The Onam Sadhya is a culinary ode to harmony, tradition, and abundance. At its heart lies a striking balance of flavours, textures, and nourishing ingredients. This feast can be as much a sensory journey as it is a celebration of harvest. The Onam Sadhya features a wide range of delicacies, including rice, curries, vegetable preparations, sides and desserts. They are traditionally served in a particular order. Below is a quick list of some of the most common vegetable-centric components of Onam Sadhya. They can be enjoyed as part of a complete festive feast or even separately as part of a wholesome daily meal.
Onam 2025: Relish These Traditional Vegetable Dishes Of Onam Sadhya
1. Avial
Avial is a beloved Kerala dish that features vegetables such as raw banana, carrot, drumstick, yam, and cucumber. It has a distinctive coconut-yoghurt base. The mix is simmered until tender, then seasoned simply with curry leaves and coconut oil. Its mild tang and rich texture soothe the palate and offer a comforting contrast to the spicier dishes. Many restaurants have this dish on their menus year-round. So, if you don't want to make it at home, order it online.
2. Thoran
Thoran is a dry stir-fry made with finely chopped vegetables. Common ones used are cabbage, carrot, or beans. They are tossed with grated coconut, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and turmeric. Thoran has a light, slightly crunchy bite that remains subtly spiced and aromatic. It has a different texture than the other elements, which makes it a must-try.
3. Olan
Olan is a delicately flavoured stew made with ash gourd and cowpeas, gently cooked in coconut milk with green chillies and finished with coconut oil. Its mellow sweetness and silky consistency add a cool and calming note to the meal. It brings balance to the Onam Sadhya spread, which tends to have several strong, tangy elements.
Also Read: This Classic Kerala-Style Olan Can Be A Perfect Addition To Your Onam Sadya Spread
4. Kootu Curry
Some Onam Sadhya curations feature Kootu Curry. This Kerala dish is made with vegetables such as yams, ash gourd, pumpkin, or plantain along with legumes. It is simmered in a spiced coconut-based gravy that balances sweet, savoury, and mildly spicy flavours. This treat brings warmth and depth to your palate.
Onam Sadhya includes a variety of vegetable dishes. Photo Credit: Pexels
5. Erissery
Erissery features pumpkin or yams and black-eyed peas, cooked with coconut and lightly seasoned with pepper. The curry often gains a hint of sweetness from the pumpkin as well as the creamy coconut paste. Erissery is cherished for its gentle flavours and its satiating ingredients.
Also Read: Onam 2025: Make This Delicious Paal Payasam For Onam Sadhya Spread
6. Kalan
Kalan is a thick curry built on a base of coconut and yoghurt, with chunks of yam or raw banana simmered until soft. More sour and dense than Avial, it may include pepper or chillies for warmth. Once you taste this tangy, earthy preparation, you might want to eat it again and again - even once Onam is over.
7. Pachadi
The Onam Sadhya has several types of side dishes, and one of them is pachadi. It is a bright, yoghurt-based relish typically made with cucumber, beetroot, or pineapple. It is mixed with coconut and tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pachadi offers a cool, tangy freshness that cleanses the palate between heavier curries.
8. Kichadi
Kichadi is similar to Pachadi but slightly tangier and often uses vegetables like cucumber, bitter gourd, or ash gourd. It combines curd with a coconut-cumin paste and is topped with a tempering of mustard and curry leaves. Kichadi's crisp, tangy character helps reset your taste buds before you move to savour the rest of the Onam Sadhya.
Of course, there are other dishes with veggies that are a part of Onam Sadhya - such as sambar and moru curry. The festive spread includes various kinds of dishes. Click here for more Onam recipes. If you're not cooking for Onam Sadhya at home or going out to relish it this year, you can consider getting it delivered home via a food delivery app.
Which is your favourite Onam Sadhya dish? Let us know in the comments below. Wishing you a Happy Onam 2025!
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