How to Prepare Onam & Vishu Sadya – Step-by-Step Cooking Plan

Preparing a traditional Sadya for Onam or Vishu can feel overwhelming, especially with multiple dishes to cook at the same time.

This step-by-step Sadya preparation guide will help you plan your menu, organize your cooking, and prepare a complete Kerala feast efficiently at home.

Jump to:

• About the process and some memories!
• Save this PIN for Later!
• 🥗 What is Needed to Prepare a Sadya
• Sadya Menu Planning
• Sadya Preparation Timeline
• Sadya cooking order
• How to Cook Rice for Sadya
• How to Cook vegetables for Thoran
• How to Cook vegetables For Sambar
• Extracting Coconut Milk
• Lentils and Vegetables for the side dishes
• Final Cooking & Assembly
• How to Serve Sadya:
• Frequently Asked Questions

About the process and some memories!

I started with my Sadya cooking plan and meal preparation at 9 am and missed Konda who was away on a school Tour. I completed the entire cooking by 12.30 pm even with the breakfast happening in between. Amma said she will help me, however seeing the way I looked, with four, plus a MW going, she said she better just sit and assist if needed.

We love Kerala cuisine as our own. Amma does lot of Kerala dishes with pure Coconut Oil. Since Hubby Dear is not used to it, I used regular refined oil today. However, I recommend using coconut oil if possible.

I am sharing the exact preparation method I followed to cook the menu. Of course, the elaborate menu has more dishes on it.

You can also explore more April festival menu ideas featuring regional dishes across India.

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🥗 What is Needed to Prepare a Sadya

• Fresh vegetables
• Coconut (grated)
• Lentils and rice
• Banana leaf (or plate alternative)

Fresh cooking is important as Sadya is traditionally prepared for offering (neivedyam).

All the dishes are very simple to make, provided you understand what goes in first and what needs to be prepped ahead of time.

Since this feast is going to be a Neivedyam, everything has to be fresh. So there is no question of you chopping or cutting the previous night. Serving has to be on a Banana leaf, so ensure you visit your market early morning to get fresh leaves.

Sadya Menu Planning

I decided on making two Thorans, Kootu Curry, Paruppu curry, Olan, Sambar, Rasam and Payasam

For Thoran, I was making Indian Broad Beans and Potato

I was using Raw Banana and Pumpkin for the Kootu curry

For Sambar I was using Lady's Finger, Drumstick, Potato

For Olan its Black Eyed Peas and Pumpkin

Sadya cooking order

1. Start with stir fries (Thoran)
2. Cook lentils and beans
3. Prepare Kootu Curry and Paruppu
4. Begin Payasam
5. Cook Sambar and Rasam
6. Prepare tempering for all dishes
7. Fry papad

How to Cook Rice for Sadya

• Chemba rice (traditional)
• Ponni rice (alternative)

Chemba Rice takes a long time to soak, so soak this the beginning itself. You will have to wash it nearly some 6 -7 times, till you get a clear water. Rice is cooked by draining method and not absorption method, so bring a big pot of water to boil. I soaked it for nearly 40 - 45 mins.

Bring the water to boil, add a pinch of salt. When the water starts rolling boil, drain and add the rice. Let it start to boil, then simmer and let it boil in low flame. Takes about 30 - 40 mins to get cooked. Keep it covered for 10 mins, then carefully drain the water.

As the Chemba rice was getting cooked, I got the regular rice soaked and pressure cooked as well.

How to Cook vegetables for Thoran

The Thoran needs slow cooking, so prepping and cooking the thoran first will save time.

I used microwave for vegetables as I find it easy to boil vegetables in microwave. You can easily boil over stovetop too. I MW each vegetable in a mw bowl for 7 mins.

How to Cook vegetables For Sambar

Prep the Drumstick and cut into 2 inch pieces. In a MW safe bowl take the drumstick along with just enough water. MW for 7 min.

Wash and slash on the top of the potato with sharp knife. Place the potatoes on the rotating plate and MW each for 5 - 7 mins.

Extracting Coconut Milk

We use thick coconut milk for making Olan, so we extract the thick first milk and reserve it for Olan.

Lentils and Vegetables for the side dishes

Pressure cook the lentils with a pinch of salt and enough water for at least 3 to 4 whistles separately. Meanwhile, you can prep the vegetables and cook in kadai

Final Cooking & Assembly

Once all the prepping is done, we can start the cooking right away. Since all the dishes need tempering at the end, we simply cook the base and keep it ready for tempering.

This is the order in which I cooked

I started with the stir fries,
Pressure cooked Brown Channa and Black Eyed Peas
Pressure cooked Raw Plantain and Pumpkin
MW Split moong dal
Next went on to make Kootu Curry and Paruppu Curry.
Had the milk boiling for Payasam
Then prepared podis for Sambar and Rasam
MW vegetables for Sambar.
Rasam on the cooker, Sambar on the pan
Once done, tempering for all dishes.
Fried Papad and Appalam.

All the dishes require tempering at the end, so the best way to make is to cook the vegetables and take whats needed for which recipe and add the ground paste, bring to boil and finally temper in one shot.

How to Serve Sadya:

As with all traditional thalis, serving on the Banana leaf follows a rule.

You start with serving the salt on the left narrow spot.
Next the Banana Chips, Sarkara Varatti (both store bought)
On the top left corner, place the pickles. Puli Inji is an important dish that I didn't make. I just served Mango pickle
Next comes the Thorans/ Dry Vegetable Stir Fries
Next are the Pachadis and Khichadis -  Cucumber Pachadi
Next the side dishes with vegetables
I made Kootu Curry, Olan, followed by Erissery, Aviyal,
Next on the plate goes the Rice
Plain Rice
Chemba Rice
Ghee
Paruppu Curry
then you have Kalan, Pulissery, Moor curry
Next goes the Sambar/ Rasam
Varutharacha Sambar
Garlic Rasam
then you have buttermilk and curd served

Finally you have the Payasam/Kheer
Palada Payasam

Frequently Asked Questions

My Onam Sadya recipes are heavily adapted from Sangeetha and Rajani. I was drooling and feasting over their pages for several days and this is the end result. I would like to thank them for being so generous in sharing their knowledge and wonderful pictures of Sadya dishes.