Post #337095 by Spoden74 on Sun, Oct 7, 2007 11:31 PM

Kerala, the southern tip of the Indian sub continent is wedged between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats Mountain range. The terrain is mostly hilly. The sun, the beaches, the sea shores along the coast, the back water lagoons, the mountains and the culture is a unique combination that you won’t find anywhere else. Due to its unique geography, Kerala gets rains for at least 6 months a year and the land is green with vegetation and a variety of fruits and vegetable. This combined with the sea produce leaves a sense of wellbeing. “Gods own country” is apt for Kerala.

Kerala Food is never complete without sea food and coconut. Almost every dish will have coconut paste in it.The oil used for cooking is also coconut oil. Unlike rest of India , beef is also popular in Kerala. But the best part of Kerala Food is defnitely the sea food. However Kerala food will not dissappoint the vegetarian connoisseur of food. The vegetarian feast serves as a ‘sadhya’ served on a plaintain leaf is incomparable in its fare, taste and beauty.It can have up to 25 items served in it. It usually has parippu, pappadam, sambar, olan, avial, injipulee, kaalan, thoran, kichadi, pachadi etc. Each item has a designated place on the leaf. Payasams of diiferent varieties, form the dessert and the grand finale for the feast. Plantains are served with the food. There will be banana chips and jaggery coated banana pieces also served.Water will always be served. This is usually boiled along with herbs like roots or jeeragam which aid digestion.

Kerala cuisine varies with the regions. The southernmost parts serve richest sadya, the ‘real’ traditional one. Mid-Kerala cuisine is rich with its non-veg additions. In Northern Kerala cuisine, you can see the influence of Arabian cuisine. Sea food is available all over. In certain regions Kerala Food is predominantly consisting of fish from inland waterbodies which includes Karimeen, Prawn, Shrimps, Squid, and many other delicacies combined with a staple diet root introduced by the portugese called Tapioca. Fish and Tapioca is a favourite meal and mostly considered to be the poor man’s diet.

Another speciality in Kerala is “Toddy” formed from the coconut tree. And toddy shops dot the roads of Kerala. These shops serve fresh fish cooked deliciously along with Toddy. You will love the ambience, when you are sitting in a toddy shop in the middle of a water logged green field nibbling on spicy fish and sipping toddy. Wow! The food in the toddy shops are chilly hot. So it is wise to tell them ahead to go soft on spices or ask for a fish fry or egg roast. Crab and squid dishes make good accompaniments for the toddy. However if you have a weak stomach its recommended you do not try this liquor.Foreign liquor is available freely.