Serving
sadhya during onam and other keralean festivity is an art. The
leaves to be eaten from are always the end section of the plantain
leaf. When it is laid on the table, the narrow part of the leaf must
always be on the left side. Serving begins with a pinch of salt kept
on the leaf and from the bottom left half of the leaf a small 'poovan'
banana is placed. Next to this are served jaggery coated banana
chips, plain banana chips and papad. Then beginning from the top
left half of the leaf are placed lime curry, mango pickle, injipuli
(a thick ginger tamarind curry), lime pickle, thoran (a dry mix of
any vegetable with coconut), vegetable stew or olan (gourd is the
main ingredient), aviyal (a thick mixture of vegetables in a coconut
based gravy), Pachadi (raw mango and curd mixture) and khichdi. Only
after all these are placed on the leaf, does the person begin
eating. Thereafter the rice is served at the bottom center. The
sambhar (a lentil based gravy, Kerala sambar is a bit spicier than
the other south Indian sambars) and kalan (a curry of yam and curd,
spiced with pepper) is poured onto the rice. When the meal is over,
Ada pradaman (rice flakes, coconut milk and jaggery) or pal payasam
(sugar, skimmed milk and rice) is served onto the leaf. After
dessert, rasam (fiery pepper water) is poured into cupped hands to
be drunk and then a little bit of curd to aid digestion.
Though these days non veg sadya is served with meen porichathu or
kozhiporichathu and as a drink kanjivellam (strained liquid in which
rice is cooked) or moru (spiced buttermilk) is served .
