A very happy Onam!
Since we do not have a holiday out here for Onam, the elaborate sadhya will have to wait until Friday. Until then I had mini sadhyas for dinner. This way some of the items like ingicurry (long shelf life) can be made in advance. Tomorrow I shall have to make a few items to complete the sadhya on the banana leaf (if the same has not run out in the stores). This made me wonder why we never attempted to eat in the banana leaf while in Kerala since it is available in the backyard. Next time I plan to eat often in the banana leaf. If not anyone else I am sure our daughter will keep me company since she loves a good spread on the banana leaf. I know a friend who refrigates the banana leaf and then packs rice in this to be eaten at home. Just like the "pothi chore" that we have during train rides. She says it brings back sweet memories and the taste is great too.
Yesterday we celebrated Onam at our work place by making instant payasam. It turned out to be tasty and today we hope to have a real sadhya with a repeat of the paysam. There is one more malayalee with me. The payasam did boil over :) One had to do with the kettle to make the payasam.
The children in our building have been creative. Lack of flowers did not deter them from making a "pookalam" without flowers.
At least the children are outside doing something instead of watching the crap in the TV. If they were in Kerala, they could have walked around and collected the flowers for the pookalam but here they would need to buy them from the stores.
Anyway, I could see that they were thoroughly enjoying the activity. It does look like a "kolam" but for the moment it is their pookalam.
Since we do not have a holiday out here for Onam, the elaborate sadhya will have to wait until Friday. Until then I had mini sadhyas for dinner. This way some of the items like ingicurry (long shelf life) can be made in advance. Tomorrow I shall have to make a few items to complete the sadhya on the banana leaf (if the same has not run out in the stores). This made me wonder why we never attempted to eat in the banana leaf while in Kerala since it is available in the backyard. Next time I plan to eat often in the banana leaf. If not anyone else I am sure our daughter will keep me company since she loves a good spread on the banana leaf. I know a friend who refrigates the banana leaf and then packs rice in this to be eaten at home. Just like the "pothi chore" that we have during train rides. She says it brings back sweet memories and the taste is great too.
Yesterday we celebrated Onam at our work place by making instant payasam. It turned out to be tasty and today we hope to have a real sadhya with a repeat of the paysam. There is one more malayalee with me. The payasam did boil over :) One had to do with the kettle to make the payasam.
The children in our building have been creative. Lack of flowers did not deter them from making a "pookalam" without flowers.
At least the children are outside doing something instead of watching the crap in the TV. If they were in Kerala, they could have walked around and collected the flowers for the pookalam but here they would need to buy them from the stores.
Anyway, I could see that they were thoroughly enjoying the activity. It does look like a "kolam" but for the moment it is their pookalam.
I feel that Onnam ( not the commercial jamboree we have now back home) can be felt, enjoyed in the ambiance of the land Kerala only. In the dry arid land of the Middle East and in the artificial cool air spewed by the aircon , where is the smell of injicurry, chemvari choru, sambar, avial or ada pradhaman; the humidity and the early morning drizzle on Thiruonnam, the athha pookalam?
ReplyDeleteI do not see it. people buy from hyper markets packs of what is sold as onnam sadhya, my goodness less said the better. And this onnam catering is entrenched in Kerala too.
Imagine eating a sadhya cooked at some vague restaurant. May be I'm antediluvian!
Anil: Well, what you say is right.. but this is the only day I shall cook so many dishes in a day! It is tasty and healthy too. Last year we were in Kerala for Onam and that too after more than 10 years of missing the real Onam.
DeleteEven here there are Onam sadhyas in every restaurant but I prefer to cook it.
Happy Onam Anil..
Happy Onam, HK!
ReplyDeleteI love the way you have improvised to celebrate the festival with what is available there! :)
Thank you Manju...
DeleteThis is the first time we tried this.. earlier we have made only fruit salads.. and now we shall make this a monthly affair!
Happy onam ...
ReplyDeletePayasam in Kettle ... :-) ... should ask my mother also to attempt it.
- deeps
Deepu: Thank you.. hope you are enjoying your Onam.. Inspire you mother.. the instant payasam turned out very well... for some pack you need a litre of milk.. we also added extra nuts and raisins.
ReplyDeleteI am so attracted to the Indian rich culture and Onam is one of my favorites... I really love the flowers artworks and the dances and the celebration itself... so from miles away, sending my warmest Onam wishes to all Keralites around the world! Happy Onam!
ReplyDeleteI am so attracted to the Indian rich culture and Onam is one of my favorites... I really love the flowers artworks and the dances and the celebration itself... so from miles away, sending my warmest Onam wishes to all Keralites around the world! Happy Onam!
ReplyDeleteA warm welcome to my blog! Thank you for the wishes. Onam is in September this year. Do find a place to have some sadhya.
ReplyDeleteA warm welcome to my blog! Thank you for the wishes. Onam is in September this year. Do find a place to have some sadhya.
ReplyDeleteWhat's up Dear, are you in fact visiting this web site on a regular basis, if so after that you will absolutely take nice experience.
ReplyDelete