KERALA

INTRODUCTION:
Kerala situated between the Western Ghats and the Arabian sea is home for Malayalee
Christians, the namboodri Bhramins, Kerala Hindus and the Moplahs. Kerala has a beautiful
coastline running along the coast line running along the western side.lush green paddy fields
with small riulets passing through and fro with its lifeline connected to the Arabian sea,
peaceful bac!water and coconut lagons, all of which has made it one of the most popular
state of "ndia. Before integration into Kerala state, the coastal land comprised of Cochin,
Malabar and #raancore, ruled by the mahara$a of %amorin. Christians locali&ed themseles
to Cochin, the Muslims to Malabar and the Hindus to #raancore. 'ach community has its
distinct specialty and it is not difficult to locali&e a dish to the particular region.
CULINARY ASPECTS
" loe my mother(s food or my grandmother(s food. How were they able to dish out such
delicious food) *or the older generation, coo!ing was a ritual. Although coo!ing a meal was
time consuming.
Ingredients used:- coconuts aailable in abundance and its rich oil is used to ma!e rich
aromatic graies , delicately flaored stews , seasoned dry egetable preparation , delectable
sweets , +ayasams , and +radamans. #he natie housewife uses lentils, grams, Malabar,
bananas and $ac!fruit to ma!e desserts with taste without parallel. "n the coastal towns, fish
or seafood predominates on the menu.
,uring the -Chakra( or the fisher fol! festial mar!ed by the abundance of -catch(, much
fish is dried and salted. Kerala, renowned for its spices, attracted people from all parts of the
world. #he impact with the different culture had its effects on the liing styles, food habits
and religion of the locals. #he naties adapted to eating meat and fish slowly eoling an
indigenous coo!ing style of their own with the aailable local ingredients.
Keralites usually use parboiled rice, which is tastier and more nutritie in alue. #he bac!
gardens of eery house proided green chilies, plantains, raw papaya, $ac!fruit, ash gourd,
Mangalore cucumber etc. #amarind is collected , salted , beaten and rolled into balls before
storing in porcelain -Barnis( or - $ars(. -Uppu anga( made from small mangoes and red
chillies with spices. #he abundant .endram bananas are also used for ma!ing the popular
Kerala chips and also !a"#a or -$errati(. /ac!fruits are also used in the same way. All ripe
mangoes are used for egetable preparation li!e -+ullisseri( and -More!ootan(, and the e0tra
ones are transformed to mango fruit leathers. Cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, tea, coffee, cloes,
ginger, turmeric, yam, pineapple and cashew nuts are some of the other grown items here.
Coconut is used in a ery ersatile manner to churn out numerous dishes. Coconut is ground
with red chillies, coriander, sambar onion and peppercorns for simple graies while the same
masala is stir fries to golden color and then ground for ma!ing more aromatic gray. Coconut
paste is flaored with ground mustard for pa%hadi and khi%hadis. Chandra !aran mangoes
1pu""iseri( is the specialty during season.
SYRIAN C!RISTIAN CUISINE2
#he influence of arious cultures of traders isiting Kerala coasts for spices and the
conersion to Christianity of the locals had an impact on the natie food habits and slowly a
distinct cuisine eoled amongst the naties of the community.
#he Appam and the stew is a must for any occasion. Beef cutlets with salads. Chic!en roast,
-Era%hi u"arthi&athu(3beef4, -'een i"agitathu( 3fish4 and -Peera patti%hthu53fish4 are
some of the famous dishes. #he Christians use coconut oil, mustard, curry leaes and coconut
mil! in mist of the dishes. 6ocal toddy is used to enhance the taste of -Aappam(. #he daily
diet has to include a fish gray or dry fish along with a beef preparation ta!en with rice or
-Aappams5.
'OPLA! CUISINE2
'(p"ah cuisine holds its origin to the numerous Arab traders, who used to
isits Kerala, eentually got married to local ladies and paed way for moplah style of
coo!ing. *or the Moplah the lightly flaored )ir&ani- made of mutton, chic!en, fish or eggs
ta!es the pride of place. Mussels are the faorite in seafood.
