tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19272017976879581962024-02-19T07:48:10.923-08:00COOKING WITH AJITHUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927201797687958196.post-56018257040540775452012-01-11T08:15:00.000-08:002012-01-11T08:15:08.342-08:00SHADYA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn_q5z1tIX3WdNEzEUNSjeb30OS9cqWuXtx9tPV2WiwXn1vTS5R7zfE7OA5K5sYGS4J5DPL5jlSdTe3hR43fgC-96SKIptBKBkdo7c-m-Pn7mNi1AoW4T2JSOXQXBKCKFG2he0-jZd6BS/s1600/sadhya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn_q5z1tIX3WdNEzEUNSjeb30OS9cqWuXtx9tPV2WiwXn1vTS5R7zfE7OA5K5sYGS4J5DPL5jlSdTe3hR43fgC-96SKIptBKBkdo7c-m-Pn7mNi1AoW4T2JSOXQXBKCKFG2he0-jZd6BS/s320/sadhya.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927201797687958196.post-37415945733860427052011-03-08T05:59:00.000-08:002011-03-08T07:01:52.209-08:00CUISINE OF KERALA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: black;">The <strong>cuisine of </strong></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Kerala</strong></span></a><span style="color: black;"> (</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayalam_language" title="Malayalam language"><span style="color: black;">Malayalam</span></a><span style="color: black;">: <span style="color: #274e13;"><span lang="ML" style="font-family: "Kartika", "serif"; mso-bidi-language: ML;">കേരളീയ</span><span lang="ML" style="mso-bidi-language: ML;"> </span><span lang="ML" style="font-family: "Kartika", "serif"; mso-bidi-language: ML;">പാചകശൈലി</span></span>) is linked in all its richness to the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Kerala" title="History of Kerala"><span style="color: black;">history</span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Kerala" title="Geography of Kerala"><span style="color: black;">geography</span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Kerala" title="Demographics of Kerala"><span style="color: black;">demography</span></a><span style="color: black;"> and culture of the land. Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish"><span style="color: black;">fish</span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poultry"><span style="color: black;">poultry</span></a><span style="color: black;"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meat"><span style="color: black;">meat</span></a><span style="color: black;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">For over 2000 years, Kerala has been visited by ocean-goers, including traders from </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece"><span style="color: black;">Greece</span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome"><span style="color: black;">Rome</span></a><span style="color: black;">, the eastern </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean" title="Mediterranean"><span style="color: black;">Mediterranean</span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_countries" title="Arab countries"><span style="color: black;">Arab countries</span></a><span style="color: black;">, and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe"><span style="color: black;">Europe</span></a><span style="color: black;"> (see </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Kerala"><span style="color: black;">History of Kerala</span></a><span style="color: black;">). Thus, Kerala cuisine is a blend of indigenous dishes and foreign dishes adapted to Kerala tastes. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut" title="Coconut"><span style="color: black;">Coconuts</span></a><span style="color: black;"> grow in abundance in Kerala, and consequently, grated coconut and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk"><span style="color: black;">coconut milk</span></a><span style="color: black;"> are widely used in dishes and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry" title="Curry"><span style="color: black;">curries</span></a><span style="color: black;"> as a thickener and flavouring ingredient. Kerala's long coastline, numerous rivers and backwater networks, and strong fishing industry have contributed to many sea- and river-food based dishes. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice"><span style="color: black;">Rice</span></a><span style="color: black;"> is grown in abundance, and could be said, along with </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapioca"><span style="color: black;">tapioca</span></a><span style="color: black;"> (manioc/cassava), to be the main starch ingredient used in Kerala food. Having been a major production area of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spices" title="Spices"><span style="color: black;">spices</span></a><span style="color: black;"> for thousands of years, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pepper"><span style="color: black;">black pepper</span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamom"><span style="color: black;">cardamom</span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloves" title="Cloves"><span style="color: black;">cloves</span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger"><span style="color: black;">ginger</span></a><span style="color: black;">, and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon"><span style="color: black;">cinnamon</span></a><span style="color: black;"> play a large part in its food</span>.<br />
<br />
<h2 style="margin: auto 0in;"><span class="mw-headline"><u><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;">Historical and cultural influences</span></u></span></h2><span style="color: black;">Pre-independence Kerala was split into the princely states of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travancore"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Travancore</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> & </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Cochin" title="Kingdom of Cochin"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Kochi</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> in the south, and the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malabar"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Malabar</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> & </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Malabar"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">North Malabar</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> Areas in the north; the erstwhile split is reflected in the recipes and cooking style of each area. Both Travancore and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Malabar"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">North Malabar</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> cuisine consists of a variety of vegetarian dishes using many vegetables and fruits that are not commonly used in curries elsewhere in India including </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantain" title="Plantain"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">plantains</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_gourd" title="Bitter gourd"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">bitter gourd</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> ('paavaykka' in Travancore and kayppakka in North Malabar), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yam"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Yam</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> ('chena'), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colocasia"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Colocasia</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> ('chembu'), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_gourd" title="Ash gourd"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Ash gourd</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> ('kumbalanga'), etc. However, their style of preparation and names of the prepares dishes may vary. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Malabar"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">North Malabar</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> has an array of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes such as </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathiri"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">pathiri</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> (a sort of rice-based pancake, at times paired with a meat curry), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala_porotta" title="Kerala porotta"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">porotta</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> (a layered </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatbread"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">flatbread</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, said to come from South-East Asia), and the kerala variant of the popular </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biriyani" title="Biriyani"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">biriyani</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, probably from Arab lands. Central Travancore region boasts of a parade of dishes that is largely identified with the Christians of the region.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">In addition to historical diversity, the cultural influences, particularly the large percentages of Muslims and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Thomas_Christians" title="Saint Thomas Christians"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Syrian Christians</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> have also contributed unique dishes and styles to Kerala cuisine, especially non-vegetarian dishes. The meat eating habit of the people have been historically limited by </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taboo_food_and_drink" title="Taboo food and drink"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">religious taboos</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">. Brahmins eschew non vegetarian items. However, most of modern day Hindus do not observe any dietary taboos, except a few of those belonging to upper caste.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Kerala#cite_note-0">[1]</a></sup> Muslims do not eat pork and other items </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haraam" title="Haraam"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">forbidden by Islamic law</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Historically, Kerala was part of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamilakam" title="Tamilakam"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Tamil-speaking area</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamilian" title="Tamilian"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Tamilian</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> influence is seen in the popularity of sambar,appam,puttu, idli and dosa. European influence is reflected in the numerous bakeries selling cakes, cream horns, and Western-style yeast-leavened bread, and in </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Indian"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Anglo-Indian</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> cuisine. The import of potatoes, tomatoes, and chili peppers from the Americas led to their enthusiastic use in Kerala, although except for the ubiquitous peppers, the other ingredients are used more sparingly.</span><br />
<h2 style="margin: auto 0in;"><span class="mw-headline"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;"><u>Spices in Kerala Cuisine</u></span></span></h2><span style="color: black;">As with almost all Indian food, spices play an important part in Kerala cuisine. The main spices used are </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">cinnamon</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamom"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">cardamom</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">ginger</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, green and red peppers, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloves" title="Cloves"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">cloves</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">garlic</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumin"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">cumin</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> seeds, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">coriander</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turmeric"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">turmeric</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, and so on. Few fresh herbs are used, unlike in European cuisine, and mainly consist of the commonly used curry leaf, and the occasional use of fresh coriander and mint. While Tamarind and lime are used to make sauces sour in </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Malabar"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">North Malabar</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> areas; the Travancore region uses only kodampuli (</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Garcinia_Cambogia&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Garcinia Cambogia (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Garcinia Cambogia</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">), as sour sauces are very popular in Kerala. Sweet and sour dishes are however, rare, but exceptions like the ripe mango version of the pulissery and tamarind-jaggery-ginger chutney known as </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injipuli" title="Injipuli"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">puliinji</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> or </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injipuli"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">injipuli</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> are popular.</span><br />
