.
  • Injipuli:A sweet pickle made of ginger, tamarind, green chilies, and jaggery, also called Puli-inji.[25]
  • Thoran:A dish ofsautéedvegetables such aspeas,green beans,rawjackfruit,carrots, orcabbage(usually) with grated coconut.
  • Mezhukkupuratti:A style of preparation for a vegetarian dish where the vegetable is stir-fried with spices. Chopped onions or shallots may also be used.
  • Achaar:Spicypicklesof rawmango(Mango pickle),[5]lemon,[20]lime,(Narangakari) etc.
  • Pappadam:Made with lentil flour, it is paired with rice and can be eaten as an appetizer.
  • Sharkara upperi:Banana chipswith jaggery.[9]
  • Kaaya Varuthathu:Banana chips.[5]
  • Banana:A ripe banana is often served with the sadya to be eaten with the dessert, Payasam.
  • Chammanthi podi:coconut powder served as a dry condiment or chutney.
  • Sambharam,also referred to as moru: A drink made from salted buttermilk with green chilli, ginger, and curry leaves, it is drunk to improve digestion and is typically served near the end of the meal.[5][20]
  • Kadumanga:Sliced mango pickle. Usually served as the third condiment of the sadya.


These side dishes are followed by desserts like Pradhaman and Payasams.[5]

Pradhaman

[edit]

Pradhamanis a sweet dish in the form of a thick liquid; similar topayasam,but with more variety in terms of ingredients and more elaborately made. It is made with whitesugaror jaggery to which coconut milk is added. The main difference between a pradhaman and a payasam is that the former uses coconut milk, while the liquid versions of payasam use cow's milk.

See also

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References

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  1. ^Kerala's Slow Food; The Indian banana leaf banquet that tastes like home by Shahnaz Habib AFAR March/ April 2014 page 49
  2. ^Iyer, Meenakshi (25 August 2018)."Onam 2018, here's why Sadya is the most balanced meal, full of nutritional value – more lifestyle".Hindustan Times.Retrieved20 September2018.
  3. ^1.Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary 2.A Sanskrit-English Dictionary by Sir Monier Monier-Williams
  4. ^"Happy Onam 2020: 26 dishes in the Onam Sadhya feast, what they're called".Hindustan Times.Retrieved26 June2024.
  5. ^abcdefghi"Happy Vishu 2017: Vishu Sadhya, Kerala's Grand New Year Feast".NDTVFood. 13 April 2017.Retrieved20 September2018.
  6. ^abcVasu, S.S.L.; Kumar, R. (2017).Morning Glory Blossoms.Partridge Publishing Singapore. p. 21.ISBN978-1-5437-4244-2.Retrieved20 September2018.
  7. ^abRai, J.Curry Cookbook – Keralan Cuisine – Jay Rai's Indian Kitchen: करी व्यंजनों.Springwood media. p. pt4-5.ISBN978-1-4761-2308-0.Retrieved20 September2018.
  8. ^Brien, C.O. (2013).The Penguin Food Guide to India.Penguin Books Limited. p. pt422.ISBN978-93-5118-575-8.Retrieved20 September2018.
  9. ^abcdefPunit, 27 lip-smacking, vegetarian dishes to try during Kerala’s grandest feast (28 August 2015)."Quartz India".Quartz India.Retrieved20 September2018.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^abcKannampilly, V. (2003).The Essential Kerala Cookbook.Penguin Books. p. 9.ISBN978-0-14-302950-2.Retrieved20 September2018.
  11. ^ab"Onam Sadya Items That Make the Traditional Recipe of Kerala Festival a Hit".India.com.3 September 2017.Retrieved20 September2018.
  12. ^Basu, M. (2018).Masala: Indian Cooking for Modern Living.Bloomsbury Publishing. p. pt268.ISBN978-1-4088-8687-8.Retrieved20 September2018.
  13. ^ab"The festive feast".The Hans India.11 September 2016.Retrieved20 September2018.
  14. ^Pillai, Pooja (14 September 2016)."God's Own Platter".The Indian Express.Retrieved20 September2018.
  15. ^abcdN. Satyendran (10 August 2010)."Onam on a leaf".The Hindu.Retrieved14 September2016.
  16. ^"Sing out loud for a 64-dish sadya".The Times of India.22 August 2015.Retrieved20 September2018.
  17. ^abcd"Onam special: Here's what a traditional Onam sadhya consists of".The Indian Express.13 September 2016.Retrieved13 September2016.
  18. ^Ramya Menon."God's Own Feast-ival!".Cucumbertown.Archived fromthe originalon 4 September 2014.
  19. ^Tiwari, Nimisha (19 July 2018)."Flavours of India: Here's a look at a plethora of dishes that make festivals fun".The Economic Times.Retrieved20 September2018.
  20. ^abc"Watch: Essential parts of an Onam Sadhya".Firstpost.4 September 2017.Retrieved20 September2018.
  21. ^"Onam Sadya: Know Everything About It".Caringly Yours.9 August 2020.Retrieved13 August2020.
  22. ^"When kanji used to be the special item on wedding menu".OnManorama.29 August 2018.Retrieved20 September2018.
  23. ^Kannan, A. (2011).From the South Delectable Home Cooking.DC Books. p. 1.ISBN978-81-921926-2-8.Retrieved20 September2018.
  24. ^abN. Satyendran (6 July 2012)."Pachadi".Retrieved14 September2016.
  25. ^"Onam 2018: All the delicacies that make up the very vast Onam sadhya feast".The Indian Express.24 August 2018.Retrieved20 September2018.
  26. ^Kannampilly, V. (2003).The Essential Kerala Cookbook.Penguin Books. p. 232.ISBN978-0-14-302950-2.Retrieved20 September2018.
  27. ^James, Merin (31 August 2017)."It's sadhya time, let's feast!".The Asian Age.Retrieved20 September2018.
  28. ^Varghese, T. (2006).Stark World Kerala.Stark World Pub. p. 107.ISBN978-81-902505-1-1.Retrieved20 September2018.
  29. ^Abram, D. (2010).The Rough Guide to Kerala.Rough Guides. p. pt86.ISBN978-1-4053-8806-1.Retrieved20 September2018.
  30. ^"Chakka Maholsavam to feature jackfruit delicacies".The Hindu.10 May 2018.Retrieved20 September2018.
  31. ^Nagarajan, Saraswathy (20 August 2021)."Payasam fetes usher in the sweet notes of Onam in Kerala".The Hindu.
  32. ^India Ministry of Tourism (2001).Explore India: The Official Newsletter of the Ministry of Tourism.Durga Das Publications Pvt. Limited.Retrieved20 September2018.
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