Bengaluru: As Onam draws closer, home-based food businesses across the city are witnessing a surge in demand for the traditional feast known as Onasadya or Thiruvonam sadya. With families and professionals seeking authentic Kerala flavours, several home chefs have lined up elaborate menus for the festive season.
A 31-dish Kottayam-style spread
On Sarjapur Road, Asher’s Kitchen, founded by Mercy Philip, is offering a lavish 31-dish sadya. “Our sadya is rooted in the traditions of Kottayam,” she says.
The spread features quintessential Kerala dishes such as aviyal (mixed vegetables with coconut), kalan (yoghurt-based curry), pachadi, sambar, rasam, plantain chips, chakka chips, sharkkara varatti (banana fried in jaggery syrup), inji puli (ginger-tamarind relish), and pickles. The desserts include parippu payasam and palada payasam.
Mercy notes that the response this year has been strong from both families and young professionals. Bookings are open until September 2, with orders being taken via WhatsApp on 70191 40265.
Classics from across Kerala
Rehana Ismail, a home chef based in Hennur, is preparing an 18-dish sadya featuring classics such as inji puli, mango pickle, beetroot pachadi, pineapple pachadi, sambar, rasam and cabbage thoran.
For desserts, she is offering ada payasam and chakkara payasam, with the option to order extra portions at additional cost. “Most of my customers last year were family and friends. Almost all of them have returned with repeat orders. Seeing the response, I have opened bookings for more people this year,” Rehana said. Orders are being accepted until September 2 on 95355 55005.
Palakkad-style Uthradam sadya
In B Narayanapura, Kalavara, a home-based kitchen run by Usha Vasudevan, Malathi Murali and Devi Rajan, is focusing on the Uthradam sadya. Traditionally served on the ninth day of Onam — September 4 this year — this feast is a simpler spread compared to the elaborate Thiruvonam sadya.
The menu includes about 10 dishes, such as koottu curry (semi-dry vegetable mix), mulaga pachadi (green chillies in tamarind-jaggery sauce), vadukapali pickle (sour lemon pickle), and two payasams — palada and wheat pradaman.
“It is a proper Palakkad-style sadya, which means we don’t use garlic,” Usha explained. She added that many customers are seeking the authentic flavours of Kerala’s regional traditions.
Conclusion
With bookings filling up fast, Bengaluru’s home chefs are gearing up to serve an array of traditional Onam feasts. From elaborate Kottayam spreads to authentic Palakkad-style offerings, the city’s festive tables this year promise to showcase the rich diversity of Kerala’s culinary heritage.