<h2 style="margin: auto 0in;"><span class="mw-headline"><u><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;">Mealtimes</span></u></span></h2><h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Cambria;"><span class="mw-headline" style="font-size: large;"><u>Breakfast</u></span></span></h3><span style="color: black;">Kerala cuisine offers many delicious vegetarian breakfast dishes that are often relatively unknown outside the state. These include </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puttu"><i><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Puttu</span></span></i></a><span style="color: black;"> (made of rice powder and grated coconut, steamed in a metal or bamboo holder) and kadala (a curry made of black garbanzo beans </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chana"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">chana</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idli"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">idli</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> (fluffy rice pancakes), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambar_(dish)" title="Sambar (dish)"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">sambar</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosa"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">dosa</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chutney"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">chutney</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, <i>pidiyan</i>, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiyappam"><i><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Idiyappam</span></span></i></a><span style="color: black;"> (string hoppers - also known as <i>Noolputtu</i> and <i>Nool-</i></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appam"><i><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Appam</span></span></i></a><span style="color: black;"> in </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malabar"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Malabar</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">), <i>Paal-</i></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appam"><i><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">Appam</span></span></i></a><span style="color: black;">, a circular, fluffy, crisp-edged pancake made of rice flour fermented with a small amount of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toddy"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">toddy</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> or </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">wine</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">, etc. Idiyapam and Paalappam are accompanied by mutton, chicken or vegetable stew or a curry of beef or fish moli (the most common dish is black pomfret in a coconut based sauce). In </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Malabar"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black;">North Malabar</span></span></a><span style="color: black;"> area Breakfast is known is 'Kathaladakkal' and 'Praathal' in rest of Kerala.</span><br />
<h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Cambria;"><span class="mw-headline" style="font-size: large;"><u>Lunch and dinner</u></span></span></h3><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">The staple food of Kerala, like most South-Indian states, is rice. Unlike other states, however, many people in Kerala prefer </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parboiled_rice"><span style="color: black;">parboiled rice</span></a><span style="color: black;"> (<i>Choru</i>) (rice made nutritious by boiling it with rice husk). <i>Kanji</i> (</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_congee" title="Rice congee"><span style="color: black;">rice congee</span></a><span style="color: black;">), a kind of rice porridge, is also popular. Tapioca, called kappa in Kerala, is popular in central Kerala and in the highlands, and is frequently <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">eaten with fish curry.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Kerala is known for its traditional banquet or </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadhya" title="Sadhya"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">sadhya</span></i></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">, a vegetarian meal served with boiled rice and a host of side-dishes served especially during special occasions and festivals. The sadhya is complemented by </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payasam" title="Payasam"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">payasam</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">, a sweet dessert native to Kerala. The sadhya is, as per custom, served on a </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">banana</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> leaf, and is a formal-style meal with three or more courses of rice with a side-dish (usually sambar, rasam, buttermilk, etc.). In south Kerala the Payasam in followed by <i>more</i> (butter milk). Whereas in </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Malabar"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">North Malabar</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> it is considered to be the last dish to be served. A typical sadhya would have</span><br />
<ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiled_Rice" title="Boiled Rice"><span style="color: black;">Boiled Rice</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambar_(dish)" title="Sambar (dish)"><span style="color: black;">sambar</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parippu" title="Parippu"><span style="color: black;">Parippu</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviyal" title="Aviyal"><span style="color: black;">Aviyal</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaalan"><span style="color: black;">Kaalan</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poduthol"><span style="color: black;">Poduthol</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoran"><span style="color: black;">Thoran</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pulisherry&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Pulisherry (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000;"><span style="color: black;">Pulisherry</span></span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olan"><span style="color: black;">Olan</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injipuli" title="Injipuli"><span style="color: black;">Puliinji</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pappadam" title="Pappadam"><span style="color: black;">Pappadam</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttermilk" title="Buttermilk"><span style="color: black;">Mooru</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kaya_upperi&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Kaya upperi (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000;"><span style="color: black;">Kaya upperi</span></span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sharkara_upperi&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Sharkara upperi (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000;"><span style="color: black;">Sharkara upperi</span></span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana"><span style="color: black;">Banana</span></a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paayasam" title="Paayasam"><span style="color: black;">Paayasam</span></a></li>
</ul><h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;"><span class="mw-headline"><u>Sweets and Desserts</u></span></span></h3><h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span class="mw-headline"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Due to limited influence of Central Asian food on Kerala, the use of sweets is not as widespread as in North India. Kerala does not have any indigenous cold desserts, but hot/warm desserts are popular. The most popular example is undoubtedly the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payasam" title="Payasam"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">payasam</span></i></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">: a preparation of milk, coconut extract, sugar, cashews, dry grapes, etc. Payasam can be made with many base constituents, including <i>Paal payasam</i> (made from rice), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_(food)" title="Ada (food)"><i><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Ada</span></span></i></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: black;"><i> payasam</i> (with </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_(food)" title="Ada (food)"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Ada</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">, broken strips of baked starch from various sources), <i>Paripu payasam</i> (made from dal), <i>Pazham pradhamam</i> (made from banana), <i>Gothambu payasam</i> (made from wheat) etc. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_(food)" title="Ada (food)"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Ada</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> payasam is especially popular during the festival of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishu"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Vishu</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onam"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Onam</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">. Most payasams can also be consumed chilled. Jaggery or molasses is a common sweetening ingredient, although white sugar is gaining ground. Fruit, especially the small yellow bananas, are often eaten after a meal or at any time of the day. Plantains, uncooked or steamed, are popularly eaten for breakfast or tea.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Other popular sweets include <i>Unniappam</i> (a fried banana bread), pazham-pori (plantain slices covered with a fried crust made of sweetened flour), and kozhakkatta (rice dumplings stuffed with a sweet mixture of molasses, coconut etc.). Cakes, ice-creams, cookies and puddings are equally common. Generally, except for payasam, most sweets are not eaten as dessert but as a tea-time snack.</span><br />
<h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="mw-headline"><u>Pickles and other side-dishes</u></span></span></span></h3><h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Kerala cuisine also has a variety of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_pickle" title="Indian pickle"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">pickles</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chutney" title="Chutney"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">chutneys</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">, and crunchy </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pappadums" title="Pappadums"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">pappadums</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">, banana chips, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">jackfruit</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> chips, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalathappam"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Kalathappam</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinnathappam"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Kinnathappam</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> <i>kozhalappam</i>, <i>achappam</i>, <i>cheeda</i>, and <i>churuttu</i>.</span></h3><h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><span class="mw-headline"><u>Beverages</u></span></span></h3><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Being mostly a hot and humid area, Keralites have developed a variety of drinks to cope with thirst. A variety of what might be called </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbal_tea" title="Herbal tea"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">herbal teas</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> are served during mealtimes. Cumin seeds, ginger or coriander seeds are boiled in water and served warm or at room temperature. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">In addition to the improved taste, the spices also have digestive and other medicinal properties. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sambharam&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Sambharam (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Sambharam</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">, a diluted </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttermilk"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">buttermilk</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> often flavoured with ginger, lime leaves, green chili peppers etc. was very commonly drunk, although it has been replaced to some extent by soda pop.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> Coffee and tea (both hot) drunk black, or with milk and white sugar or unrefined palm sugar (karippatti), are commonly drunk. Numerous small shops dotted around the land sell fresh lime juice (called naranga vellam, or bonji sarbat in Malayalam), and many now offer milk shakes and other fruit juices.</span><br />
