Today is Vishu, the astronomical New Year of Kerala, marking the start of the harvest season. There are a lot of customs associated with Vishu, which have been covered in detail on different sites, so I’m not going to repeat any of those. Read all about Vishu here and here.

Growing up in an atheist household, my Hindu festivals were mostly about the food. My parents adapted the non-religious aspects of all the festivals. So Vishu was all about the feast, fire works and Kaineettam (the elders in the house passes out money to the youngsters ).  After coming to the US, fireworks are out of question, I guess now we are the elders of the house, so the only way to celebrate Vishu here is by sharing a grand feast with family. In absence of the real family, most of us Indians in the US have built a virtual family, a group of friends we share the important moments of our life with.  We celebrated Vishu with a part of our virtual family today, sharing a traditional Sadya (feast) consisting of sweet, salty, bitter and sour dishes, served on banana leaves 

Here is a look at our Vishu Sadya.
(There is supposed to be an order in which the different dishes are arranged for a traditional Sadya, but none of us really knew the order, and no one bothered to check the Internet, we just placed things around the banana leaf. )

 

Clockwise from left:

The first course is rice with Parippu Curry as shown in the picture.

Next course is rice with Sambar (a mixed vegetable thin curry in a lentil based gravy).

After that rice with Kalan (plantains in a coconut based yogurt gravy).

Then finally we had Parippu Payasam (A sweet dessert made of green gram lentils and jaggery and coconut milk) .

Well, is that too much coconut? I say not enough. :-) 

Out of the group of eight, I was the only proper Mallu (who actually grew up in Kerala) and two were mallus by birth. I was a little worried about whether the non-malayalis will enjoy a traditional vegetarian meal (we are all hardcore carnivores), but everyone loved it. I know they were not just saying it, after seeing the way they licked the leaves clean.

Even though we had four of us cooking, it was still a lot of work putting this all together. After today, I appreciate my mother even more! She used to cook all these dishes and some more, without any help from any of us.     

I will post the recipes for all the dishes sometime, but here is the recipe for my favorite dish, Bitter Gourd Theeyal, which was a big hit today.

Bitter Gourd Theeyal

Method

Cook bitter gourd pieces with the turmeric powder and salt with just enough water to cook, and cook till it is half done.

In a deep pan, dry roast the grated coconut till brown and keep aside.

In the same pan, dry roast the red chilies, coriander powder, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds and keep aside.

Add a little bit of oil and saute the shallots and ginger pieces one after the other till brown.

Grind all the fried ingredients with a little water to form a smooth paste.

Add some more oil to the pan and saute the cooked bitter gourd pieces along with the slit green chilies till all the moisture is gone, and the pieces starts to turn brown. 

Add the ground spice paste, tamarind paste, curry leaves, salt and a cup or more of water to the pan and stir well to combine. Cook till the gravy thickens. Taste and add more tamarind paste if needed.

To Season, heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the remaining seasoning ingredients and fry well. Pour this over the prepared gravy.

Serve with steamed rice.

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous year ahead!

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37 Responses to “Vishu Sadya and Bitter Gourd Theeyal Recipe”

  1. Nandita says:
    April 16, 2007 at 8:13 am

    Happy Vishu to you dearie! Appreciate all the effort you’ve taken to make that wonderful yelai saappadu - i missed out theopportunity as we were away from home…

    And Laddoos!! I have never made them ever, but your post inspires me to try it out, have everything at home ready except the coconut, so may do it this week! Am going to give those drinks a check too :)

    Reply
  2. Asha says:
    April 16, 2007 at 1:03 pm

    Oh Man!! Why didn’t I visit you?! Looks like a feast and so traditional.I love Theeyals and thank for the recipe.

    I am sure you had a good Vishu but I heard you get money!!!Did you get some or what?! ;D

    Reply
  3. Mishmash ! says:
    April 16, 2007 at 1:18 pm

    Sig, u re lucky to have some close friends there….I miss home a lot during this festival time …Ur sadya looks quite traditional, even I am not sure which one to serve first but manage to an extent!

    Shn

    Reply
  4. Gini says:
    April 16, 2007 at 2:23 pm

    What a spread! We didn’t have anything for Vishu, but looking at your spread has filled my tummy. That is a lovel picture. Do you get fresh banana leaves there?

