Onam is the most important festival of the state of Kerala in India. The 10-day summer harvest event is celebrated to welcome Mahabali, a mythological king who sacrificed his life for his people.
The "sadhya", or banquet in Malayalam, traditionally offers 28 vegetarian items served on a banana leaf, though the number of tasty morsels on offer across restaurants in the UAE may vary.
Typical dishes include: mango chutney, banana chips, rasam, sambhar, cabbage thoran, coconut-based curries such as avial, plantain, red rice, pickles and payasam, a dessert of vermicelli, sweetened milk, jaggery and dried fruit. Here is a selection of restaurants in the Emirates where you can sample this feast.
Dubai
Nalukettu, Dubai Grand Hotel — 24 dishes
Kadavo Restaurant — 24 dishes
Malabar Paris Restaurant — 30 dishes
Palm Grove, Marco Polo Hotel — 25 dishes
Abu Dhabi
Calicut Notebook — 25 dishes
Ruchi restaurant – 26 dishes
Keralathanima restaurant – 28 dishes
Sharjah
Thakkaram — 30 dishes
Kolam restaurant – 28 dishes
Family Palace restaurant — 29 dishes
Congratulation!