<h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><span class="mw-headline"><u>Cooking Utensils</u></span></span></h3><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">There are utensils that are used in Kerala which are significant to cuisine in Kerala. An <i>aduppu</i> is a square hearth, <i>Mun Chatti</i> is cooking pot made from clay, <i>Cheena Chatti</i> (literally Chinese pot) is a deep frying pan.</span><br />
<h2 style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span class="mw-headline"><u>Food offerings in rituals</u></span></span></h2><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Food is extremely important when it comes to rituals or festivals. Food offerings in ritual are important in Kerala and throughout South India. Food offerings are often related to the gods of religions. In India, there are numerous offerings for Hindu gods and there are many differences between food offerings in North and South India.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Most offerings contain more than one type of food. There are many reasons why people use the practice of food offerings. Some are to express love, or negotiate or thank gods. It can also be used to "stress certain structural features of Hinduism".</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Of course, not every ritual’s gods require food offerings. Most have a liking for certain foods. For example, butter is one of the preferred foods by the god Krishna. Also, wild orange and a sugarcane stalk are related to Ganapati.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">There is a division of the Hindu pantheon into pure and impure deities which is stressed, but shaped by food offerings. Pure deities are offered vegetarian foods while impure deities are offered meat due to their craving for blood.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">A specific dish is offered to both pure and impure deities. That is a flour lamp which is made of sweetened rice-flour paste which is scooped out and packed with ghee. The flour lamp is only partially baked and then eaten.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Another aspect of food offerings is the hierarchy that foods have. It may seem strange that there is a hierarchy for foods, but it is because there is a dual opposition between the pure and impure deities which is hierarchal.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">There are two gods which have this dual opposition. They are Vishnu and Siva. Ferro-Luzzi explains that Vishnu is viewed as kind while the offerings that are given to Siva are more frugal'. An offering to Siva might be likely to be plain rice with no salt or other toppings, while an offering to Vishnu may resemble a South Indian dish which can consist of rice with other side dishes. Specifically in South Indian offerings, they are offered in numbers. For example, the number three is important in Kerala offerings. There are the <i>trimadhura</i> which translates into 'the three sweets'.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> All of these practices of food offerings in ritual are important in Kerala culture as well as </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Indian_culture"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">South Indian culture</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">.</span><br />
<h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><span class="mw-headline"><u>Cooking as sacred ritual</u></span></span></h3><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">The last decade has seen the rise of cooking as sacred ritual in South Kerala, almost exclusively by women. This practice, called 'Pongala' (derived from </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_people" title="Tamil people"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Tamil</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> dish </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pongal_(dish)" title="Pongal (dish)"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Pongal</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">), seems to have been historically associated with the Attukal Temple in Trivandrum city which was begotten from Tamil tradition. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Attukal Pongala is the largest gathering of women in the world.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> Women participants of the pongala come equipped with cooking pots, dry fuel (mostly dry leaves and spathes of the coconut palm) and ingredients such as rice flour, palm sugar and condiments, often the previous evening, and set up their hearths around the temple on the morning of the day of the festival.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Often, the women take over most of the roads and lanes of Trivandrum city during the pongala day. In 2009, the estimated number of women who participated was 2.5 million.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">The women wait until the Attukal temple ceremoniously distributes the fire, and set about their cooking when the fire reaches them, passed from hearth to hearth. They go home with the cooked offerings by late afternoon. While males are not allowed in the area, they help out my providing support to arriving and departing women by organizing transportation, and distributing free beverages. Trivandrum city, police and civil authorities have been successfully able to manage the festival, but it is quintessentially a women's festival.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Despite the lack of amenities, the considerable hardship involved in transportation of cooking equipment and ingredients (many women come from 30–40 km away), and the blazing February sun, the numbers of participants seem to be rising year after year, and include some of the well-known faces from cinema, social circles as well as commoners.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">It is also observed that the practice of pongala is rapidly spreading to many other temples in Trivandrum city and district.</span><br />
