Meet Meera Girija Tadimeti, an architect turned chef who is currently heading Adi, the Telugu restaurant at The Leela, Hyderabad. Meera’s journey is rooted in a deep love for cooking and preserving the rich flavors of her native Andhra cuisine. Along with Andhra food, she also cooks excellent Thai and Mexican dishes, as well as other regional Indian specialties. Among them, the Onam Sadhya has become her signature event in Hyderabad, celebrated year after year. On this auspicious occasion of Onam, Fridaywall Magazine spoke to Meera, where she shared her thoughts and even one of her recipes for the festive feast.
Talking about the significance of Onam Sadhya, Meera explains that Onam marks the beginning of the harvest season and the arrival of King Mahabali. “It is the only festival where everyone Hindus, Muslims, and Christians come together to celebrate by feasting on a Sadhya,” she says. When asked about the number of dishes that make up the spread, she notes that it can range from 18 to 26 or even more, depending on one’s preference and capacity.
For Meera, some of the most important dishes in a Sadhya are the Payasams, Inji Puli, Parippu, and Pachadi. She also draws a comparison between Sadhya and a traditional Telugu Bhojanam. “Just like a Telugu meal, the vaddanam (serving) starts with salt, includes a banana, and is served on a banana leaf. Telugu bhojanam typically begins with dal and rice. Similarly, the Sadhya follows an order, though the preparations differ. For example, the Inji Puli is like our Allam Pachadi, but it is prepared with different ingredients and in a different style,” she explains
Meera also shares the story of how her love for Sadhya began. “It all started in 2012 when I was working in Bangalore. Having Onam Sadhya with colleagues was a big tradition, and I loved the spirit of the festival. And really, what’s not to like about a good Sadhya? I always had friends or colleagues who would invite me to enjoy it with them. But once we moved to Hyderabad in 2017, I began to miss it because I couldn’t find authentic Sadhyas here. That’s when I made it my mission to prepare it myself at home, inviting friends and family. Slowly the circle grew, and the rest is history.”
When asked about her favorite dishes from the spread, she names Beetroot Pachadi, Avial, Olan, and Palada Payasam. As for the best Sadhya she has tasted outside of her own, she recalls an experience at a friend’s home in San Francisco. “I would also love to taste Chef Marina Balakrishna’s Sadhya someday. I truly admire her way of cooking,” she adds.
For Meera, Sadhya is something that every family has its own way of preparing dishes, with variations in ingredients or methods, and she loves sharing and listening to these stories while hosting.
In conclusion, Meera shares one of her special recipe, Beetroot Pachadi, a colorful and tangy dish.
Beetroot Pachadi, Ingredients:
Beetroot, grated- 2 Cups Coconut, grated- ½ Cup Mustard Seeds- 1 Tsp Jeera- ½ Tsp Dry Red Chili- 2 Ginger- 1 Inch Yogurt- 1 Cup Water- 1 Cup
For tempering: Coconut oil- 1 Tsp Mustard Seeds- 1 Tsp Dry Red Chili- 2 Few Curry leaves
Method: Boil the grated beetroot in water with little salt. Once they are cooked, drain them and keep them aside. In a small blender take ½ cup coconut, ¾ tsp mustard, ½ tsp cumin, 1 chilli and 1 inch ginger. Blend to smooth paste adding ¼ cup of water. Now add in prepared masala paste to the cooked beetroot and mix well. Cook it well until the raw aroma of coconut disappears. Turn off the flame and add ½ cup curd. Make sure to whisk the curd well. Now in a small kadhai heat the coconut oil and add 1 tsp mustard, 2 dried red chilli and few curry leaves. Pour the tempering over pachadi and mix well.
