Made By Smriti Bisht Himanshi Saluja XII-A HANSRAJ MODEL SCHOOL KERALA AND ITS CUISINE Made By Smriti Bisht Himanshi Saluja XII-A HANSRAJ MODEL SCHOOL

DON’T LEAVE KERELA WITHOUT TRYING…. INTRODUCTION Southern region of India, famous for its tranquil backwaters, serene beaches & its unique and colorful cuisine. Foreign influence on the cuisine of Kerala can be found with each religion from Muslims to Syrian Christians. Kerala cuisine contains abundance of rice, tapioca & spices like black pepper, cinnamon & ginger. It is also famous for its sadhya dish served at onam festival consisting of boiled rice & a host of vegetarian dishes on a banana leaf. Kerala cuisine also features seafood like fish, prawns, crabs & mussels They also take pride in their variety of non-vegetarian dishes like chicken, mutton, beef and pork. DON’T LEAVE KERELA WITHOUT TRYING….

PUTTU AND KADALA CURRY It is a breakfast staple eaten all over the state Puttu is a cyclindrical steamed rice cake cooked in a mould with grated coconut. On the other hand kadala curry is a dish of black chickpeas made with shallots & spices and coconut milk which is usually served with Puttu. Kadala curry can also be serve with ripe banana’s & grated coconut.

APPAM WITH STEW Appam is a keralan staple made from fermented rice flour & coconut milk which is served with a stew. It is similar to a thin pancake with crispy edges. Stew which is generally called ‘Ishtu’ in kerala is a derivative of european stew. The stew consists of coconut milk, cinnamon, cloves and shallots. To richen the flavour of the stew mango pieces, vegetables, chicken or lamb at times are also added.

PALADA PAYASAM Palada Payasam is a desert made in all kerela households during the festival of Onam. It is a sweet rice kheer prepared with palada. The tradition recipe to this delicacy basically includes ingredients like rice, ada, milk, sugar & ghee. There are many variations found to this dessert.

KERALA PRAWN CURRY Kerala prawn curry which is generally known as ‘Chemmeen Curry’ is the signature dish of the malabar region. It is prepared with fenugreek, black mustard and fennel seeds, coconut milk & green chilli & marinated prawns. This delicacy contains a special ingredient called Kudampali also known as Buindleberry. Kudampali provides a sour taste to the dish.

PUMPKIN AND LENTIL CURRY Pumpkin and lentil curry is also famous as ‘Erissery’ in the state of kerala. It is made from a choice of two ingredients, raw plantain or sliced yams. It usually also contains sweet pumpkin that has been boiled in water with a number of ingredients such as salt, chillies or pepper, grated coconuts and more. It appears on most menus at religious festivals like onam.

KARIMEEN POLLICHATHU It is one of kerala’s traditional delicacies . Karimen is a sparkled fish that is commonly found in keralan backwaters. It is an syrian christian delicacy that is now a part of kerala’s rich cuisine & culture. The sparkled fish is marinated in a mixture of lemon juice, red chillies & other ingredients. It is then wrapped and baked in plantain leaves which give it a unique flavour.

THALESSERY BIRYANI A rice biryani is the most famous and common dish of the muslim community. Thalassery biryani uses an unique small grained fragrant thin rice variety named as kaima. The cooked rice and a special biryana masala are arranged in layers inside the dish. The meat is cooked with the masala on low heat & layered with rice before the lid of the container is sealed with dough. Hot coal or charcoal is then placed above the lid.

FISH MOLEE Fish molee is a famous keralan fish stew made with coconut milk. It was originally a typical Syrian Christian delicacy that is now a part of keralan cuisine. The curry is usually prepared in a traditional manchatti that is an earthen vessel. The stew is a lightly fried fish in coconut milk and spices like turmeric, pepper, cinnamon along with green chilies. The fish used in the stew is generally the Kingfish or Sur fish. The fish is usually marinated with oil, turmeric, red chili, lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes.

BANANA FRITTERS Banana fritters are famous as ‘Pazham Pori’ or ‘Ethaka’ in the kerala region. It is a traditional tea time snack. They are available through out kerala. They are simple ripe bananas coated with plain flour and deep fried in oil.

MALABAR PAROTTA WITH BEEF CURRY Parotta is a layered flat bread that originated in the malabar region. It is made by kneading plain flour , egg, oil or ghee and water. The dough is later then shaped into a spiral with thin layers. The ball is rolled flat and roasted into a thin parotta with ghee. This is then eaten with beef curry. Pieces of beef simmered in a curry made along with tomatoes, onions and garlic's. Spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper corns, bay leaves and star anise are added to give the curry a rich and unique taste.