Onam at Taj Malabar

What better way to celebrate Onam than the traditional Sadhya. So, we decided to take it one step further and turn a holiday in Kerala even more memorable, with a Sadhya at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin.

The 91-year-old property on Willingdon Island is understated luxury and speaks peace and quietude. Onam brought with it an air of celebration that had its all-day restaurant, Pepper, play host to diners venturing out on the auspicious day for a Sadhya the Taj way. We were pleased to make ours a memorable one, with a vegetarian Sadhya that had us stuffed to the gills by the end of the multi-course meal. More than the food, honestly, it was the experience of an Onam in Kerala, where else than at Taj Malabar. 

The waitstaff and the culinary team - headed by Executive Chef Nikhil Kumar - welcomed us to the traditionally-decorated restaurant and sat us down to the Sadhya, that began with the laying of the leaf. The meal began with the Kerala red rice called Matta and the dal and ghee and papad. The varieties of pickle ranged from ginger to mango and lemon, and the chutneys from coconut to a beetroot pachadi. Rasam and moru curry - seasoned buttermilk - were to be drunk, for digestion - much needed for the unlimited Sadhya we were indulging in. 

Eat with your hands, no other way! So, we dug into their curries and pachadis with abandon, some of which were the mix veg thoran, the avial, sambar, fried karela with coconut and chilli, and the pulissery: a tangy yogurt-based curry made with pineapple. No Sadhya is complete without the quintessential banana chips and its famed jaggery-coated version. 

We saved some space for the payasam: the Palada Pradhaman and the Paruppu Pradhaman - one with milk and sugar, the other with jaggery and coconut milk. A good walk around the property was much called for, for obvious reasons - the sound of the large ships passing by the harbour lulling us into a blissful afternoon slumber!