Culinary Orgasm

I had been wrecking my brains on an apt title for this post, and recently this new term got added to my vocabulary, Thanks to my dear friend!

When it comes to our “God’s own country”, there are several aspects that get us nostalgic and “sadhya” would definitely take a front seat. Apart from “sadhya”, my highlight for “Vishu” and “Onam” is undoubtedly the traditional wear. Draped in a cream “set mundu” lined with rich golden border & matching gold jewelry, long locks of black hair adorned with fresh jasmine, and a touch of sandalwood paste on the forehead - The whole look has an inimitable charisma to it!

I guess I am lucky as ever, as I do get to enjoy delicious “sadhya” twice a year with my dearest set of friends who have mastered each of the “sadhya” item in their own distinct style. Whoever invented this unique meal that consists of over 25 plus dishes served on a banana leaf, Dude- I must say – Hats off to you!

Enjoying the “sadhya” in its conventional way by doing utmost justice to all the dishes is an “art” in itself. Our ancestors sure would this have had their reasons for discovering banana leaf as a mode to serve these dishes; banana leaves are known to have high content of antioxidants which may have therapeutic properties to cure cancer (Source: Wikipedia).

I love the intricacies of this meal; to begin with- the alignment of the leaf itself, the positioning of the dishes on the leaf, the sequence in which they are served etc. Partitioning the rice to enjoy the flavors of different dishes was something I learnt this time or maybe I should say I copied from my neighbor’s leaf! She had made these 2 molehills of rice: a small portion to enjoy the “parippu” with ghee and “pappadam” and then the major portion to mix the spicy “sambhar”. The whole meal is a treat for veggies & “avial” being one of the most nutritious with its rich content of vegetables. I would not be hesitant the rephrase the old saying as “a bowl of “avial” a day, keeps the doctor away”! A bite of the crispy banana chips, a touch of the spicy pickle in between the “sadhya” adds a special flavor to the meal.

After having completed all the different curries from “olan”,“kaallan” “pullisery” and “erissery” with rice, one may feel quite full but 1 or 2 subtle burps would create that extra space in your tummy for the exotic and much awaited “paysam”. Now, I totally sympathize with the folks who drink “paysam” from the cup with a spoon, but the whole idea of pouring paysam onto the leaf is to infuse the leftover flavors from the other dishes. And the grand finale with a few scoops of “paysam” crushed with a “pappadam” and banana with a small touch of pungent "pulli inji" at intervals- Heavenly!

Strenuous indeed, and one may need an extra hand to stand upright and a peaceful sleep is calm and satisfying once its over. It is one of a kind experience that I hold very close to my heart and I do hope that the authenticity of this meal stays the same and should never die out in future generations to come.

Wish you all a great Vishu and a very fruitful year ahead !