Onam 2022: Traditional recipes you can make to celebrate the festival

Onam 2022: The auspicious festival of Onam is here. Celebrate the occasion with these mouth-watering traditional recipes.

Onam 2022: All Malayalis look forward to Onam every year. It is the harvest festival of Kerala and the celebration of Malayali culture. It typically begins around the middle of August and lasts until the middle of September. When Onam is observed, Kerala presents visitors with a completely new world of unique flavours, beautiful aromas, and entrancing displays of beauty. Your soul and body will dance to the energetic beats of music at the festivals' festivities and celebrations. The Onam festival showcases Kerala's culture and natural beauty for ten days.

The most notable Onam celebrations include the intricately crafted Pookalam, fragrant Onasadya, stunning Snake-boat Race, and alluring Kaikottikali Dance. Traditional dishes and recipes is an integral part of Onam celebrations. We have listed out a few traditional Onam recipes which you can make to bring the feeling of Onam home.

1. Beetroot pachadi

(Recipe by Instagram/ancysfoodstory)

Ingredients:

Beetroot-1 big

Grated coconut-1/2 cup

Curd-1 cup

Green chilly- 2

Red chilly-2

Ginger-1 small piece

Curry leaves- 2 strings

Cumin seeds-1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds-1/2 teaspoon

Water- 1/4 cup

Oil-1 tablespoon

Salt as per taste

Method:

Cut the beetroot into medium size pieces. Add water, salt and cook. When it cools down, blend it (avoid blending too much)

Grind grated coconut, green chilies, ginger, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and 2 nos of curry leaves to a smooth paste.

Add this paste to the cooked beetroot and mix well. Boil for 5 mins. Add curd and mix well( do not boil).Off the flame.

In a pan, heat oil and fry the mustard seeds, red chilies and curry leaves. Add this to the top of the curry. And your beetroot pachadi is ready to serve.

2. Hibiscus rasam

(Recipe by Instagram/ooonuready)

Ingredients:

Hibiscus flowers-10

I used 6 flowers and 1 Handful of dried ones

Shallots-10

Garlic- 7 cloves

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Dry chillies-2

Curry leaves-5/6

Rasam powder-2 tsp

Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri Chili powder-1 tsp

Asafoetida-1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Tamarind- the size of a lemon ball

Water- 1 cup

Jaggery- a small ball

Coriander leaves- for garnish.

Coconut oil- 1tbsp

Method:

- Heat the oil and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter add dry chilies and curry leaves.

- Add chopped shallots and garlic thereafter and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add finely chopped hibiscus flower petals and dried hibiscus flowers(soaked in warm water).

- Add the spice powders after the petals wilt. Add tamarind water, salt and 1 cup of water. Let the rasam simmer.

- Add jaggery and let the rasam simmer for another 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and hibiscus rasam is ready.

3. Kerala Paal Payasam (Rice milk pudding)

(Recipe by Instagram/my_pinchofwow)

Ingredients:

1-litre milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Rice (jeerakashaala)

1 cup water

1 tsp ghee

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

5 - Cashew nuts

Method:

- In a cooker add milk, water, rice and sugar, cook for some time. Wait for one whistle to come and then switch off the stove.

- Then open the pan and cook the Payasam for about 30 minutes on low heat, keep stirring.

- When milk becomes creamy and thick, switch off the flame and decorate with roasted cashew nuts.

- Serve hot or chilled and enjoy.

4. Inji Curry

(Recipe by Instagram/saveurs_secretes)

Ingredients:

Ginger cut into small pieces -150gm

Chopped Green Chilly-2

Shallots chopped-10no

Kashmiri Chilly powder-2tsp

Fenugreek powder small pinch

Asafetida powder -1/4tsp

Turmeric powder small pinch

Tamarind, as required

Coconut oil as required

curry leaves

Mustard seeds-1tsp

Red chili -2

Jaggery -small piece

Salt as per taste

Method:

- In a pan, pour oil when hot, put chopped ginger and sauté until it turns golden brown and keep aside.

- In the same oil, add mustard seeds, red chilies, curry leaves, shallots, and green chilies.

- Sauté until they turn brown in colour and on low heat add spices and sauté until the raw is smell gone.

- Add tamarind-soaked water, as required and cook for 5 minutes then add powdered ginger and jaggery mix well

- Add enough salt, and let it boil for a while.

5. Katti Parippu (Onam special Sadhya Dal Curry)

(Recipe by Instagram/rencyskitchen)

Ingredients:

Moong Dal - 2 cups

Salt to taste

Water - 4 cups + extra water

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Coconut grated - 1 cup

Jeera - 1 tsp

Green chilies - 3 nos

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

- Wash and lightly roast the moong dal.

- Transfer it to a pressure cooker. Add 4 cups of water and salt. Pressure cook for 3 whistles or around 20 mins. Let the steam settle. Open the cooker lid.

- Mash the dal. Add water as required. Since it's a thick Dal, water is added less compared to the usual Dal curry. Please remember that moong dal thickens as it cools.

- Add turmeric and salt. Let it boil.

- Make a paste of coconut + jeera + chilies + water. Add it to the dal and mix well.

- Add curry leaves and mix well.

- Lastly, add a generous amount of ghee and let it boil for 2-3 mins. Check the salt and consistency of the dal by adjusting the amount of water. Turn off the flame.

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