• What is Sadya?

Sadya is the vegetarian feast served as a platter on a banana leaf for festivals and celebrations in Kerala. Onasadya served during Onam is most sought after and famous of all. The word Sadya comes from the Sanskrit word Sadgi which means to take food with friends and family. Sadya is served in lined seating arrangements called Panthi

How many dishes are found in Sadya?

A standard Sadya is 26 dishes while special Sadya served as part of boat festivals in temples like Aranmula Parthasarathy temple has 64 dishes

• How is Sadya served?

Sadya is served on a warmed banana leaf which is rich in antioxidant polyphenols and is a ecofriendly biodegradable platter. The tip part of the leaf is usually used. The tip is place to the person’s left. Dishes are served from left to right and eating is from right to left. Salt is served first as a means of trust. A spoon of Payasam, the sweet dish is served after salt and other dishes follow. Fried items like banana chips, Sharkaravaratti a sweet banana fry, yam fry and pappad are served followed by bitter citrus pickle Naranga curry, sweet tangy Inchicurry with tamarind jaggery and ginger. Various stir fries and semisolid vegetarian dishes most of them cooked in coconut oil and spiced with different ground versions of coconut are served. Few are cooked with curd and are good probiotics.

Front and middle parts are for staples like rice and Payasam and gravy curries to mix with rice. If the sadya has a Payasam prepared with milk that is served first followed by rice with Parippuney, a combo of cooked lentils with ghee. This is to be had with vegetables and in between boluses the pickles are to be licked to stimulate taste buds and digestive juices. Sambar is followed by jaggery Payasam and then Madhuracurry the sweet curry, Kaalan a curd curry, a handful drink of Rasam a pungent curry, inchithairu and rice a combo curd with ginger to aid digestion and winding is by having a handful drink of spiced buttermilk Sambharam

Jaggery Payasam is had by mixing Pappadam and banana with it. In between to balance spices Olan is eaten. Sadya is served in the chronology of sweet unctuous dish followed by dishes with predominant sour, salty, spicy, bitter and astringent tastes. After handwash tamboolam a chewing dish with betel leaf, betel but, white lime and spices like cloves, nutmeg and cardamom are chewed to complete Sadya

• What are the dishes of Sadya?

Salt, Banana Chips, Sharkaravaratti, Chena Varavu, Naranga curry, Puliyinchi, Banana, Pappadam, Thoran, Mezhukkupuratti, Koottukari, Erisseri, Avial, Kaalan, Olan, Pachadi, Kichadi, Paalpayasam, Sharkara Payasam, Parippu-Ney, Sambhar, Madhura Curry, Pulissery, Rasam, Inchithairu, Sambharam are the 26 dishes of Sadya apart from cooked parboiled red rice and Tamboolam

• What are the health benefits of Sadya?

Sadya is a Satwic nutritionally balanced meal. No onions garlic and other such spices are used. In Ayurveda terms it is light and pacifies all the 3 Doshas. Tridosha Shamaka is the description

Each standard Sadya serving with 2 Payasam is around 2000 calories. It contains both macro and micro nutrients. Carbohydrates, Protein, Fat, Water and Fibre are the macronutrients while Vitamins and Minerals are the micro nutrients. The healthy oils used provide essential elements like lauric acid in coconut oil, sinigrin from ground mustard of Pachadi, the B12 from the ghee of Payasam.Traditionally local water-rich gourd vegetables constitute a major part of Sadya dishes. Locally grown red rice which is light and nutritious is used. The slow cooking process also makes Sadya a healthy meal

• What is the right time to have a Sadya?

A very light breakfast like a low-calorie porridge is ideal for breakfast on a Sadya day. Evening meal also has to be light like boiled vegetables and soup. This is to balance the calorie requirement. Sadya has to be consumed by noon between 11.30 am and 1 pm. Day sleep is not recommended after Sadya. Sadya is better avoided at night. It can be had as breakfast. A Sadya prepared and consumed in the right way at the right time is healthy nutritious and mentally satisfying. It bestows a fell of social security, social bonding and the concept of one world one family