12 Must-Haves for Your Onam Sadya Menu

2. Parippu Curry (Lentil with Ghee)

Parippu is the comforting, protein-rich dal that many Keralites ladle over hot matta rice and finish with a splash of ghee. The classic version uses moong or toor dal cooked to a soft consistency and then tempered with a generous tadka of ghee, cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and red chili. That finishing ghee gives the dish a glossy, indulgent feel and pairs beautifully with plain rice. For North American cooks, yellow lentils are easy to source at grocery stores; good-quality ghee is widely available in brands sold at mainstream and Indian stores. To keep it lighter, you can skip some ghee but retain the tempering and curry leaves for authenticity. Difficulty: Easy. Time: 25–35 minutes. Serving tip: Spoon parippu directly onto rice and add a little ghee on top so it melts into the grains—this is the way dadi would pass the dish around.