For many travelers and holidaymakers, Kerala is a heavenly abode for many reasons. This is the right destination for people who love to taste the spiciest food. You can enjoy some of the most exotic cuisines in the world in Kerala. Most of the travel and tour operators offer packages that designed to taste some of the best dishes of the state. A lot of travelers from across the world visit this evergreen state and go back with fond memories of fascinating beaches, rich green agricultural lands, gorgeous backwater lakes, enchanting mountains, and of course, delicious dishes.
You cannot miss a Sadhya during your Kerala tour which is a mouth-watering pro biotic treat. This elaborate meal is served on all the special occasions in the beautiful state. In the local Malayalam language, sadhya means ‘a big feast or a banquet’. This traditional meal usually comprises around 10-15 different side dishes and usually served on a single plantain leaf of around 40 centimeters long. The vegetarian cuisine, sadhya comprises rice, different curries like sambar, aviyal, moru.
Sadhya, the vegetarian traditional feast served usually as lunch and you will truly appreciate the variety of vegetarian dishes. The dishes for sadhya consists of pink boiled rice, savories, pickles, several side dishes and desserts and all of them spread on the plantain leaf systematically. The narrowing tip of the plantain leaf should be to the left of the guest who seated.
Serving of Parippu is the beginning of the feast which is a dish made using small gram, onions, turmeric and ghee. Sambar is the second course which is the vegetable stew. Avial is the combination of vegetables, green chillies and coconut paste. Other important side dishes for sadhya include olan and thoran. The savories for the feast include pachadi, kichadi, ginger pickle, upperi and pappadam. Travelers love upperi, which are the deep fried banana chips.
Guests can enjoy desserts in the middle of the feast. Payasam is the main dessert which is a gelatinous fluid delicacy prepared from sweet molasses, spices and coconut milk. The dish garnished generously with raisins and cashew nuts. Different types of payasams usually served during the feast such as rice payasam, parippu pradhaman, kadala pradhaman, Semiya payasam and palada pradhaman.
Pazham is also served along with desserts which is the ripe plantain. Rice is served again after the desserts with peppery rasam which prepared using watery juice of tamarind as a base.
Sour buttermilk is served before winding up the feast that usually comes with chopped ginger and chillies.