Sadya 1777552 218286683 2008-06-09T23:33:33Z RegentsPark 4894531 Moving unref tag {{Unreferenced|date=January 2007}} [[Image:sadhya.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A Typical [[Onam]] Feast. Onam is a major festival of Kerala.]] '''Sadya''' ([[Malayalam]]: സദ്യ) means banquet in [[Malayalam]] (the language spoken in [[Kerala]], [[India]]). A Sadya is a big feast associated with a special occasion, such as a marriage, birthday, childbirth etc. A Sadya is traditionally a [[vegetarianism|vegetarian]] meal served on a [[plantain]] or [[banana]] leaf; people eat sitting cross-legged on the floor. The dishes are mainly cooked (plain boiled) [[rice]], many [[curries]], [[papadum]], plain [[yogurt]] or [[buttermilk]], banana or plantain chips, and two or more sweet dishes. The curries are made of different vegetables and are of different tastes. They can be made of yogurt, [[bitter gourd]], [[mango]], [[jaggery]], etc. The idea of making many dishes in the Sadya is that there will be at least two or three dishes liked by everybody. [[Coconut]], being abundant in [[Kerala]], is used in almost all dishes. [[Coconut milk]] also finds various uses in cooking. Coconut oil is used for frying. There is a specific place for each item on the plantain leaf. For example, the pickles are served on the top left corner and banana on the bottom left corner. Thus, the waiters can easily identify the requirement of the diner by just looking at his leaf. There are variations in the menu according to the place and the religion. Some communities include non-vegetarian dishes in the sadya. Although custom was to use traditional and seasonal vegetables, it has become common practice to include vegetables such as [[carrots]], [[pineapples]], [[beans]] and others in the food. [[Onion]] and [[garlic]] are not typically used in the sadya. The sadya is usually served as [[lunch]]. Preparations begin from the night before, and the dishes made ready before ten o' clock in the morning. On many occasions, sadya is served on dining tables, as people no longer find it convenient to sit on the floor. All the dishes are served on the plantain leaf; it requires a special skill to eat the food. The whole palm and fingers of the hand have to be used in the form of a [[ladle (spoon)|ladle]] to lift the food from the leaf and eat it without spilling it. Traditionally, the people of the neighbourhood used to spend the night helping the cooks in works like scraping coconut and cutting vegetables. These people also volunteered to serve the food to the guests. This lent a personal touch to the occasion. Enterprise and urban demands on time and space have now made it possible for the work to be contracted to professional catering services. The meal is always followed by ''vettila murukkan'', i.e., chewing of [[betel leaf]] with lime and arecanut. This adds to the digestion of the heavy meal and also cleanses the palate. ==The usual items in a ''Sadya''== Parippu : A thick [[lentil]] dish eaten with rice, [[Papadum]] and [[ghee]]. [[Sambar (dish)|Sambar]] : A thick gravy made of [[lentils]], [[tamarind]], coconut, vegetables like [[Moringa oleifera|drumsticks]], [[tomato]], etc., and flavored with [[asafoetida]]. [[Rasam]] : A watery dish made of tamarind, tomatoes, and spices like [[black pepper]], [[asafoetida]], [[coriander]], [[chili pepper]], etc. It is very spicy in taste and aids in digestion. [[Aviyal]] : Thick mixture of all vegetables, yogurt, and coconut. It is seasoned with coconut oil and [[Curry Tree|curry leaves]]. This dish is usually made of leftover vegetables. [[Kaalan]] : Made of yogurt, coconut, and any one vegetable like "nendran" plantain or a tuber-like [[yam (vegetable)|yam]]. It is very thick and more sour than avial. [[Olan]] : A preparation of [[pumpkin]], coconut milk, and [[ginger]] seasoned with [[coconut]] oil. [[Koottukari]] : One or two vegetables like banana and coconut with a hot and sweet taste. [[Kichadi]] : Made of yogurt and [[cucumber]] in raw or cooked form. [[Pachadi]] : A sweet form of kichadi, but made with pineapple, grapes and cocunut. [[Injipuli]] : Curry made of ginger, tamarind, green chilies, and jaggery. [[Thoran]] : A [[sauteed]] dish of vegetables like [[peas]], [[green beans]], raw [[jackfruit]], carrots, or [[cabbage]] (usually) with grated coconut. [[Achar|Pickles (Achar)]] : Spicy [[pickled]] raw mango/[[lemon]]/[[lime (fruit)|lime]], etc. ==Pradhaman== ''pradhaman'' is a sweet dish in the form of a thick liquid. It is made with white [[sugar]] or jaggery to which [[milk]] or coconut milk is added. *Palada pradhaman is made of flakes of cooked rice, milk, and sugar. *Pazha pradhaman is made of cooked "nendra" plantain in jaggery and coconut milk. *Gothambu pradhaman is made of broken [[wheat]]. *Parippu pradhaman is made of green [[gram]]. *[[Chakka pradhaman]] is made of jackfruit. *[[kadala pradaman]] is made from black gram. ==Glossary of vegetables and spices== {| | *[[Amorphophallus]]: Chena *[[Asafoetida]] : Kayam *[[Ash gourd]] : Kumbalanga *[[Banana]] : Vaazhakka *[[Bengal gram]] : Mani Kadala *[[Bitter gourd]] : Kaippaga (Pavakka) *[[Urad (bean)|Black gram]] : Uzhunnu *[[Cabbage]] : Muttagoosu *[[Cardamom]] : Elakkaya | *[[Cashew nut]] : Kashuvandi paruppu *[[chili pepper|Green Chili Pepper]] : Pacha mulaku *[[Coconut]] : Nalikeram or Thenga *[[Coconut oil]] : Velichenna *[[Coriander]] : Malli or Kothumalli *[[Cowpea]] : Van Payar *[[Cumin]] : Jeeragam *[[Drumstick]] : Muringakkaya *[[Egg plant]] (Brinjal) : Vazhuthinanga *[[Fennel]] : Vendayam or Uluva *[[Garlic]] : Veluthulli *[[Ghee]] : Nei *[[Ginger]] : Inji *[[Green gram]] : Cheru payar *[[Groundnut oil]] : Kadalayenna *[[Jack fruit]] : Chakka | *[[Jaggery]] : Sarkara (vellam) *[[Milk]] : Paal *[[Okra|Lady's finger]]: Vendakka *[[Onion]] : Ulli *[[Pea]] : Payar *[[Black pepper]] : Kuru mulaku *[[Plantain]] : Nendrakka *[[Potato]] : Urulakkizhangu *[[Pumpkin]] : Matthan *[[Raisin]] : Unakka mundiri | *[[Salt]] : Uppu *[[Sesame oil]] : Ellenna or Nallenna *[[Sugar]] : Panchasara *[[Tamarind]] : Puli *[[Tomato]] : Thakkaali | |} ==See also== *[[Cuisine of Kerala]] *[[Onam]] *[[Kerala]] *[[Pooram]] ==References== [[Category:Kerala cuisine]] [[Category:Meals]] [[Category:Indian cuisine]] [[ml:സദ്യ]]