Kerala’s 23-dish Onam sadya heads to US via Vizhinjam, $20 a feast
Thiruvananthapuram: A traditional Kerala Onam sadya, including 23 dishes such as banana chips, boli and two varieties of payasam, is making its way to Malayalis in the US through Vizhinjam Port. A private company based in Kazhakkoottam is exporting the festive feast overseas. The company also exports sadya to countries including Spain, Canada and Saudi Arabia.
The sadya is packed in microwaveable containers, including curries, pappad and paper banana leaves for serving. Rice is not included in the package. Each sadya costs $20.
The company also exports other Kerala delicacies such as idli, masala dosa and porotta through Vizhinjam Port.
Nilamels and Kaimals Food Private Limited, based in Kerala, exports the traditional dishes under the tagline “Your rice, our curries.”
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How is the sadya prepared for export?
The preparation begins with one or two curries being cooked each day. Once ready, the curries are spread out and allowed to cool to room temperature. They are then packed into 85-gram portions and arranged in small trays, which are placed on trolleys.
Around 100 such trays, containing 500 to 700 packets, are loaded into a blast freezer and frozen at -40°C.
The frozen packets are then transported overseas in 20-foot refrigerated containers maintained at -18°C. Once they reach their destination, the packages are delivered to customers in different locations.
Each sadya pack is sufficient for three people.
While booking the meal, detailed information, including instructions on how to use it and details of the curries, will be recorded.
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Rice is deliberately excluded because people have different preferences when it comes to the variety and consistency of rice, said Suresh Mathew, director of Nilamels and Kaimals Food Private Limited.
According to Mathew, the frozen sadya can be stored in a freezer and consumed for up to a year. It takes between 40 and 80 days for the sadya to reach the US by sea.
The products can be stored in freezers and used as required. Overseas Malayali associations and supermarkets are among the main customers.
The company has exported sadya platters from Kochi for the past five years and will now ship them directly from the state capital through Vizhinjam Port. It has been sending traditional Kerala food products to overseas markets for nearly four decades.