KOCHI: Passengers on board Emirates flights to and from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai can now savour Onasadya (the grand traditional feast), and watch their favourite Malayalam movies on this Onam.
Authentic Onam dishes will be served across all cabin classes till September 16 as part of celebrating the Onam festival. “Onboard the 14 times weekly Emirates flight to Kochi, and the 7 times weekly Emirates flight to Thiruvananthapuram, curated menus with the distinctive flavours of Onam will be offered, giving travellers a taste of home,” said an airlines spokesperson.
Emirates customers can savour traditional appetisers of sharkara upperi (banana roasted in sweet jaggery), kaya varuthathu (crisp banana chips) and kondattam mulaku (fried sun-dried chillies steeped in yoghurt). They can also indulge in a selection of tasty dips essential for Onam, including kaalan (made of coconut, fresh yoghurt and yam), cucumber pachadi (a garnished salad), and puli inji (a sweet and tangy ginger-based chutney). First and Business Class customers will also be served Kerala-style pappadam and piquant mango pickle.
A delectable choice of main courses will follow, including Alleppey kozhi curry- spiced chicken in coconut sauce, served with avial, chemba rice and cabbage-carrot thoran, or vegetarian sadya - sambar and kootu, paired with matta rice and carrot pea thoran. Non-vegetarians can also enjoy spicy chicken sukha – pan-fried chicken with coconut and spices, and steamed rice.
First class customers can also choose the tasty option of mutton pepper fry. Desserts will include Onam favourites like palada pradhaman- creamy rice pudding served with roasted pistachios, raisins, and cashew nuts, or parippu payasam - the popular sweet lentil pudding topped with roasted coconut flakes. Staying true to the festive season, all meals will be served on banana leaf dish liners to offer an authentic feel for Keralites.
To make the journey even more memorable, those celebrating Onam can enjoy 17 Malayalam movies on ‘ice’, the inflight entertainment of Emirates.
Welfare pension: Finance dept allocates Rs 1,700 cr to 62 lakh beneficiaries
Thiruvananthapuram: The finance department has allocated D1,700 crore to distribute two instalments of welfare pensions to 62 lakh beneficiaries for Onam, Finance Minister K N Balagopal has said. Beneficiaries of social security and welfare pension will get Rs 3,200 each. “These installments are supplementary to regular monthly pensions currently being distributed and will be delivered starting Wednesday,” Balagopal said.
Rs 4,000 Onam bonus for govt staff, teachers
Thiruvananthapuram: Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Friday announced a Rs 4,000 Onam bonus for government employees and teachers. Those not eligible for it will be given a special festival allowance of Rs 2,750, while service pensioners will receive Rs 1,000, said Balagopal.