Indulgent Onam Dessert Recipes for a Memorable Celebration

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 homemade 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

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.

Key Ingredients & Flavor Combinations

• Coconut milk: This is the main ingredient that gives the payasam a creamy texture and naturally sweet coconut flavor.

• Rice: Rice helps in creating the traditional payasam base.

• Jaggery: It provides a warm sweetness which pairs well with coconut.

• Cadbury Dairy Milk: This milk chocolate helps to add a smooth and creamy chocolate flavor.

• Cardamom: It brings with it a fragrant, traditional payasam aroma.

• Cashews, almonds and raisins: They give the payasam a delightful crunch and a chewy texture.

• Ghee: When you lightly roast the nuts in ghee, it adds richness, and the aroma of the ghee makes its way to the payasam as well.

How to Make

1. Cook the rice: Wash the rice properly, and cook it gently with coconut milk until it becomes soft and creamy.

2. Add jaggery: Stir in jaggery and mix well, all while keeping the flame on low heat.

3. Add flavors: Sprinkle a few pods of cardamom and let the mixture simmer for a few minutes.

4. Add chocolate: Mix Cadbury Dairy Milk into the warm payasam until completely melted and smoothly blended.

5. Add toppings: Roast some of the cashews, almonds, and raisins in ghee and mix them in the payasam.

6. Serve: Let the payasam cool before serving. To finish it off, garnish with chocolate shavings.

Tips & Tricks

• Jaggery adds a deep sweetness, while Cadbury Dairy Milk brings extra sugar, so add jaggery gradually and taste as you go further.

• Use only enough chocolate for a noticeable flavor, without overpowering the coconut and cardamom.

• Make sure to use thick coconut milk as it gives a creamier, richer texture compared to regular coconut milk.

• Keep the flame low and stir frequently to prevent the payasam from becoming sticky or forming lumps.

• If the payasam becomes too thick, add warm coconut milk.

Onam desserts are an important part of the grand feast, also called Onam Sadya. Traditional Onam desserts like Payasam and Ada Pradhaman are the symbols of happiness, prosperity, and gratitude. Sharing them with family members and guests also reflects this festival's spirit of togetherness and generosity.

Modern ingredients like Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk chocolates can give traditional Onam desserts a delicious contemporary twist. Mixing it with payasam, ladoos, or modaks helps to create a rich, creamy chocolate flavor while also keeping the traditional ingredients like coconut, jaggery, and cardamom.