#he Arab influence is ery isible in the rich meat curries and desserts5 Pathiris5, a chapatti
li!e bread made from rice flour or wheat flour is generally prepared for all meals. -patharis(
are also stuffed with fish, mutton, beef or chic!en7 fried or steamed and sered. #hey retain
form consuming por!. ,esserts are mainly made from eggs, sugar and flour. 8ome popular
desserts li!e -%hattipathiri(, -utta a"a(, ha"#a*, -tharip("a(. 'tc are a must for festie
occasion.
NA')OODRI )RA!'IN CUISINE2
Hindus in Kerala, other than the .amboodris, eat meat and fish as a matter of course.
#he .amboodris are strict egetarians and usually inoles themseles with the serice of
god. #here is no use of onion and garlic is their food.
#o be precise, sering a 18adya5 has its own rules. #he narrow tip of the leaf should face the
left 9 serice starts from the bottom left half of the leaf on which the small yellow bananas is
placed followed by $aggery coated bananas chips, banana chips and papadum. #hen
beginning from the top left half of the leaf are placed lime curry, mango pic!le, in$ipuli , lime
pic!le, th(ran, ("an+ a,i&a"+ pa%hadi and ki%hadi. :nly after these are placed, does the
person begins to eat. #hereafter the rice is sered at the bottom center. #he sa-ar . ka"an
is poured in the rice. #hen the meal is oer, pradaan 3dessert4 is sered. After dessert,
rasa is ta!en with rice or drin! straight. #he meal ends with curd rice or buttermil! serice
to aid digestion.
RELI/IOUS CUSTO'S AND E00ECTS O0 0OOD:
1ONA'5 the most popular festial falls in the month of August or 8eptember. At this time
the harest is oer and the granaries are full. +eoples are happy and participate in the
festials.
#he boat race ta!es place in Aranmula 9 Kutanad bac!waters.
1;ishu5 falls in April7 may, when the rains are $ust about to commence. "t is offer of poo$a
to mother earth. #he house elders organi&e a isual treat in the night with coconuts,
egetables, fruits cereals and ornaments7 all arranged on a plantain leaf with photograph of
,eities in the center. 'eryone is supposed to see the 1ishu !ani5 or the isual treat, the first
thing in the morning.
1#iruathira5 in ,ecember </anuary is a festial of women. 1trichur pooram5 or the grand
elephant march is an eent worth watching.
#he Moplah community celebrates Ra1an. All !inds of special dishes are made brea! the
fast of =am&an.

,uring Christmas, the Christians also ma!e all their meat delicacies and sweets.
0A'OUS PRODUCTS 0RO' KERALA:
>. APPA' 2 #hese are rice flour panca!e, coo!ed on flat tawa.
?. UNNIAPPA'2 "t is rice flour product. A batter is made of rice flour, $aggery, mashed
banana, and mil! and then coo!ed.
@. UPPA'A2 "t is a saory egetables and semolina pilaf
A. 'EEN $E$IC!AT!U: *ish in ery hot red chilli sauce, pic!led for @ days. As
souring agent7 !odampoli 3fish tamarind4 is used.
B. ERAC!I OLART!IAT!U2 "t is a red meat 3beef, lamb4 curry made by boiling beef
with spices till water almost eaporates, and then lightly fried with curry leaes and
shallots.
C. T!ORAN2 A egetables usually made of shredded papaya.
D. PRAT!A'AN2 A delicious pudding made by boiling mung dal with coconut mil!,
flaored with palm sugar and ginger powder, garnished with fried cashewnut, coconut
fla!es.
E. KALAN2 Green plantain stewed in butter mil!.
F. OLAN2 6ittle sGuare of ash gourd 3winter melon4 poached with lentil and yoghurt.
>H. KOOTU2 A dish made of different egetables such as pump!in, carrots, spinach etc
with chana dal and coconut.
>>. KON2U PAPPAS2 +rawn coo!ed in coconut mil!, soured by !odampoli.
>?. 'EEN 'OILEE7 #hic! stea! of fish 3seer4 coo!ed in coconut mil!, flaored with
curry leaes.
>@. POOTU2 A cereal dish made steaming the mi0ture of ground raw and parboiled rice
with grated coconut in bamboo tube in upright position. "t may be eaten with mil! and
small sweet banana.
>A. KON2U PULAO2 A prawnI shrimp pilaf
>B. PAC!ADIS2 "t is flaored and spiced yoghurt. "t can be made with different !inds of
egetables such as o!ra, pump!in etc.