Beyond The Standard Payasam: Regional Onam Sweet Traditions Explained
Written by jheelum basu | October 1, 2024
Besides adding a sweet note to the auspicious annual harvest festival, Onam sweets also carry a deep-rooted cultural significance in Kerala. Adding great symbolic value, the sweets are shared to celebrate prosperity, growth, abundance, and togetherness. While different types of payasam often steal all the spotlight, the dessert platter of Onam has a lot more to offer. Made with natural ingredients like cow milk, coconut, jaggery, coconut milk, dates, nuts, dried fruits, and more, these sweets represent health, wealth, and prosperity. While sharing these regional Onam sweet traditions brings the families closer, they also write a sweet ending to the elaborate Onam feast.
Onam Sweets: Looking Beyond Payasam
While payasam takes center stage, Kerala's Onam dessert platter includes several other dry, fried, and steamed sweets. From crispy, lacy rings to soft jaggery fritters, these traditional desserts beautifully balance the rich feast. From Avalose Unda and Kozhukattai to Kumbilappam and Nayyappam, just like payasam, these regional Onam sweet traditions also depict the region's agricultural abundance.
Avalose Unda
This traditional sweet snack is a popular delicacy served during Onam. Made with roasted rice flour, grated coconut, and jaggery, it is often prepared in large batches and enjoyed with the family. The making process is divided into two steps.
The first step is all about making the roasted powder called Avalose Podi. To make this, high-quality raw rice is soaked, dried, and dry-roasted in a traditional heavy-bottomed brass vessel called an uruli. In the same vessel, grated coconut, cumin seeds, and dry ginger are added as well. All of them are roasted together until they turn golden and aromatic. This roasted powder is called Avalose Podi. The next stage is making the ‘unda’ or the balls. To make them, the roasted podi is mixed with a hot jaggery syrup and cardamom. Once the mixture is ready, it is quickly rolled into bite-sized balls and served.
Kozhukattai
Kozhukattai is best described as steamed rice dumplings often served as festive offerings during Onam. They feature an outer dough made from rice flour encasing a sweet coconut and jaggery filling. These are often served in spiced, bite-sized savory versions as well. While the sweet version contains a sweet coconut-jaggery filling, the savory version features steamed dumplings tossed in a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and grated coconut.
Kumbilappam
Kumbilappam, also known as Therali Appam, is another traditional Onam sweet. It is made by steaming a dough of rice flour, jaggery, coconut, and mashed bananas or jackfruit. All of these are wrapped into a conical shape using aromatic bay leaves. During Onam, it is either served as an evening snack or as a sweet festive offering.
Ela Ada
This traditional Onam delicacy features a sweet coconut and jaggery filling within a steamed rice flour dough. The whole sweet is wrapped in banana leaves so that their natural oils and aroma get infused easily into the rice cake. While it is often prepared as an offering, Ela Alda is also popular as a breakfast and an evening snack.
Neyyappam
In simple words, Neyyappam is a ghee-rich, deep-fried sweet rice fritter. In the Malayali language, the word ‘neyy’ means ‘ghee’, while ‘appam’ means ‘pancake’.Made with ground rice flour, melted jaggery, fried coconut pieces, and black sesame seeds, Neyyappam features a perfect blend of sweet taste with a crispy exterior and a soft interior.
Unniyappam
Unniyappam is a classic deep-fried sweet frequently made during Onam. In the Malayalam language, unni means ‘small’ and appam means ‘rice cake’.To make this, a batter is prepared with rice flour, jaggery, ripe bananas, coconut, and cardamom. The result is always a slightly crispy, caramelized crust and a soft and sweet interior. While it is popularly served as a tea-time snack during the festival, it is also offered as prasadam or offerings in temples.
Sarkara Varatti
Often placed in the top-right corner of the Onam Sadhya banana leaf, these banana chips are an ultimate Onam delight. It features thick, deep-fried raw Nendran plantain cubes coated in a sticky jaggery syrup. Some warm spices are dusted on them for a flavor twist.
Conclusion:
While payasams are simply delicious, this is the time to look beyond them and explore the other regional Onam sweet traditions that carry the regional touch and the festive flavor like nothing less.