Sadhya is a celebratory feast, reserved usually for weddings and festivals, originating in Kerala, a state in southern India on the Malabar Coast. It is a vegetarian meal, traditionally served on a banana leaf, centered around rice and including a colorful array of flavors and textures, savory, pickled and sweet. A typical Sadhya can have up to 28 dishes, while elaborate and special occasion feasts might include over 64 items. The meal is eaten with the right hand, cupped to scoop up the treats. Pappadum (a fried lentil crisp), plantain chips, pickled mango achaar, dried mango, curried cauliflower, lentil dals, and spiced garbanzos or chana are regular guests at this party. Look for tamarind and green chutneys to make a cameo, as well.
Spices have always been the mainstay of Kerala’s cuisine. Often called the “land of spices”, Kerala uses indigenous spices in Ayurvedic practices holistically, including topical as well as culinary uses. For the oo’mämē Indian Chile Crisp, we carefully select from the rich array available in southern India, and blend turmeric, fennel, Kashmiri chiles, tamarind and more into our own garam masala. To that backbone of chiles and pungent spices, we add a layer of umami, roasted peanuts, grated coconut and sweet papaya.
Whether your next Indian feast is on a banana leaf or not, why not put a jar of Indian oo’mämē Chile Crisp on the table and let guests add layers of flavors and textures and their own level of spice to this celebration.
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