SADHYA : SAVORING KERALA’S CULTURE AND TASTE

SADHYA : SAVORING KERALA’S CULTURE AND TASTE

SADHYA: SAVORING KERALA’S CULTURE AND TASTE (INDIA)

Have you tried the Sadhya (also spelled as Sadya)?  We have just experienced the Traditional Sadhya meal together with other bloggers when we were  hosted by   The Windflower Resort & Spa, Vythiri for 2 days and 2 nights stay at their beautiful resort in Wayanad, Kerala, India.

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Mr. Vinod M M, Resort General Manager of the The Windflower Resort & Spa, Vythiri explaining about Sadhya

Upon entering the dining hall I saw several  banana leaves lined on the table   while the  resort’s waiters were putting some food in it. Instantly, I knew that they were up  to let us try something  traditional – something that’s very Kerala.  When we were all seated, the Resort’s Manager Mr.  Vinod M M, started to explain what they have prepared for us.

Yes, they have prepared the Sadhya for us.

SADHYA : SAVORING KERALA’S CULTURE AND TASTE

Sadhya is a traditional vegetarian feast in Kerala usually served as lunch on a banana leaf. During a traditional Sadhya celebration, people are seated cross-legged on mats. But in our case,  our host just opted to serve the meal at the table. Maybe they were thinking that it would be uncomfortable for us to sit on the floor.

I became so excited about Sadhya that even after the meal I continued asking the resort’s Executive Chef Mr. Paneer Selvam   and some restaurant staff about its  nature and descent. I  gathered from my interview that Sadhya means banquet in Malayalam. This  spread is usually  prepared mainly by men, especially when needed in large quantities, for weddings and other special events.

SADHYA : SAVORING KERALA’S CULTURE AND TASTE

Sadyah is eaten   without cutlery using one’s right hand.  A normal Sadhya can have about 24-28 dishes served as a single course. In instances where it is a much larger, it  can have over  64 items in a Sadya.

What made Sadhya even more interesting, were the conventions  and rituals observed while serving the food.The items  must be placed on specific  spots  of the banana leaf in a certain order. For instance, the pickles must be served on the top left corner and the banana on the bottom left corner.  In this manner, the waiters will  easily identify and decide on offering additional servings. The most common ingredients in all the dishes are rice and  coconut   as they are abundant in Kerala.

SADHYA : SAVORING KERALA’S CULTURE AND TASTE

my good friend and fellow blogger from Indonesia  Haryadi Yansyah  enjoying the Sadhya

 It is said that for bigger occasions like wedding, the people in  the neighborhood  would spend the night to help in preparing the food.   They would also volunteer to serve the food   to the guests at the banquet.

The following were the dishes  and the sequence  of serving   our Sadyha meal:

Before we arrived, waiters had already prepared the following on a banana leaf:

Salt, Chakaravarati (jackfruit chips tossed in jaggery syrup), Nendran chips ( nendran banana chips) and Narangai achar ( lemon pickle)

SADHYA : SAVORING KERALA’S CULTURE AND TASTE

while indulging at the Sadhya Feast……was I concentrating too much? Lol

After  we were seated, the waiters started to add the following:

Inji curry (ginger tamarind curry), Ulli theeyal ( shallots in browned coconut gravy), Beetroot pachadi ( beets and yoghurt curry), Olan ( Ash gourd and black eyed beans in coconut milk), Kosuthoran ( cabbage tossed with onion and coconut), Beans milagupiratti ( beans tossed with chilli and cumin), Rice, Katti parippu ( pigeon pea and Bengal gram with shallots with lots of clarified butter), Ghee ( clarified butter), Sambhar ( lentil and vegetable curry with tamarind), Rasam  ( a thin tamarind pepper soup), Pineapple kalan ( pineapple cooked in yoghurt and coconut), Moru ( spiced butter milk),Papadum  ( crispy papads)

These 2 desserts were served the moment they saw that we were done eating the main  dishes: Parippu pradhaman (mung bean cooked with jaggery and coconut milk), Pazham ( banana)

SADHYA : SAVORING KERALA’S CULTURE AND TASTE

After we have concluded our meal, we were given a bowl of water with a slice of lemon to remove the grease and oil on our hands.

Another interesting ritual or rule when having the Sadya was the folding of Banana leaf once one is done  with the meal. Moreover, It  is customary that none should leave the dining area until the eldest in the group is done eating.

Generally, I did enjoy our Sadhya meal. For me, one’s trip to Kerala  will never  be complete  without trying  this feast.

Thank you very much  Windflower Resorts Spa Vythiri  for hosting us.

SADHYA : SAVORING KERALA’S CULTURE AND TASTE

Address:

 The Windflower Resort & Spa, Vythiri
330/1, Annapoorna Estate, Ammaro Achooranam Village,
Pozhuthana Post, Vythiri Thaluk

Wayanad, Kerala- 673575
Ph: +91 9895226611,9895221166
Mob: +91 8129823660

Website: www.thewindflower.com

59 Comments

  1. I say you’ve had quite an experience having this Indian feast! I love curry and anything with coconut milk.

  2. This looks so tasty! Serving from a banana leaf is a really cool way to serve food.

  3. I have always wanted to visit Kerala. Just for the food. Great post

  4. I love going to different countries and experiencing the local culture! Your meal looked so good and I liked how it was served on the banana leaf.

  5. Love when I travel and experience new cultures! This would be so amazing!

  6. I would love to attend a vegetarian feast. Everything looks great.

  7. Being a chef this place would definitely be somewhere I’d visit. Looks delicious.

  8. Looks like an amazing place. The food is just amazing

  9. To experience this would be awesome! I love sampling food from different countries. I think food served on a banana leaf is so unique. I love that people are not allowed to leave the table until the elders are done. So respectful!

  10. I’ve always heard indian food is spicy so i’m up for try some 😀

  11. Looks like so much fun. I love learning about different traditions and rituals.

  12. This looks like so much fun. I love the rice dish.

  13. What a freat experience. I miss food that is laid on a banana leaf!

  14. Learning about the food rituals was interesting. I had no idea other places did that.

  15. oh wow what an amazing experience to have great memories made for sure

  16. That looks like a wonderful experience. That would be memorable experience for sure.

  17. This is a great opportunity to learn about the dish from the different country.

  18. Lexie Lane

    So cute and fun! I missed that in the Philippines. Love to visit there.

  19. looks delicious!! Thanks for posting

  20. I love learning about other cultures! This looks so delicious!

  21. Elizabeth O.

    What an amazing experience, I’d love to try dining like this, especially with authentic and traditional dishes! Eating this way makes it more fun and it’s good quality time spent with family and friends!

  22. I really hope I get to sample a delicious banana leaf meal one day as I am a vegetarian too!

  23. What a fun and unique experience! Would love to try this one day!

  24. I defintely need to start being less fussy! This food looks great! x

  25. This seems like a very cool place to visit. I am enjoying your postings about it.

  26. Eating with my hands would feel weird to me when with a group. I love that they used banana leaves for plates.

  27. I love how the food is served on the banana leaves! It’s just such a beautiful setting! This sounds like such a lovely event!

  28. So cute! We do the same here in our provinces. We eat on banana leaves and eat with our hands as well.

  29. Robin Rue (@massholemommy)

    Sounds like a lovely event. I would love to visit there someday!

  30. exotic food of Kerala, India..hope to try it

  31. I think I knew the guy in 5th picture. He looks so handsome and… starving! lol.

    Aaaa, I miss windflowers and also the monkeys who always waiting me in front of my villa.

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