<h3 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><span class="mw-headline"><u>Syrian Christian Cuisine</u></span></span></h3><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">The cuisine of the state of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Kerala</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">India</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">, is influenced by its large </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Thomas_Christians" title="Saint Thomas Christians"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Christian</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> minority. A favourite dish of Kerala Syrian Christians is </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stew"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">stew</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">: chicken, potatoes and onions simmered gently in a creamy white sauce flavoured with black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, green chillies, lime juice, shallots(cherriya ulli) and coconut milk. They also prepare stews with chicken, lamb, and duck.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">Other dishes include piralen (chicken stir-fries), meat thoran (dry curry with shredded coconut), sardine and duck curries, and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meen_molee" title="Meen molee"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">meen molee</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> (spicy stewed fish). This is eaten with </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appam"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">appam</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">. Appams, kallappams, or vellayappams are rice flour pancakes which have soft, thick white spongy centres and crisp, lace-like edges. Meen vevichathu (fish in fiery red chilly sauce) is another favourite item.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">In addition to chicken and fish, Syrian Christians also eat red meat. For example, <i>erachi orlarthiathu</i> is a beef or mutton dish cooked with spices.</span></span></span></span></h3></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Rice is usually consumed with one or more curries. Accompaniments with rice may include <i>upperis</i> (dry braised or sauteed vegetables), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasam"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">rasam</span></i></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_chips" title="Banana chips"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">chips</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, and/or </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttermilk"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">buttermilk</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> (called <i>moru</i>). Vegetarian dinners usually consist of multiple courses, each involving rice, one main dish (usually sambar, rasam, puli-sherry), and one or more side-dishes. Kerala cooking uses </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_oil"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">coconut oil</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> almost exclusively, although health concerns and cost have led to coconut oil being replaced to some extent by palm oil and vegetable oil.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Popular vegetarian dishes include </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambar_(dish)" title="Sambar (dish)"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">sambar</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviyal" title="Aviyal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">aviyal</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaalan"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Kaalan</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoran"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">thoran</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, (</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poduthol"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Poduthol</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> (dry curry), pulisherry (morozhichathu in Cochin and the Malabar region), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olan"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">olan</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, erisherry, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injipuli" title="Injipuli"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">puliinji</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mung_bean" title="Mung bean"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">payaru (mung bean)</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapioca" title="Tapioca"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">kappa (tapioca)</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, etc. Vegetarian dishes often consist of fresh spices that are liquefied and crushed to make a paste-like texture to dampen rice.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Common non-vegetarian dishes include </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stew"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">stew</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> (using chicken, beef, lamb, or fish), traditional or chicken curry (<i>Nadan Kozhi Curry</i>), chicken fry (<i>Kozhi Porichathu/Varuthathu</i>), fish/chicken/mutton molly(fish or meat in light gravy), fish curry (<i>Meen Curry</i>), fish fry (<i>Karimeen Porichathu/Varuthathu</i>), </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobster"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">lobster</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> fry (<i>Konchu Varuthathu</i>), Spicy Beef Fry (<i>Beef Ularthiyathu</i>), Spicy Steamed Fish (<i>Meen Pollichathu</i>) etc. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biriyani" title="Biriyani"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Biriyani</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">, a </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughlai_cuisine" title="Mughlai cuisine"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Mughal</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> dish consists of rice cooked along with meat, onions, chillies and other spices.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Although rice and tapioca may be considered the original Kerala starch staples, wheat, in the form of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chappati" title="Chappati"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">chappatis</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> or </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paratha" title="Paratha"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">parathas</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> (known as porottas in Kerala), is now very commonly eaten, especially at dinner time. Numerous little streetside vendors offer an oily parathas (akin to the croissant in its flakiness and oiliness) with meat, egg, or vegetable curry for dinner. Grains such as ragi and millet, although common in the arid parts of South India, have not gained a foothold in Kerala.</span><br />
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