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Sadya · Bangalore and across Karnataka
The leaf has an order. Getting it wrong is the tell.
A sadya is not a menu, it is a sequence. Which corner the upperi goes in, that parippu and ghee reach the rice before the sambar does, which way the leaf is laid — an older Malayali guest reads all of it in the first two seconds.
A sadya is a feast served on a banana leaf, laid with the tapering end to the diner's left, and served by hand in a fixed order: crisps and pickles at the top left, dry and curd sides next, then the wet curries, with rice on the lower half eaten first with parippu and ghee, then sambar, then rasam, then pulissery, closing with moru. It needs about one server to every twelve leaves to stay hot. In Bangalore in 2026 a catered sadya runs roughly ₹400 to ₹800 a plate depending on the item count and the number of payasams.
The order
What goes where, and in what sequence
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Top left, first | Upperi (banana chips), sharkara varatti (jaggery-coated chips), pappadam |
| Then the pickles | Puli inji, naranga (lemon), mango pickle — small, sharp, eaten in pinches through the meal |
| Then the dry side | Thoran, mezhukkupuratti |
| Then the curd sides | Kichadi, pachadi |
| Then the wet curries | Olan, avial, erissery, kootukari |
| Rice, lower half | Matta or kuthari rice, heaped |
| First on the rice | Parippu with a spoon of ghee — always first, never after the sambar |
| Second | Sambar |
| Third | Rasam |
| Fourth | Pulissery or kalan |
| Last | Moru (buttermilk), to close |
| Payasam | Ada pradhaman, palada, parippu pradhaman — served mid-meal or at the end depending on the family |
The service
A sadya is judged on the serving as much as the cooking
- The leaf is laid with the tapering end to the diner's left. A leaf the other way round is the first thing an older guest will notice.
- Everything is served by hand, from the right, in a fixed order. The order is not decoration — it is how the meal balances, and it is why parippu goes on before sambar rather than after.
- One server to about twelve leaves is what keeps a sadya hot. Fewer and the rasam reaches the last row cold.
- Second helpings of rice, sambar and rasam are offered without being asked for. That is the service, not an upsell.
- At the end the guest folds the leaf towards themselves. Folded away from the diner traditionally signals the meal was not enjoyed, which is why it is worth telling non-Malayali guests before the leaves go down.
Festival sadyas
The two we are asked for most
Onam sadya
Twenty-six items, entirely vegetarian, served on a banana leaf in an order that has not changed in living memory. This is the full list, in that order.
Vishu sadhya
Lighter than an Onam sadya and eaten earlier in the day, with a few dishes that belong to Vishu alone.
For a wedding, the sadya sits on our Kerala Hindu wedding menu, and the Kerala seat is described in full under Kerala cuisine.
Questions about sadya
What is a sadya?
A vegetarian feast from Kerala served on a banana leaf and eaten with the hands, seated. The dishes are laid in a fixed order rather than arranged for looks, and the order is what makes the meal balance — which is why parippu and ghee go onto the rice before the sambar, never after.
Which way round does the banana leaf go?
The tapering end to the diner's left. It is the first thing an older Malayali guest will notice, and it is the most common mistake a caterer from outside Kerala makes.
How many servers does a sadya need?
About one to every twelve leaves. Fewer and the rasam reaches the far end of the row cold, and second helpings stop being offered and start having to be asked for.
What does folding the banana leaf mean?
At the end of the meal the guest folds the leaf towards themselves, which signals the meal was enjoyed. Folded the other way traditionally signals the opposite. It is worth telling guests who have not eaten a sadya before, so nobody accidentally says something they did not mean.
How much does sadya catering cost in Bangalore?
Roughly ₹400 to ₹800 a plate in 2026. The item count drives it — an eighteen-item leaf against the full twenty-six — along with how many payasams are served and whether the rice is matta or a cheaper substitute.
Can you serve a sadya outside Kerala?
Yes, and RASA does it across Bangalore and Karnataka regularly. The two things that decide whether it tastes right are the coconut oil and the matta rice, both of which have to be brought rather than bought locally at the last minute.
Tell us the date and the head count.
Date, head count, the cuisines you have in mind. Enough for the first reply to carry a menu and a number rather than a brochure.
What happens after you send the ticket
- A written reply, usually the same day. A first menu built for your occasion, the per-plate figure it comes to, and the two or three questions we need settled before the number is firm.
- A tasting. For weddings and events of size we cook the shortlist for you before you sign. Each cuisine on the menu is cooked by the chef who will cook it on the day.
- The plan for the day. Counters, service staff, timings against your muhurtham or your agenda, and the venue's rules on outside catering, checked with the venue by us.