Onam sadhya in Toronto

Partake in the largest celebratory feast in the Malayali (Kerala) calendar

This review is for 2021. Keep an eye out for the next onam sadhya on 2022-09-08.

Toronto’s burgeoning Kerala food scene explodes in one summer weekend of the year. That’s for onam sadhya, a feast celebrating the harvest festival. Restaurants shut down normal service and assemble the same onam sadhya set meals all day. Lines are long but most are in a jovial mood. It’s a fun activity to join in, even if you are not from Kerala.

Onam sadhya in Kerala

Kerala is a southern Indian state with a bountiful coastline. Its cuisine is not widespread in Toronto, so onam sadhya is a good occasion to sample them. I am not familiar with Keralan food. I was going to visit Kerala in 2020 but COVID happened. So, I can’t judge the authenticity of restaurants here.

Onam (ഓണം) is the harvest festival of the Malayali people in Kerala, falling between August and September. Sadhya (സദ്യ) means banquet. Put them together and you get the harvest feast. More than 20 items are splayed on a banana leaf. The meal is traditionally vegetarian.

One of the first things you’ll notice is that the rice is not typical of the rest of India. It’s matta rice, a short-grained and plump variety. It has the texture of brown rice and is similarly coloured reddish-brown.

Other food items in onam sadhya may include any of the following. I hope you like coconut.

• Achaar (അച്ചാർ): Super sour pickle.
• Avial (അവിയല്‍): Blanched, semi-dry vegetable mix with curd and grated coconut.
• Eriserry (എരിശ്ശേരി): Pumpkin curry.
• Olan (ഓലൻ): Ash gourd, black-eyed peas, coconut, and gigner.
• Pachadi (പച്ചടി): Vegetables in yoghurt and coconut sauce.
• Palada pradhaman (പാലട പ്രധമൻ): Dessert dish. Rice pudding with milk and dried fruits.
• Pazham pradhaman (പഴം പ്രധമൻ): Dessert dish. Banana pudding with coconut milk and jaggery.
• Pappadam: The familiar lentil cracker found throughout South Asia.
• Payasam (പായസം): Dessert dish. Rice pudding with milk and jaggery.
• Puli inji (പുളി ഇഞ്ചി): Thick sauce made from tamarind and ginger.
• Pulisseri (പുളിശ്ശേരി): Sour yoghurt and coconut curry.
• Rasam (രസം): Spicy tamarind soup. Also a Tamil mainstay.
• Sambar (സാമ്പാർ): Spicy, thick lentil soup with vegetable chunks. Also shared with Tamil cuisine.
• Sharkara upperi (ശർക്കര ഉപ്പേരി): Sweet banana chips in a jaggery batter, sliced in wedges.
• Thoran (തോരൻ): Finely chopped vegetables with grated coconut and mustard seeds.
• Upperi (ഉപ്പേരി): Banana chips, sliced crosswise.
• Whole banana

This being Toronto, there aren’t exactly a lot of banana trees to pluck leaves from. And importing banana leaves is too expensive to feed the masses that slam Keralan restaurants for onam sadhya. So, restaurants here use a waxed, green-coloured paper instead. And in the era of COVID-19, it’s all takeout and DIY.

Onam sadhya is a big deal in Kerala, similar to a Christmas dinner. I recommend pre-ordering to avoid waiting in line for an hour or more. Nearly all Keralan restaurants here offer online ordering.

Mr John’s Real Kerala Kitchen

Mr John’s Real Kerala Kitchen has been in Scarborough for several years. They have a made a name for themselves for cheap takeout. Some items are good while others are mediocre. The same goes for their onam sadhya.

I visited on a Sunday mid-afternoon and there were only a handful of people in the queue. The wait time was around 15 to 20 minutes.

Although this was the cheapest onam sadhya, it also had the least variety. No, I don’t consider salt as one of the items even though Mr John’s lists it as such. On the positive side, some of the portions were huge.

1. Pappadam: Average.
2. Upperi: Could be salted more.
3. Sharkara upperi: Sugar, cardamom, and spices overwhelmed the banana. Odd texture like it was hollow.
4. Lemon achaar: Extremely sour. The fruit peel was tender.
5. Puli inji: Very intense hit of jaggery, coconut, and ginger.

6. Kalan: Like strained mashed potatoes. Savoury and tasty.
7. Parripu: Coconut-y and mildly savoury. Al dente lentils.
8. Rasam: Spiciest dish of the sadhya. Smooth to drink though vegetables were mushy. There was a pinch of asafoetida.
9. Pulisseri: Funky curd with mustard oil. Flavours were too heavy and strong, astringent even.

10. Olan: Too sour and sharp. On the plus side, beans were al dente and coconut was refreshing.
11. Pradhaman: Very smokey. A surprisingly light dessert.
12. Pineapple pachadi: Spicy flavours dominates over pineapple. I would have liked the pineapple to be brighter.
13. Beetroot pachadi: Funk. Not enough beet but plenty of coconut.

14. Thoran: Very fibrous vegetables. Some coconut and poppy seeds added spice but it could be more savoury.
15. Avial: Creamy and just the right amount of savoury. Beans were al dente.
16. Matta rice: Slightly al dente. Nutty.

