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