    Reply
  5. Sig says:
    April 16, 2007 at 3:00 pm

    Nandita, welcome back darling… hope you had a great time in Blore, will catch up with you soon…

    Asha, I have so much leftovers you can still make a trip to Seattle :)… No, I didn’t get any money :(

    Shn, I got a peek at your amazing Vishu spread,it looks so scrumptious! its an extremely busy day for me after the vacation, will drop by in the evening to ogle more and read the lovely stories…

    Gini,thanks :). I found frozen banana leaves at the local Asian store, had to sort through about 3 packets before we could find 8 leaves intact to use for the Sadya, now I have a bunch of banana leaves to cook with!

    Reply
  6. Asha R says:
    April 16, 2007 at 3:41 pm

    HAPPY VISHU SIGMA
    I hope you all had a nice time. It is good to have a sadya in vazha ela. That’s what we miss when we do Onam Sadya here. This time we are planning to get some plastic vazha ela from kerala.

    Reply
  7. Asha R says:
    April 16, 2007 at 3:45 pm

    HAPPY VISHU SIGMA.
    It is good to have a sadya in Vazha Ela here in US. Don’t bother the order in which you placed the items (it is totaly mix matched).

    Reply
  8. bee says:
    April 16, 2007 at 3:47 pm

    that looks fabulous. what a great spread.

    Reply
  9. Reena says:
    April 16, 2007 at 4:00 pm

    sig, what a sadya!!!! love it. so you welcomed spring in a grand way. i am j of all those who get banana leaf at their place.

    Reply
  10. sunita says:
    April 16, 2007 at 4:19 pm

    Happu Vishu, Sigma…and what a spread…

    Reply
  11. Richa says:
    April 16, 2007 at 4:31 pm

    what a colorful spread!
    Happy Vishu to you!
    bitter gourd theeyal looks yummy, karela is a recently acquired taste for me. I too have started appreciating a lot many things only after coming here!!
    thanks

    Reply
  12. Sangeeta says:
    April 16, 2007 at 7:31 pm

    What a fantastic spread. Wishing you and Siv a great year ahead :)

    Reply
  13. musical says:
    April 17, 2007 at 12:59 am

    Hey Sig,

    Wishing you a happy Vishu again-thanks for sharing this wonderful spread…..

    Olan, Kalan, Erissery…..do i need anything else-no :). Oh, hold on: that Theeyal is so wonderful, lemme add it to my plate-Bitter gourds rule :). Silly me, how did i forget! Well, happens: when i hear Kalan…..it really does happen.

    Btw, i have a friend who maks Olan with cucumbers-is that also traditional?

    and you had it on plantain leaves…..ah! Seattle sounds like a great place. and for leftovers, Kalan stays good for days :))-so save some for me!

    Reply
  14. Sig says:
    April 17, 2007 at 1:33 am

    Asha R, welcome to my blog.. thanks for the wishes, hope you had a great Vishu! My parents are visiting this summer and my mom told me she will bring some plastic Elas over, I didn’t even know such a thing existed before!!

    Bee, thanks!

    Reena, yes it was a great day… About banana leaves, have you checked your local Asian grocers? I bought it from Uwajimaya here, it was in their frozen isle. I have seen some fresh ones in Whole Foods Market too, but those are cut into smaller pieces, won’t work for Sadya, but will be great for cooking…

    Sunita, thanks..

    Richa, if you don’t like the bitter taste of Karela, you will like this, all the coconut and the tamarind makes it not so bitter… Everyone loved it, this was the first dish to get over yesterday!

    Sangeeta, thanks and welcome. I love the fried chicken recipe in your blog…

    Muse, you know this is the first time I’ve ever made Olan, so I don’t know if it is traditional to make it with cucumber, but personally I believe it will taste better with Cucumber than ash gourd! :). Seattle is a great place, I just wish it gets a little warmer soon… :)

    Reply
  15. Sharmi says:
    April 17, 2007 at 1:57 am

    I have always cherished Kerala Sadya!! it has been my all time favorite. lovely spread of dishes.
    you must have had a great time!!

    Reply
  16. KitchenFairy says:
    April 17, 2007 at 4:10 am

    Sig,Lovely spread..Why u didn’t put the picture of Payasam..These days I am drooling over all the pics of sadhya..I really like to have.Next month my hus’s birthday is coming ,I will arrange one sadhya and ur Theeyal will be there in my spread.

    Reply
  17. Sig says:
    April 17, 2007 at 6:44 am

    Sharmi, thanks! Next time I’m going to do a Tamil style feast, I got motivated looking at your lovely spread!!

    Fairy, my friend made Payasam and brought over, I forgot to keep it on the table when this picture was taken :(.

