KERALA

GODS OWN COUNTRY.

DESINGED BY

Sunil KumarResearch Scholar/ Food Production FacultyInstitute of Hotel and Tourism Management,MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAKHaryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499email:  skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com  linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ihmsunilkumarfacebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com 

SPECIAL FEATURES Four distinct groups in kerala are

Syrian Christians.

the Muslims called moflas.

the nairs who are the warrior class.

Namboodri who are the Brahmins.

FOOD SPECIALITIES Yellow banana chips fried in coconut oil and

lightly salted are famous and eaten in this region. Rice appams, a pancake also called as Vellappam is

common to all Keralaties and is eaten with meat stew by Syrians and with avial by Namboodris and nairs.

Idiappam a dish of cooked rice noodles, the puttu consisting of rice rava and grated coconut and jack fruit cooked with jaggery and cardamom are among the common items.

Kerala is divided into 3 regions Malabar

Kochi

Travancore

Malabar Dominated by Muslims population. Muslims of Kerala are called as

MOPLAHS. It has the Arab influence. Favorites are briyani, aleesa, podi pathri

etc. Thiyas are also part of Malabar population. Favorites are Appam, stew and fish stew.

Kochi Mixture of Hindus, Christians and Muslim

communities. Nairs, Menon and Namboodris are sub

section. They are generally vegetarians. Favorites are sambar, aviyal, kalan, olan,

kitchadi, pachadi, thoran and pikles.

Travancore

Dominated by protestant Christians and Hindus.

Favorites are kappa, meen polichathu, eraichi olathiyathu, appam, meen moile, puttu and kadala curry.

SYRIAN CHRISTIANS They prefer steak beef. Most of the curries are prepared using coconut

milk. For Christmas the specialty is wild duck with

mappas. The use yeast revolutionized the cuisine. Baking and stewing are the common cooking

methods adopted from the Europeans.

Vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, beans, potato were introduced by the Europeans.

They generally use parboiled rice. Plenty of emphasis on the use of fresh

vegetables. They use kodampuli, the rind of a sour

fruit, sun dried and smoked. Idiyappam, puttu, rice appam and

vellappam are the common break fast dishes.

MUSLIMS OR MOFLAS They use rice, coconut and jaggery in abundance. There is a strong Arab influence as is seen in their

biriyanis and ground wheat and meat porridge called as aleesa.

Several flavored soups are made from both rice and wheat with added coconut or coconut milk and spices.

A distinct and unusual sweet is MUTTA MALA, chain like strings of egg yolk cooked in sugar syrup.

Abundant use of rice, coconut and jaggery. Steamed puttu served with mutton curry is

served for break fast. Distinctive roti called as podi pathri is

served dipped in coconut milk. ( chapatti made out of rice flour)

NAIRS A weeding feast of nairs includes several

types of patchadis, pickles, chips and payasams based on milk or coconut milk.

Rice, dhal and bananas, however no meat is served.

NAMBOODRIS The Brahmins are strictly vegetarians. They favour the idli, dosa and puttu for

their break fast with coconut or curd as accompaniments.

They eat rice with kootu, kalan and olan. The use of garlic is avoided.

Kerala food in general hot and spicy. The food is traditionally eaten by hands

and served in banana leaves. Abundant use of coconut oil, mustard

seeds, curry leaves and coconut milk are used in their day today cooking.

SIGNATURE DISHES APPAM

soft pancake made from fermented rice batter with soft spongy middle which is laced with crispy edges. Served with vegetables, chicken or mutton stew.

PUTTUa steamed cake made from rice flour and

steamed in long, hallow bamboo or metalic cylinders. Had with steamed bananas and sugar or with spicy curries.

KOZHI STEWmade with chicken and potatoes simmered

gently in a creamy, white sauce flavored with black pepper, cinnamon, clove, green chilly, lime juice, shallots and coconut milk.

MANGO MAPPASSyrian Christian specialty in which raw

mangoes are cooked in coconut based gravy mildly flavored with curry leaves, garlic and shallots.PODI PATHIRI / KOZHI PATHRI

roti made out of rice flour and is griddled in a thawa until it puffs up and dipped in coconut milk before service.

MEEN CURRY

a thin stew of fish tempered with curry leaves, green chilies, ginger, garlic and soured with kodumpuli. Finally adjusted with coconut milk.

PAYARU THORANblanched green beans sautéed in onions, garlic, cumin and turmeric added with grated coconut and tempered with mustard, curry leaves, dried red chilies, split urud dhal.

KOOTU KALAN OOLAN

DESINGED BY

Sunil KumarResearch Scholar/ Food Production FacultyInstitute of Hotel and Tourism Management,MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAKHaryana- 124001 INDIA Ph. No. 09996000499email:  skihm86@yahoo.com , balhara86@gmail.com  linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ihmsunilkumarfacebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com