Overall, the quality is reflective of their regular offerings. It’s cheap cafeteria style with some gems. Flavours are straightforward and fairly similar. 6/10.

Thanima Kerala Kitchen

Thanima is the newest Keralan restaurant in the Greater Toronto Area, opening in 2021. It joins a cluster of Malayali restaurants in west Mississauga. They also operate a modest supermarket next door.

There were 12 people in front of me and the wait time was 30 to 45 minutes on a late afternoon. They also had to service scheduled pick-ups.

This onam sadhya had the most variety and was reasonably-priced too.

1. Mango achaar: Sour with traces of mustard oil. Mango pieces were rather hard.
2. Thoran: Tinged with turmeric and coconut. Some poppy seeds. Tasty.
3. Puli inji: Umami and slightly sweet. You can’t go wrong with toasted grated coconut.
4. Lemon achaar: Very sour. Bitter aftertaste.

5. Inji thayir: Tender melon with grated coconut.
6. Eriserry: Very peppery and lots of coriander powder. The heat crept in. Chickpeas were al dente.
7. Kootu curry: A mix of plantains and gourds. Had some flavoured oils in it and was umami. Could use a little more oil to help with the dryness.
8. Pineapple pachadi: Sweet and savoury purée with a couple of pineapple chunks, cumin, and poppy seeds for texture. Unsurprisingly, there was coconut.

9. Avial: Somehow, Thanima managed to impart smokiness to this dish. Grated coconut and curds gave textural interest. Vegetables were toothsome.
10. Beetroot pachadi: Enjoyable gritty texture from ground beets. Mellow and balanced flavours.
11. Cucumber pachadi: Slightly sour and very coconut-y. Root vegetable cubes were tender.
12. Kalan: Smooth lentils and a hint of coriander.
13. Rasam: Sour, runny yoghurt.
14. Sambar: Savoury and bitter. It had lots of asafoetida and a spicy aftertaste. Lentils were smooth.
15. Pappadam: Lightly salted, thin, and crisp.

16. Semiya payasam: Cardamom and coconut milk dominated. Moderately sweet and jelly-like with the addition of vermicelli and sago.
17. Pazham pradhaman: Strong hit of jaggery with cardamom in the background. Sago for textural interest. Consistency was like a syrup.
18. Whole banana: Standard.
19. Matta rice: Al dente and slightly nutty.

This was heads and shoulders above other restaurants in this review. Most number of items. Each dish was distinct. Flavours were complex. It was evident that they did meticulous prep work. 8/10.

Taste of Malayalees

Taste of Malayalees is a stalwart in the Malayali community. It’s a takeout counter at the back of a Keralan supermarket, Coconut Grove Foods.

I arrived on a Saturday early afternoon and the queue was massive, looping inside and snaking out of the supermarket. I waited for at least an hour.

This onam sadhya had a fair variety and looked decent.

1. Thoran: Mildly sour. Forgettable.
2. Erissery: Nutty, savoury, with a tinge of coconut. The beans were al dente.
3. Puli inji: Sharp tamarind tang. Salty.
4. Pappadom: Average.
5. Upperi: Thick-cut, crunchy, and lightly salted.
6. Sharkara upperi: Too much batter, sugar, and spice.
7. Matta rice: Average.

8. Pachadi: Salty and tasted strongly of peanut.
9. Kalan: Sharp, sour, and a touch of honey.
10. Avial: Slightly off taste, perhaps because the coconut had started to ferment. Vegetables were tough and could be cooked longer.
11. Beetroot pachadi: Refreshing sour yoghurt balanced by earthy beets.

12. Kichadi: Mild but had an aftertaste of heat. Like almost all items, coconut made its presence felt.
13. Sambar: Flavourful and smelled of asafoetida. It had just enough salt and tang.

14. Peach payasam: Sweet and satisfying. There might be some jaggery in it.
15. Pazham pradhaman: Strong cardamom flavour. Jaggery and sago were a classic combination here.
16. Whole banana: Overripe.

In terms of quality, it was in the middle of the pack. Nothing too bad and a few memorable ones like the erissery and desserts. 6.5/10.

Other places to check out

• Oruma Indian Takeout and Bakers
• Ocean Palate
• Kerala Curry House

Verdict

The clear winner is Thanima Kerala Kitchen. It’s on a different level than the others in terms of cooking skill. Mr John’s Real Kerala Kitchen might be a good choice if you haven’t pre-ordered anything and can’t stand long queues.

Practical information

Mr John’s Real Kerala Kitchen

Rating

6/10

Prices

Onam sadhya: $16.94 ($14.99 excluding tax)

Address

1168 Kennedy Road

Hours

Daily 1100h – 2400h

Date of visit

August 2021

Taste of Malayalees

Rating

6.5/10

Prices

Onam sadhya: $18.07 ($15.99 excluding tax)

Address

1325 Eglinton Avenue East, Unit 15, Mississauga

Hours

Monday 1200h – 2100h
Wednesday to Sunday 1200h – 2100h

Date of visit

August 2021

Thanima Kerala Kitchen

Rating

8/10

Prices

Onam sadhya: $18.07 ($15.99 excluding tax)

Address

5165 Tomken Road, Mississauga

Hours

Tuesday to Sunday 1100h – 2100h

Date of visit

August 2021