Image credit: Emirates/ Website
Emirates is marking the vibrant spirit of Onam, Kerala’s grand harvest festival, with a festive culinary experience aboard select flights until 6 September. Renowned for its regionally inspired menus, the airline is offering passengers travelling between Dubai and Kerala (Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram) a rich taste of home through a specially curated Onam menu across all cabin classes.
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Customers flying in Economy, Business, and First Class will be treated to an authentic Onam sadhya experience, with meals served on banana leaf dish liners to capture the essence of tradition, an Emirates Media Report said.
Starters include:
- Sharkara upperi (jaggery-coated banana)
- Kaya varuthathu (crisp banana chips)
- Kondattam mulaku (fried sun-dried chillies in yoghurt)
These are followed by regional dips such as:
- Kaalan (a coconut and yam curry with yoghurt)
- Cucumber pachadi (a tangy salad)
- Puli inji (sweet and spicy ginger chutney)
First and Business Class travellers will also enjoy Kerala-style pappadam and mango pickle, adding a crunch and zing to their meal.
Feast fit for the festival
The main courses have been thoughtfully designed to cater to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences. Highlights include:
- Alleppey kozhi curry: Spiced chicken in coconut sauce, served with avial, chemba rice, and cabbage-carrot thoran
- Vegetarian sadhya: Featuring sambar, kootu, matta rice, and carrot-pea thoran
- Nadan kozhi kari: Pan-fried chicken with spices, paired with steamed rice, vegetable kootu, and thoran
- Padavalanga thoran with erissery, chemba rice, and bean thoran
First Class diners also have the option of a comforting Kerala-style chicken stew.
Sweet endings include traditional Kerala desserts like:
- Palada pradhaman: Creamy rice pudding with pistachios, raisins, and cashews
- Parippu payasam: Sweet lentil pudding topped with toasted coconut flakes
Onboard entertainment to match the festive spirit
Emirates is also elevating the in-flight entertainment experience with a wide range of Malayalam and Indian content. Through its award-winning ice entertainment system, passengers can enjoy:
- Over 6,500 channels of content
- 15 Malayalam films, including Ponman, Pani, and Anand Sreebala
- More than 170 Indian movies, including classics like Johny Mera Naam and new Bollywood hits such as Stree 2, Mrs., and Tikdam
- TV favourites like Koffee with Karan and Charlie Chopra & The Mystery of Solang Valley
- 48 Indian music albums, featuring artists like AP Dhillon, Anuv Jain, Bloodywood, and a curated mix of Desi mixtapes
With this festive initiative, Emirates continues to show its commitment to celebrating the cultural diversity of its global travellers. The airline’s thoughtful touches, from regional menus to language-specific content, create a heartwarming connection for Keralites in the sky.
