Diversity Show:SS Discussions - Page 50

In Kerala the feast or the sadya is usually served on a banana leaf. The sadya consists of rice and more than 14 vegetable dishes, along with 'payasam' which is the sweet dessert cooked in milk.

Some of the delicious items are: -

Rice: In vegetarian meals like sadya, plain steamed rice is taken which is the basic ingredient. The muslims and the christians prefer biriyani.

Avial: It is a combination of vegetables like pumpkin, drumstick, potato, lady's finger, brinjal, raw banana, chilly etc and coconut sauce. It is a very popular side dish.

Thoran: Vegetables like Cabbage together with Coconut, red chilly, curry leaves and mustard seed are fried or steamed with spices. The same method is done for other vegetables such as carrot, beetroot, lady's finger, green papaya etc.

Sambar: It is prepared with drumstick, lady's finger, tomato, potato, onion etc together with pulses and is mixed with turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander seeds and various other spices.

Olen: In this dish, beans and gourds are mixed with spices.

Kaalen: It is prepared by using Banana and curd which is added with coconut paste and green chilly.

Rasam: Rasam is like a clear broth. It is flavoured with tamarind, lemon, tomato, lentils, pepper and other spices. It is very good for digestion.

Pachadi: It is cooked with cut mangoes and another main ingredient is the pumpkin mixed with Coconut milk and curd with green chilly.

Paayasam: It is the sweet dessert cooked in milk.

Snacks: Snacks such as banana chips, tapioca chips, jackfruit chips etc deep-fried with chilly powder.

DESSERTS

Prathamam

Prathaman is a sweet dish in the form of a thick liquid; similar to payasam, but with more variety in terms of ingredients and more elaborately made. It is made with white sugar or jaggery to which milk or coconut milk is added.

Pazham-Pori

Pazham pori aka Ethakka appam or banana fritters is a traditional evening snack item in Kerala. Its available through out Kerala and all most all Keralites prepares it the same way. Its simply ripe banana's coated with flour and deep fried in oil.