August 26, 2026
Onam
Kerala's harvest festival is the most spice-literate meal on the Indian calendar. Twenty-six dishes on a banana leaf, each leaning on one or two heritage spices doing very specific work.
Rituals & recipes
- A sadya built around three Kerala-grown spices
- An avial that uses real coconut and turmeric
- A payasam scented with cardamom and clove
Gifting
A Kerala-only spice tin for the family table.
Read next
New essays publish weekly in the lead-up to Onam.
Browse essays on Onam →