Onathappan has arrived!

September 6, in the month of Chingam, on the Malayalam calendar, was the start of 10 days of festivities for Onam in lush, prosperous, Keralam to welcome the immortal Mahabali Rajavu home.

Onam recalls the golden age of this ruler, who returns to visit his adoring people from Pathalam or the underworld to where he was banished by Indra and Vishnu because he had become too powerful. When noble Mahabali or Maveli ruled, Kerala was an utopian land. Everyone lived in happiness and equality.

The festival of Onam brings back memories of that splendid era. It is believed that one day the immortal Maveli will become the king of svarg or heaven.

Boat races, dance recitals, martial art displays, cultural evenings, flower pookkalams (rangoli) are some of the celebration events associated with Onam in Kerala.

Equally important are the Onam banana-leaf sadhyas that occur in every family home, through these 10 days, with not less than 22 to 24 dishes being served up, sometimes going up to 60 and more.

These sadhyas showcase the best of Kerala vegetarian cuisine and are simply scrumptious. The sadhya served on Thiruvonam or the tenth day, September 15, is the considered the most important and is usually the most elaborate.

Sreeja S Nair, who hails from Ponkunnam in Kottayam district, where she was raised and studied, offers two special recipes that she prepares for Onam -- Ulli Theeyal and Beetroot Pachadi.

The classic Ulli Theeyal is an onion curry, made from tiny, tasty sambar onions, a kind of baby onion, which is flavoured with fresh coconut, tamarind and masala. Beetroot Pachadi is a spiced raita of chopped beets.

Sreeja works on the technical team of a farmers' cooperative society in Kottayam district.

Ulli Theeyal

Serves: 2 to 3

Ingredients

• 1 small piece tamarind (the size of a gooseberry), soaked in a little water
• 2 cups or 200 gm freshly grated coconut
• 1 tsp fresh coconut chunks
• 2 tbsp coconut oil + 1 tbsp extra
• 2 sprigs curry leaves + 1 extra sprig
• 1 tbsp dhaniya or coriander powder
• 1 ½ tbsp chilly powder, Kashmiri chilly powder preferable
• ½ tsp rai or mustard seeds
• 3 dry red chillies
• 1½ cup or 200 gm peeled sambar onion or shallots, sliced
• 2 to 4 green chillies, chopped lengthwise
• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ cup hot water

Method

• Fry the grated coconut in a frying pan or on a tawa (griddle) over low heat till it turns a shade of reddish brown.
  Stir continuously, else it will burn.
  Take off heat and add all masala powders -- red chilly, coriander and the turmeric -- and 1 sprig of the curry leaves and mix.
  Return to the heat and roast for a minute more.
  Take off heat and let it cool completely.
  Grind the fried grated coconut masala, without adding water, till a smooth paste in a blender/mixer.
  Keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a kadhai or saucepan, over medium heat, and add the sliced sambar onions, green chillies, 1 tsp of the coconut chunks, 1 more sprig curry leaves and a pinch of the salt.
  Fry till the shallots turn brownish.
  Add the coconut paste and the juice of the soaked tamarind to the shallots.
  Add the remaining salt.
  Mix well.
  Add ½ cup hot water and bring the curry to boil.
  Cook 4 to 5 minutes more over low heat and then take off heat.
• In a smaller frying pan or tempering pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium heat and add the mustard seeds and the remaining sprig curry leaves and fry for about a minute till it crackles.
  Add to the curry and serve Ulli Theeyal as part of the sadhya.

Editor's Note: If making Ulli Theeyal on an ordinary, non-festival day, serve with steamed rice, appalams and a pachadi.

Beetroot Pachadi

Serves: 2 to 3

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized beetroot, peeled, grated
• 2 to 3 tsp water
• 10 to 12 sambar onions or shallots, peeled, chopped
• ½-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
• 1 to 2 red chillies
• 1 to 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 to 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 cup or 250 ml chilled yoghurt (should not be sour), whisked
• ½ tsp rai or mustard seeds
• Salt to taste, about 1 tsp
• 1 to 2 tbsp coconut oil

Method

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a kadhai or saucepan and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
  Then add the dry red chillies and the curry leaves.
  Saute for 1 to 2 seconds more.
  Add chopped shallots and the green chillies.
  Saute till the shallots turn translucent.
  Add in the ginger, curry leaves and fry well.
  Now add the grated beetroot and mix.
  Add 2 to 3 tsp water, cover and let it cook, till the beetroot becomes soft.
• Once the beetroot is cooked, take off heat and cool.
  Then add the beaten yoghurt and mix well.
  Please remember to cool the beetroot mixture and don't add the yoghurt to the hot beetroot mixture or it will ruin the pachadi.
  Add the salt and mix.
• Return this kadhai of pachadi to low heat.
  Let the pachhadi simmer for 2 to 3 minutes but do not let it boil.
  Take off heat and serve the pachadi after a few hours for best flavour.

Sreeja lives in Poovarany, also in Kottayam, close to the town of Pala.

• REDIFF FOOD