So, my wife is from Kerala, India (that's near the bottom tip on the West coast). This year we had a Sadya feast for New Years.
In Kerala the feast is traditionally prepared by Brahmin cooks, but since we don't know any Brahmin cooks in Texas my wife had to do it.
Here is the table setting: Note that there is a large area on the banana leaf with nothing there. The rice will go there, but is not served until everyone is seated at the table.
From left to right on the close up pic - banana, papadom, banana chips under the papadom, (going upwards) three different pickles, mango, lime and gooseberry. Fried chilli, potato stew, cabbage thoran, okra mezhukupuratti and finally, aval. In the glass, sambaram and in the steel glass rasam. Rice served onto the leaf after everyone was seated with sambar, paripa, ghee and pullisherry toppings. Ada prathaman for dessert.
The cabbage thoran was particularly delicious with a little mango pickle!
The paripa was poured over the rice and drizzled with a little ghee. MMMM!
In Kerala the feast is traditionally prepared by Brahmin cooks, but since we don't know any Brahmin cooks in Texas my wife had to do it.
Here is the table setting: Note that there is a large area on the banana leaf with nothing there. The rice will go there, but is not served until everyone is seated at the table.

From left to right on the close up pic - banana, papadom, banana chips under the papadom, (going upwards) three different pickles, mango, lime and gooseberry. Fried chilli, potato stew, cabbage thoran, okra mezhukupuratti and finally, aval. In the glass, sambaram and in the steel glass rasam. Rice served onto the leaf after everyone was seated with sambar, paripa, ghee and pullisherry toppings. Ada prathaman for dessert.

The cabbage thoran was particularly delicious with a little mango pickle!
The paripa was poured over the rice and drizzled with a little ghee. MMMM!