    Adavanced birthday wishes to the hubby:), Are you going to do a vegetarian Sadya?

    Reply
  18. Sia's Corner says:
    April 17, 2007 at 9:46 am

    what a beautiful spread sig… ah!!! i dont have anything else to say as i am busy staring at the pic:)

    Reply
  19. Sushma says:
    April 18, 2007 at 2:57 am

    Though I am late to wish you..A very Happy Vishu for you and your family…the recipes look so delicious and what a lovely treat to eyes to look traditional food served in traditional way

    -Sushma

    Reply
  20. Sumitha says:
    April 18, 2007 at 7:58 am

    What better way to celebrate any festival than with all your friends,lucky you to have had a wonderful sadya and Vishu!

    Reply
  21. Nivi says:
    April 18, 2007 at 1:57 pm

    Man…tht looks awesome! :))…Happy Vishu!

    Reply
  22. Amy says:
    April 19, 2007 at 10:30 pm

    Everything looks so colorful and absolutely fantastic!

    Reply
  23. Aruna says:
    May 5, 2007 at 7:37 pm

    Sig, Tried this theeyal today & just loved it!!!. Please keep the kerala dishes coming & also would love to see more chicken recipes from u. Thx for sharing.

    Reply
  24. Sig says:
    May 5, 2007 at 11:29 pm

    Aruna, glad you liked it and thanks for letting me know. Sure I will post more chicken recipes for you!

    Reply
  25. Aruna says:
    May 6, 2007 at 3:52 am

    Sig, Thanks. I have a new blog now
    http://themistressofspices.wordpress.com/
    Please check me out.

    Reply
  26. Kalai says:
    February 18, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    Sig, I just made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic!! Thanks so much for sharing, girl! :)

    Reply
  27. Rita says:
    April 16, 2008 at 4:37 pm

    Happy belated Vishu Sigma! The sadya looks awesome. Vishu actually fell on the 14th this year according to the calendars I was reviewing…and we just had a simple kerala meal. However yours looks fabulous. Olan and Erissery,aviyal and pavakka theeyal my favorites. I can appreciate the hard work and effort that went into making this meal happen. Much abundance to you and yours for the New Year.
    Peace
    Rita

    Happy Vishu to you too Rita!

    Reply
  28. Rita says:
    April 16, 2008 at 4:58 pm

    oops I just realized that this was last year’s post- sorry! :)
    Rita

    No worries… :) Thanks anyway… We were travelling on Vishu day, so no Vishu this year…

    Reply
  29. Smitha says:
    February 7, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    HEY sig,

    where did u get hold of the banana leaves…. i ve been searching 4 them for quite some time???

    Reply
  30. Meghna says:
    February 8, 2009 at 12:25 am

    That picture looks brilliant. Although we’re Mallu, my parents never really celebrated Vishu. I had my first Vishu sadya at a friend’s place and was the last to get up…just kept eating that delicious food! I’m definitely going to try making this theeyal. Thanks

    Reply
  31. priti says:
    March 6, 2009 at 11:35 am

    yummmm….. i could feel my mouth watering seeing ur vishu sadya. i am definitely going to try ur pavakka theeyal. sig, i am looking forward to ur tomato pachadi and beans thoran recipe.. hope u will update them soon…. pls do…thanks for ur yummy recipes. :smile:

    Reply
  32. rahana says:
    March 10, 2009 at 12:12 am

    reaally tasty just at the site itself.i m really fond of sadyas.i m nw gng to kitchen to try the pavvakka theeyal!thanks for ur recipes.

    Reply
  33. Dinah says:
    March 12, 2009 at 2:08 pm

    thanks for a good collection of wonderful reipies…… will try out one by one :razz:

    Reply
  34. Deepa says:
    March 20, 2009 at 1:25 pm

    hi,

    I am a great fan to bitter gourd theeyal and have always relished the one my mom makes.
    Just tried the recipe here but it turned out to be too bitter, am wondering where I went wrong? is there anything I could add in case it turns out too bitter to eat?

    Reply
    • Sig says:
      March 27, 2009 at 3:40 pm

      Hi Deepa,
      You might need to saute the bitter gourd more next time. You can add some sugar to reduce the bitterness, but there will still be some bitterness to it for sure.
      -Sigma

      Reply
  35. vini says:
    June 16, 2009 at 5:32 pm

    hi,
    i tried this ysdy..jus reduced the coconut and increased the no of shallots..my husband said it was the best bitter gourd curry he has ever eaten..thanks..

    Reply
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