Onam, Kerala’s vibrant harvest festival, is incomplete without its array of traditional sweets that elevate the sadhya feast. Here are 10 must-try desserts to enrich your Onam 2025 celebrations, each embodying the rich culinary heritage of Kerala.
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Paal Payasam: A timeless dessert crafted from rice, milk, and sugar, this creamy payasam is simple to prepare and customizable with dry fruits and nuts for added richness.
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Parippu Payasam: This hearty treat features moong dal cooked with jaggery and coconut milk, enhanced by ghee and fried nuts, offering an earthy, indulgent flavor cherished during Onam.
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Chakka Pradhaman: Highlighting Kerala’s beloved jackfruit, this payasam combines the fruit’s pulp with jaggery and coconut milk, garnished with roasted cashews and raisins for a textured delight.
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Ney Appam: A deep-fried fritter made with rice flour, jaggery, and coconut, often incorporating bananas, Ney Appam boasts a crisp exterior and is a nostalgic festival favorite.
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Unniyappam: Similar to Ney Appam but prepared in an appe pan, these small, chewy rounds of rice flour, jaggery, and banana offer a spongy texture, perfect for festive or everyday snacking.
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Banana Halwa: Slow-cooked with ripe Nendran bananas, ghee, and jaggery, this melt-in-the-mouth halwa is a vibrant, rich offering for Onam celebrations.
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Kerala Boli: A stuffed flatbread filled with chana dal, coconut, and jaggery, this mildly sweet delicacy, reminiscent of puran poli, pairs beautifully with payasam.
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Ela Ada: Steamed rice flour parcels filled with jaggery, coconut, and sometimes banana or jackfruit, wrapped in aromatic banana leaves, deliver a wholesome, fragrant dessert.
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Orappam: A baked delight with a cake-like texture, made from rice flour, jaggery, ghee, and coconut milk, often spiced with cardamom and topped with nuts.
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Ada Pradhaman: A luxurious payasam blending rice ada with coconut milk and jaggery, enriched with dry fruits, offering a creamy, festive indulgence.
These sweets, steeped in tradition, elevate the Onam sadhya with their diverse flavors and textures. Whether you prefer the simplicity of Paal Payasam or the complexity of Chakka Pradhaman, these desserts promise to make your Onam 2025 feast unforgettable.
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