Virgin coconut oil, karak chai and wedding fish curry: Onmanorama’s 10 most-read recipes of 2025

If 2025 had a smell, it would be a mix of coconut oil gently warming on a stove, karak chai boiling over, and yesterday’s fish curry reheated for lunch. This was the year our readers cooked with curiosity, chased health fixes in glasses, and returned to food that felt familiar.

From DIY pantry projects to wedding-style classics and morning drinks that promised everything from hair growth to weight loss, these were the recipes that travelled the farthest across WhatsApp groups, kitchen counters and late-night reading sessions. Here’s a look at the 10 most-read recipes by Onmanorama Food of the year, and what they say about how we cooked in 2025.

1. Why everyone’s suddenly making coconut oil in their kitchen (and you should too)

This one surprised nobody and everyone at the same time. In a year obsessed with “clean” eating, readers flocked to a recipe that needed nothing fancy. Just coconuts, time and a little faith in separation science. Cold-pressed virgin coconut oil hit the sweet spot between nostalgia and new-age wellness. Also, it multitasks. Fry your plantains, bake your cookies, moisturise your elbows. Efficiency matters.

2. Morning drinks to help tackle hair loss

Hair fall anxiety remains undefeated. This list of morning drinks became a daily reference point for many, especially those looking to fix things without a pharmacy visit.

From green smoothies to amla juice and coconut water with lemon, the appeal was simple. These were drinks you could make half-asleep, before your coffee, and still feel like you had done something responsible for yourself. Whether it fixed hair fall or not, it definitely fixed routines.

3. How to observe Thiruvathira Vratham? Puzhukku, ettangadi and more fasting recipes

Every year, Thiruvathira brings readers back to this page. In 2025, the interest was sharper, deeper and more curious about ritual food.

Thiruvathira puzhukku, with its mix of tubers and quiet nutritional power, stood out as both tradition and wellness food. This story worked because it did not rush the festival. It explained why these foods matter, how they are eaten, and what they mean beyond the plate. For many younger readers, this was a cultural refresher served with context.

4. Kerala wedding-style fish curry: A timeless recipe

There is something about wedding fish curry that refuses to be rushed. Cooked a day in advance, allowed to sit and deepen, it carries memory in every spoon.

This recipe did well because it reminded readers that some flavours are meant to wait. In a year of quick fixes and instant reels, this curry asked for patience. People listened.

5. The tea that runs Dubai: Why the Middle East is obsessed with karak chai

Strong, milky and unapologetic, karak chai ruled this list like it rules street corners in the Gulf. Readers loved this piece because it was not just a recipe. It was a mood. Karak chai came with stories of work breaks, long conversations and paper cups that burn your fingers. Learning to make it at home felt like importing a little bit of Dubai into Indian kitchens.

6. This chia seed and fenugreek morning drink will be your best friend for weight loss

If there was one drink people wanted to believe in this year, it was this one. Chia seeds and fenugreek promised weight loss, blood sugar balance and general virtue, all before breakfast. The overnight soak became a habit for many readers, partly because it was easy and partly because it felt disciplined. This recipe thrived in a year where wellness was about small, repeatable actions.

7. Why you should start cooking rice in coconut water

This recipe won hearts by being clever without being complicated. Replacing water with coconut water felt like a small hack that delivered big flavour. The subtle sweetness, the aroma, the way plain rice suddenly felt special made this an instant favourite. It worked for everyday lunches and fancy dinners, which is probably why it travelled so well.

8. Oats-banana smoothie for weight loss

Old, reliable and still going strong. Even though this recipe is not new, it continues to pull readers year after year. The oats-banana smoothie is comforting in its predictability. It is the breakfast you make when you want to be healthy but not adventurous. In 2025, that kind of honesty mattered.

9. How to use moringa leaves the right way: Six recipes

Moringa had a good year. This article stood out because it went beyond calling moringa a superfood and actually showed how to use it without turning meals into medicine. From simple stir-fries to everyday dishes, readers appreciated practical advice that respected both nutrition and taste.

10. Five cucumber-based morning drink recipes for weight loss

Cucumber drinks closed the list, crisp and refreshing. Low effort, high hydration and easy on the stomach, these recipes appealed to readers looking for gentle ways to start the day. In a year where mornings often began with screens and stress, cucumber drinks felt like a calm, green reset.

What this list really tells us
Looking back, the most-read recipes of 2025 were not about luxury or spectacle. Readers wanted food that fit into real lives, respected tradition, and promised small improvements without shouting about it. They cooked with coconut, trusted tubers, drank their vegetables, and returned again and again to flavours that felt like home. And if this list is any indication, 2026 will be cooked slowly, stirred thoughtfully, and shared generously.

Happy cooking, and see you in the kitchen next year.