Mani's Lunch Home

ONAM

Onam is the biggest and most spectacular

festival of the state of Kerala.  It is the

harvest festival Celebrated in the month of

“Chingam”, the first month of Malayalam

Calendar.  The Festive last for 10 days starting

from the star Atham (Hastham) and lasts till

the star Thirvonam. It is a thanksgiving

festival, celebrated in commemoration of a

glorious past and as a tribute to the sacrifice

of the Demon King Mahabali by every Keralite

wherever in the world he may be.  

It is really a merry making festival with

numerous events and programs, organized in a

colorful way. Families gather to rejoice and

share their joy with others with new dresses,

utensils and household items. 

The Kerala was once ruled by a dynamic ruler

King Mahabali, whose reign Kerala witnessed its

glorious golden age.  He was a noble and

virtuous king. Every body in the state was

happy and prosperous and king was highly

regarded by his subjects. The growing

popularity and fame of the Demon King

becomes a threat to the supremacy of God’s.

They seek the help from the God Mahavishnu

to bring an end to his reign.

Lord Vishnu took the avatar of a poor Brahmin,

called Vamana, came to the kingdom of

Mahabali and asked land as could be covered

by his three steps.  The King made a promise

and requested Vamana to measure the

requisite land. Vamana increased to a massive

size and with his one step he covered the

whole of the sky and with the other he

covered the whole of earth. He then asked for

a place to put his third step. King asked

Vamana to put his third step on his head. The

Vamana did so, pushing Mahabali in the nether

world.

The King Mahabali is so much attached to his

kingdom that, he pleads Lord Mahavishnu for a

boon that he be allowed to visit his subjects

every year. Lord Vishnu was pleased with King

Mahabali’s generosity and granted him this

boon.

It is the day of the visit of King Mahabali to

Kerala that is celebrated as Onam every year. 

On Thiruvonam day, King Mahabali is believed

to visit every Malayalee home to meet his

people.

Houses are cleaned and decorated with flowers

and traditional lamps. Women dress up in

heavy jewelry and new Kasavu saries, put

multi-coloured floral decoration on the ground

in front of their houses, to symbolically

welcome the King Mahabali. This decoration is

known as 'Onapookalam’ the colourful

arrangements of natural flowers, petals and

leaves.  People will wear new dresses and the

eldest member of each family presents clothes

to all the members of the family and this gift is

called as Onakkodi.

The most impressive part of the grand festive

Onam is ‘Onam Feast’. It is very elaborate,

delicious, and splendid feast consists of

traditional authentic 13 varieties of essential

main dishes. It's a feast which if enjoyed once

is relished for years.  The Onam Feast the so

called Onasadya is prepared on the last day of

Onam celebration “Thiruvonam”. Hence the

Onasadya is also called “Thiruvonasadya”. 

There is a saying in Malayalam that "Kanam

Vittu Onam Unnanam" which means “We should

have the Onam lunch even if we have to sell

all our properties". Onam Lunch is given so

much importance on Thiruvonam Day.

The meal is served in a creative way on tender

banana leaf with the end to the left hand side

and to be consumed by hands and not by

spoon or forks.  A strict order of the serving of

the dishes one after another and also there

are clear direction as to what will be served in

which part of the banana leaf.  The first

course of serving is Parippu, Salt, Pappadam,

Pickles, chips and all the curries one after

another in predetermined order, at the

assigned place on the banana leaf.  Then the

main dish rice is served with pure ghee.  The

next course is Sambar over rice. Next Rice

fallowed by Rasam over rice.  The next course

is Payasam.  The feast is completed with

serving yogurt over the rice.

Onam feast Lunch

Our normal Menus for the Onam feast Lunch

Parippu:  Called as ‘Dal’ Pulp of Split Red Gram

Kuttukari: This is a prominent dish, yellow in colour consisting of Vegetables Yam, Ash gourd cooked with Bengal gram dal and Cocoanut

Erissery: It consists of Vegetables Yam and Raw Bananas cooked with Bengal gram Dal and cocoanut.

Pachadi: This consists of the fruit Fresh Pineapple and the vegetable Pumpkin both cooked added to yoghurt with Cocoanut.

Kichadi: It is made of yoghurt and cucumber in raw form.

Kurukku Kalan: It is prepared by thickening beaten yoghurt by boiling with boiled raw banana and yam.

Olan: It is the simplest watery Ash gourd & Pumpkin dish.

Avial: It is very popular semi dry preparation of all vegetables cooked  with yoghurt and Cocoanut

InjiKari: Mixture of yoghurt and Ginger

Inji Puli (Puleenji):  Dark brown in colour made up of Tamarind pulp, Ginger, Green Chilies and Jaggery.

Thoran: This dry Curry of sliced to very small pieces of  Vegetables

Sambar: It is most popular dish relished by the whole of India prepared on split red grams and variety of Vegetables& Tamarind pulp.

Rasam: Prepared from Tomatoes treated with tamarind Juice and Split Red Gram pulp.  It has got high medicinal value.

