The changing Kerala palate

The cultural diversity of God’s own country, evolved from the influence of various civilizations in the past, has had a profound influence on the Kerala cuisine today

    Kerala is a diverse state with distinct regions and communities, each maintaining its own culture, customs as well as cuisine. While the Namboodiri cuisine was known as the cuisine of the palaces and is strictly vegetarian, the Mappila cuisine belonging to Malabar region was influenced by the Arab traders. It is basically non-vegetarian with fish, poultry and a variety of spices. And the central Travancore cuisine was typically the cuisine of the Syrian Christians of Kerala, localised with plenty of coconut based flavours.  The famous dishes like appam, stew, pollichathu, pattichathu, mappas and piralan originated from there.

    Apart from the cultural cuisine, the typical Kerala sadhya served on a banana leaf, the vegetable avial, the puttu varieties, pineapple kichadi, jackfruit payasam, etc., are unique to Kerala alone. Apart from the staple diet of rice and fish, banana forms an integral part of the Malayali palate. From the use of banana leaf, to crispy banana chips, banana milk shakes, banana fritters, even banana thoran, the presence of banana in Kerala cooking cannot be ignored. 

    Kerala is constantly on an innovative mode, when it comes to coconuts. Apart from coconut oil, tender coconut water and the normal use of coconut as an ingredient in food preparation, the Coconut Development Board of Kerala has in its kitty, a variety of unique coconut products like coconut vinegar, coconut chips, desiccated coconut, virgin coconut oil, coconut cream, coconut milk powder, and so on. Truly ‘the land of coconuts’ has a lot to offer.

    With all these tasty and diverse cuisine in place, the food habits of Keralites have undergone a transformation over the years. The focus now is more on a healthy diet which can be achieved by following a few basic eating habits. “A healthy diet primarily involves consuming fruits, vegetables and whole grains, to satisfy calorie requirements and provide the body with essential nutrients, fibres and adequate water,” says Bulbin Jose, chief medical nutritionist, Lakeshore hospital. 

    Similarly, the traditional food in Kerala has always been savoured with great taste. The variety of ethnic breakfast combinations on offer is a rarity. An ideal breakfast for an average Malayali typically starts with the morning cuppa followed by puttu-kadala, appam-stew, kappa-meen curry, upma, pathiri, idiyappam, dosa-chutney and so on. These traditional foods can be made healthy too. 

 

    As we age, healthy food can be the key to a positive outlook and staying emotionally balanced. Eating healthy is only about strict diets, staying thin or sacrificing the foods you love. Instead, it is about feeling good, having lots of energy and remaining healthy.  “Simple food habits like adhering to a balanced diet, avoiding junk food, eating naturally sweet food instead of sugary drinks, adding salads to daily food, and finally, balancing the calorie intake with proper exercise, can go a long way to maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” adds Bulbin.

    From the countless spices available, to innovative coconut products, the variety of fishes and its preparation, the finest breakfast combinations and traditional Kerala cuisine, it is impossible to ignore the culinary repertoire of God’s own country.

-Sherene Joseph

The day when everything went wrong

       Did I wake up from the wrong side of the bed? Or was it the alarm clock that forgot to ring on time? Well, the alarm did go off on time but I chose to sleep a little more and my, the price I had to pay for it! It was a mad rush in the kitchen after that, with the clinging of utensils, cooker whistles, cooking and what not. Unwashed plates lay piled in the sink, washed clothes lay in the washing machine, breakfast and lunch to be prepared, kids to be fed, readied and whisked to school… 

   

    Now who is to blame when admist all the rush, the milk spills on the gas top and u burn your fingers trying to prevent it? As usual, with all these household chores almost done, there was no time for a sit down breakfast. There goes the breakfast box, lunch box and a snack box into the office bag as I dash out in a bid to be on time to work. As I stand at the bus stop, waiting for the overcrowded bus, my only prayer was, dear God! I’m so sorry I slept a little more than usual but don’t punish me like this. Or better still, the next time around (when i choose to sleep some more), would you give an extra hand or turn the clock a little backwards for me please?

Mega Mall Mania

With shopping malls, IT parks and premium hotels springing up everywhere, Kerala is fast becoming a popular space for commercial built-ups. The mega mall culture in Kerala has revolutionised the shopping experience in God’s own country

     The commercial real estate sector in Kerala is poised for a steady growth with many companies setting up offices in Kochi and Trivandrum. With the growth of Infopark and Technopark, IT companies have set up their development centers in Kerala and a mall fever has gripped the state. 

What attracts the builders and brands to Kerala? “Kochi is the perfect test market for products of any description, given that the purchasing power, population density and physical quality of life is the highest in India,” explains Mathews Jose, managing partner, M&L Realty.  According to Shibu Philips, business head, Lulu mall, “the steady inflow of ‘gulf money’ and the devaluation of Indian rupee means the spending power of Keralites is increasing. Most Malayalis today are exposed to the umpteen international and national brands, which has encouraged builders and brands to venture into Kerala market.”

Opportunities aplenty
Malls are more than just shopping destinations. They have been designed for shopping and recreation for the entire family. Its a great place for social get together – to eat, meet and mingle and a one-stop entertainment destination with multiplexes and gaming centres. Huge revenue from business, plenty of job opportunities, unique shopping experience, influence of non-resident Indians (NRI) and changing lifestyles have all contributed to the booming mall culture. “The fall in savings ratio from 38% in 2008 to 29% now, has also contributed to the mall culture. The generation today is more for spending than saving, which is good for the malls,” says Alex Babu, managing director, Hedge Equities. 

Scores of malls

Malls today are evolving according to customer’s needs and developers are following the new trend of building the most gigantic malls. Shibu explains why. “Large sized malls ensure that customers don’t feel pushed around as the mall can accommodate large footfalls at all times.” With a largely favourable economic climate, the retail real estate is on an upswing with the increasing number of mega mall launches happening, including the recently-opened Lulu mall at Kochi. 

A properly zoned mall can truly become a landmark in the city, as is the case with Lulu mall, which is spread at a little over 2.5 million square feet, housing an eclectic mix of top international retail brands, food courts, coffee shops, etc. It also has 22,000 square feet of entertainment zones, including a 5,000 square feet Ice rink, said to be the first of its kind in South India.

The FDI factor
The retail sector in India is witnessing rapid changes and one of the key factors is the aggressive expansion of international retailers into the country. With the Government announcing foreign direct investment (FDI) upto 51 per cent in multi-brand retail, many global brands have firmed up plans of setting foot in the Indian retail market. “International brands like Ikea, Starbucks, Zara, Forever 21, H & M, etc., entering the Indian market is very encouraging for the retail development in the country and customers will be spoilt for choices,” says Shibu. 

Malls are the best form of organised retail for they are silently revolutionising the shopping concept in Kerala. With numerous mega malls being planned and finalised by retail groups in Kochi alone, mall culture is here to stay.

- Sherene Joseph