Experience the Magic of Onam: Kerala's Biggest and Most Famous Sweets
Onam is a cherished and beautiful cultural festival of India. It is the biggest and most famous festival in Kerala State. It is mostly celebrated in the month of Chingam, which is the first month of the Malayalam calendar; this corresponds with the months of August and September in the Gregorian calendar. This festival is mainly celebrated to welcome the demon King Bali, who is the beloved ruler of the Kerala people. Even this festival marks the celebration of the rice harvest. The Onam festival reflects the cultural richness of Kerala, so many people from different regions take part in this celebration. Even this particular festival attracts international tourists as much as the domestic people, so the government of Kerala announces those 10 days as the "Tourist Week" of Onam. This type of festival attraction denotes the unity and cultural diversity richness.
Onam is a festival to celebrate the visitation of King Mahabali because he symbolizes prosperity and wellness. People who celebrate the Onam know the story of King Mahabali, but for the people who don't have any idea about it: King Mahabali is a benevolent Asura king who is ruling the beautiful land of Kerala and all the three worlds with his prosperity, fairness, and generosity. As a good ruler, his reign among people grew stronger every single day. By seeing this, all the other God's and Deva's feared him, so they decided to diminish his reign with the help of Lord Vishnu, but he refused to take part in the war because King Mahabali is a good ruler. Thus, Lord Vishnu took an avatar of Vamana to outwit and banish him to the netherworld. Despite his departure, he was granted the wish to visit his beloved people of Kerala every once a year. This festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and grandeur to welcome the King Mahabali.
When it comes to culture, Onam is the great time for the Keralites to reconnect with their heritage. This celebration is conducted with multiple rituals and traditional poojas using required Onam pooja essentials, which reflect the diverse heritage of Kerala. In this 10-day festival, the most auspicious day is Thiruvonam because it is believed to be that this is the day of King Mahabali's visitation. For this day, homes and public places are decorated with beautiful floral arrangements; doorways are decorated with beautiful flower designs, and it is called Pookalam. People also celebrate the festival by dressing in traditional attire.
Over the time, Onam has grown very popular beyond its regional roots; it attracted people from other regions to take part in it, so the government of Kerala announced Onam as the national festival of Kerala in 1961. People started to celebrate it apart from caste, creed, and religion with traditional folk songs, snake boat and pookalam competitions, elaborated feasts, grand elephant walks, and so many other traditional activities. The traditional Onam Sadhya is a traditional food served on a banana leaf, and this feast reflects the rich culinary heritage of Kerala.
An important aspect of Onam is the variety of sweets and snacks that add the festive charm. Every traditional delicacy of Kerala adorns the table on the day of celebration. Apart from the foods, Onam sweets are an integral part of the festival because each item has its own traditional story and significance. These sweets and snacks represent the agricultural abundance and cultural cuisine of Kerala. From the unni appam, a sweet cake that is made with the ingredients of rice flour, jaggery, and banana, up to the sweet, thick, creamy payasam, which is a rice pudding made with fried nuts and raisins. These sweets not only represent the festival but also the celebration of the harvest season and bounty of nature. The Kerala sweets reflect the diverse ingredients and culinary richness of diverse India, which showcase the artistry skill of its cook. Now we are going to have a look at the ingredients of Kerala's most popular 10 traditional sweets.
1.Ada Pradhaman
Ada Pradhaman is a traditional quintessential dessert of Kerala; it showcases the traditional ingredients like thin rice flakes, coconut milk, the infused essence of jaggery, and cardamom. With the combination of these special ingredients, we will get a thick, creamy texture, which gives a delightful treat for the taste bud.
2.Semiya Payasam
Semiya Payasam is a traditional dessert of entire South India. This sweet reflects the warmth and hospitality of Kerala. The key ingredients of this dish are roasted vermicelli, milk, sugar, ghee, cashews, and raisins, which give a luscious creamy consistency. This sweet is served after a good meal because it gives complete satisfaction.
3.Palada Pradhaman
This is a delectable rice pudding dish cooked in milk with grains of rice and ghee and flavored with cardomom. This dish is slow-cooked on a low flame to allow the flavors to blend in the ada and to absorb the sweet to get coconut-infused sweet liquid, which shows elegance on the feast. This dish captures the artistry skill of traditional Kerala cuisine.
4.Banana Halwa
Banana Halwa is mainly made for special events and festival occasions. This sweet is a traditional South Indian dish that is made with ingredients like ripped bananas, clarified butter for luxurious richness, milk for creamy texture, sugar to add required sweetness, cashews, and nuts that are fried in the ghee for a delicate crunch. These ingredients allow to create a thick and flavorful delight.
5.UnniAppam
Unniappam is a popular Kerala sweet, and it is mainly made for the traditional religious celebrations and for important occasions. The key ingredients to make this sweet are rice flour, jaggery, and caramel for sweetness. A complete ripped banana is mashed and mixed with coconuts for a delightful chewiness. These complete mixtures are deep-fried in ghee in a special pan to get a small, round, and crispy-shaped sweet. This sweet dish evokes the feeling of nostalgia in every bite and gives joyous moments.
6.Nei Appam
The essential ingredients to make this fantastic sweet are rice flour, jaggery, ghee, and mashed ripe bananas. The richness of ghee brings life to this sweet dish because it is used to fry the batter in a special pan. This sweet gives rich attire and embodies the culinary traditions in the festivals, special occasions, and marriage celebrations.
7.Achappam
Achappam is mainly known for its ultimate crisp texture, and this sweet snack originated from Kerala. The ingredients required to make this special dish are rice flour, sugar, coconut milk, and eggs to get crisp. To make this achappam, use a special mould to get a flower-shaped design. As the last step, some sesame seeds are added to have a nutty taste. Achappam is deeply rooted in the traditions of Kerala.
8.Pazham Pori
This pazham pori is a perfect snack for tea time at festival occasions and family gatherings. To make this traditional Kerala snack, we need ripe banana slices, all-purpose flour, sugar, turmeric, and a pinch of salt. This sliced banana with a coat of batter is deep fried until it gets to the required golden color and crispiness. This sweet dish shows the traditional culinary art of Kerala.
9.Ariunda(Avalosunda)
Ariunda is famous for its rich flavor and simplicity. The key ingredients for this sweet are roasted rice flour, jaggery, grated coconut, and cardamom for aromatic spice. The combination of these ingredients gives small and round-shaped balls. This sweet dish is made for festivals like Onam and marriage celebrations. This dish shows the simplicity and the region's rich heritage.
10.Rava Laddu
Rava Laddu has a special place in Kerala cuisine; this sweet is mostly enjoyed in religious festivals and celebratory events. The key ingredients to make this simple dish are roasted semolina (rava), sugar for required sweetness, and clarified ghee with a minimum amount of cashews and nuts. The mixtures are combined to make small, rounded balls.
There are so many sweet dishes to explore in the traditional cuisine of Kerala. These dishes show the vibrant cultural heritage of Onam. The sweet from the Kerala's famous Ada Pradhaman to Rava Ladu shows the unique taste, flavor, and story. Which also symbolizes the harvest season and religious prosperity. These Onam dishes like Sadhya, an vegetable feast that are more than just treats; they represent the tradition, craftsmanship, and unity that define the spirit of Onam. If you are searching for traditional Kerala products to celebrate your Onam you can find it in our Lakshmi Store UK an Indian online store, where you can find your everyday needs of authentic Indian and Sri Lankan groceries for a perfect Indian lifestyle.