Banana Chips:  plantain chips - Salty

Sarkarapuratty: Jaggery plantain Chips

Pazhanurukku: Cooked Ripe Plantain

Pickles

Lime leaf powder chutney

Pappad

Payasam Paladapradhaman: 

“Pal ada Pradhaman” (Pal - means milk +Ada – meant for Rice flakes + Pradhaman – Pudding, say commonly as Payasam) Made on Milk added by Rice Flakes.

PONGAL

Pongal is a great harvest festival celebrated by

Tamilians. It marks peace, plenty, fullness,

prosperity and happiness. The word Pongal

literally means the “Boiling Over” or “Spillover”,

that which is over flowing. It is thanksgiving

celebration to express thanks and gratitude to

the Supreme for a Plentiful harvest.  It is held

to honor the sun for a bountiful harvest.  The

puja, offering to Sun God is being performed at

the auspicious moment of the birth of the new

Tamil month “Thai”.  There is one proverb in

Tamil which says “Thai Pirandal Vazhi Pirakkum”

meaning of which is that the dawn of the

month “Thai pave the way to new

opportunities”  Families gather to rejoice and

share their joy and harvest with others with

new dresses, utensils and household items.

The Word “Pongal” refers to sweet rice

prepared on this occasion. The newly

harvested rice grains were first cooked on this

day with jaggery on milk on an earthen pot

called Pongapanae, which is tied with fresh

turmeric and fresh ginger saplings with tender

leaves.

The green leaves are symbolic of prosperity,

the turmeric of auspiciousness, ginger for the

spice of life  After the rituals of puja are over

"Sarkkarai Pongal" with sticks of sugarcane is

offered to the Sun god as a thanksgiving for

the plentiful harvest. Sugarcane that is offered

is symbolic for sweetness and happiness in life.

Sugarcane is chewed in plenty during these f

our days, denoting a joy and sweetness to

come

Since the Pongal marks the Sun’s entry into

Makaram Rasi and starts journey to

“Uttarayana” it is also known as “Makar

Sankranti”

The Celebration of “Pongal” falls in mid-January

and last for 4 days. The time and date of

remains as fixed as it is marked to solar

calendar 1^st Day of Pongal which falls on 14^th  

is called  Bhogi Pongal, celebrated within the

family with family members to honor the god of

Rain. The second day which falls on 15^th is

most important and called as Pongal, wherein

prayers are offered to the Sun God with a

special pudding called Sarkarai Pongal. The Sun

is given great importance on that day.  The

third day of celebration on 16^h is called Mattu

Pongal, the day of Pongal for cows.  The

cattle’s especially cows are washed with clean

water; decorated with sandal wood and

Sindhoor and offered prayers to the cattle’s. 

The forth day marked on 17^th known as Kanu

Pongal celebrated by women folk for the

wellbeing of their brothers

SARKARAI PONGAL: - (Sweet Pongal)

The most relished sweet pudding on the

harvest festival Pongal:-

Recipe:-       Ingredients:

1)                 Milk   1 ½ Lits.

2)                 Raw Rice 150 gms.

3)                 Moong Dal 50 gms.

4)                 Cashew nuts 100 gms.

5)                 Kismis 50 gms.

6)                 Jaggery 500 gms.

7)                 Cardamom Powder 1 tbsp.

8)                 Ghee  200 gms.

Method

1) Roast Moong dal

2) Wash Rice and Moong Dal together    

    thoroughly well on clean water and strain.

3) Clean kismis and chop Cashew nuts to

     half pieces.    

4)  Crush Jaggery

Pour milk in a thick deep vessel with slight

narrower neck, which the Tamilians called as  

“Pongapanae” and place it on fire.  Allow the

milk to boil. When the milk gets boiled add

washed rice and moong dal and continues on

fire stirring constantly.  Add water when

required for it to cook.  After well cooked to

softness add crushed Jaggery to the mixture.

Continue on low flame.  Add ghee little by little

and continue stirring as to avoid scorching. 

When the consistency reached to semi

thickness remove from fire.  Roast the cashew

nuts and kissmiss on 2 tsp ghee to light brown

colour and pour the same on it.

Offer Prayer to Sun God and enjoy with family

and friends.

VEN PONGAL   (Salty Pongal)

Recipe:-       Ingredients:

          1)       Raw Rice  200 gm.

          2)       Moong Dal 100 gm

          3)       Jeera 1 tbsp

          4)       Black Pepper 1 tsp.

          5)       Cashew nuts 100 gm.

          6)       Turmeric Powder a pinch

          7)       Salt to taste

          8)       Ghee  200 gms.

          9)       Ginger finely chopped 1 tbsp.

Method

1) Roast Moong dal.

2) Wash Rice and Moong Dal together

    thoroughly well on clean water  and strain.

3) Chop Cashew nuts to half pieces.

4) Crush Black Pepper

Boil and cook on clean water the mixture of

Moong dal and rice together to soft

consistency in conventional method or by a

pressure cooker.  Add a pinch of turmeric

powder and continue on fire stirring constantly

by adding ghee little by little.  When the

consistency reached to semi thickness remove

from fire.  Roast the cashew nuts and Jeera on

2 tsp ghee to light brown colour and pour the

same on it.  Add crushed black pepper and salt

and mix well.

It is best to be eaten while fresh and hot. It

can be served with Coconut chutney or

Tomato chutney.