Indulgent Onam Dessert Recipes to Sweeten Your Celebrations

Written by Jheelum Basu | October 9, 2024

Onam is an annual Hindu festival celebrated in the state of Kerala in honor of King Mahabali, whose reign is considered the golden era in the state. It usually falls during the months of August-September according to the Malayalam calendar. Onam is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm and grandeur, where a vegetarian feast called the Onam sadya is prepared, and homes are decorated with pookalam, an intricate floral arrangement that symbolizes prosperity. So, here are some Onam dessert recipes that you can make at home if you’re wondering how to celebrate Onam at home this year.

Paal Payasam

Key Ingredients & Flavor Combinations

• 3 tbsp raw basmati rice
• 1 litre of milk
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp ghee
• Cadbury Dairy Milk shavings (for garnishing)

How to Make

1. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan, and once it is hot enough, add the raw rice to it.

2. Stir until the rice grains are coated with ghee and are fragrant and toasted. Don’t let the grains turn brown.

3. Then add the milk to the rice and bring it to a boil on low heat. Continue to simmer the milk until the rice is fully cooked.

4. Then mash the rice with the back of a spoon and mix. This will help the milk to thicken.

5. Keep the pot of milk covered and keep it simmering for 8 to 10 minutes. After this, incorporate the sugar and mix again.

6. Keep it cooking for some more time, and you will notice that the milk will thicken.

7. Just before serving, add some Cadbury Dairy Milk shavings on top for some added chocolatey indulgence.

Tips & Tricks

For that perfectly creamy and rosy-pink texture of Paal Payasam, it is essential to use whole-fat milk. Make sure the sugar is added after the rice is completely cooked. This prevents the grains from hardening. While making the kheer, simmer the rice and milk over a low-medium flame. Also, make sure you use a measured quantity of rice, as too much of it makes it mushy.

Ada Pradhaman

Key Ingredients & Flavor Combinations

• 80 gm rice ada
• 200 gm jaggery
• 240 ml of thin coconut milk
• 240 ml thick coconut milk
• 600 ml water
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 3 tbsp cashews
• 3 tbsp raisins
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• Cadbury Dairy Milk shavings

How to Make

1. Add 200 g of jaggery to a saucepan along with 118 ml of water on low heat. Stir and allow the jaggery to melt evenly.

2. Take the rice ada in a deep-bottomed pan, and add the rest of the water to this.

3. Cook on medium-low heat until the mixture thickens and is cooked through.

4. At this point, pour the jaggery syrup.

5. Next comes the coconut milk, and stir. Keep the mixture cooking for a couple of minutes.

6. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and raisins until golden brown and plump.

7. Add them to the pudding along with the cardamom powder.

8. Garnish it with some Cadbury Dairy Milk shavings on top and serve.

Tips & Tricks

Ada Pradhaman is enjoyed for the textural comfort of slow-cooked soft rice flakes in pure coconut milk and melted jaggery. To achieve the desired consistency, rinse some ada in cold water to remove starch. Make sure the thick coconut milk is added after turning off the stove. This prevents curdling.

Parippu Payasam

Key Ingredients & Flavor Combinations

• 250 gm skinless green gram (moong dal)
• 250 gm jaggery
• 480 ml thick coconut milk
• Pinch of green cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp dried coconut pieces
• 5-6 cashews
• 1 tbsp raisins
• Chopped Cadbury Bournville

How To Make

1. Dry roast the dal in a saucepan until fragrant and toasty. Then add it to a pressure cooker.

2. Add enough water to cover the lentils, then cover and cook for about three whistles.

3. Melt the jaggery with some water so you get a thick syrup. You can also strain this syrup to remove any impurities.

4. Once all of the steam escapes from the pressure cooker, open it and place it back on the stove.

5. At this point, mix the jaggery syrup into the cooked lentils. Mix and cook for 5 minutes.

6. Add coconut milk and cardamom powder to the mixture. Bring it to a boil.

7. The pudding will have thickened slightly, and the lentils will have become quite mushy. Remove from heat and set it aside.

8. Heat ghee in another saucepan and fry the dried coconut pieces along with the cashews and raisins.

9. Top your parippu payasam with the ghee-fried coconut pieces, dried fruit, nuts, and Cadbury Bournville.

Tips & Tricks

To make the perfect parippu payasam, it is essential to dry-roast the dal in ghee for a nutty flavor and mash the dal while it is hot. If you are using jaggery, melt it properly and strain it to remove impurities. While adding coconut milk, make sure you add thin coconut milk first and simmer until reduced, then fold in the rich, thick coconut milk.

Banana Halwa

Key Ingredients & Flavor Combinations

• 1 kg of overripe bananas
• 60 g ghee
• 500 g jaggery
• 60 ml water
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 3 tbsp roasted cashew
• A handful of crushed Cadbury Oreo cookies

How To Make

1. Peel and slice all of the overripe bananas, then turn them into a purée. You can do this with a fork or in a food processor.

2. Heat all of the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the banana purée to it.

3. Cook the banana purée until it loses its raw scent.

4. Then create a jaggery syrup with water and 500 grams of jaggery.

5. Once the jaggery melts and you get a syrup, add it to the banana purée.

6. Continue cooking the banana purée down until the ghee starts leaving the sides of the pan.

7. Once you achieve this, add the cardamom powder and the cashews.

8. Transfer the halwa into a parchment-lined thali or baking tray.

9. Let the halwa cool down and solidify for about three hours. Then cut it into squares. Garnish it with some crushed Cadbury Oreo cookies and serve.

Tips & Tricks

For a perfect halwa, overripe bananas are simply non-negotiable. They are needed for that perfect soft and creamy texture. For a glossy look, it is ideal to add ghee in batches. While one may start with a generous amount to roast the banana, next, they should add one tablespoon at a time. If you are using jaggery, melt it properly and strain it to remove impurities.