The meal is traditionally served on a fresh banana leaf, with each dish having its specific place on the leaf.
The Sadya follows a specific order of serving, beginning with rice and side dishes, then moving to curries, and finally to desserts like payasam.
Onam Sadya can vary with a range of dishes, but some common dishes include- rice, sambar, rasam, pickles, pappadam, thoran and banana chips, among many other regional dishes.
No Sadya is complete without a sweet ending, and the dessert usually involves different varieties of payasam (rice pudding). Popular varieties include Palada Payasam, made with rice flakes, milk, and sugar and Parippu Payasam, made with moong dal, coconut milk, and jaggery.
Onam Sadya is much more than just food. It is a reflection of Kerala’s agricultural heritage. Every dish in the Sadya is vegan or vegetarian, adhering to the traditional customs of purity and non-violence.