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| About Kerala Recipe |
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In a highly diversified country like Kerala, it is no wonder to find varied, diversified, and distinct recipes. Kerala cuisine
is unique, full of tradition, flavor and spices. It is renowned for exotic recipes which are handed down from mother to
daughter, from generation to generation. Evolved over thousands of years, Kerala food has strong flavors which are derived
from spices, seasonings and nutritious ingredients such as leafy vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. It is enrich in six
tastes such as sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter and astringent.
Kerala cuisine is distinguished by the influence of the longstanding and widespread practice of vegetarianism within sections
of the Hindu community in Kerala society. Being an integral part of culture, Kerala food differs based on community, region,
and state with each religion, region, and caste having left its own influence on Kerala food. Many recipes first emerged when
India was predominantly inhabited by Vedic Hindus and later influenced by the Christians, the British, the Buddhists, the
Jains, the Portuguese, the Muslims, the Arabians, the Mughals, and the Persians, and others. During the rule of Ashoka,
vegetarianism became prominent.
Keralites take their food very seriously and cooking is considered as an art. In their life, mealtimes are important occasions
where the family can get together. Kerala recipes consist of several dishes ranging from staples like rice and breads to meat
and vegetables and completed by a dessert. Keralalites follow several customs in the manner of food consumption. Most
traditional way of having food is while sitting either on the floor or on very low stools or cushions. Food is most often
eaten using fingers of right hand instead of the use of cutlery. In many Kerala homes, food is prepared from scratch with
fresh ingredients.
Kerala curry is the most popular dish throughout the world. Every spice used in Kerala food preparations has either a
preservative or an antiseptic quality and so Kerala food is considered very healthy. The staples include rice, wheat flour,
and at least five dozen varieties of pulses. Most Kerala curries are fried in vegetable oil with North India using ground nut
oil, Eastern India using mustard oil, and South India using coconut oil. Today, sunflower oil, soybean oil, and vanaspati ghee
are popular in Kerala cooking. The most important spice is garam masala which is a mixture of five powdered spices. Kerala
sweet dishes contain cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron, and rose-petal essences.
The most important cooking styles are North Kerala, South Kerala, West Kerala and East Kerala styles. In North Kerala cooking
style, chilies, saffron, milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese and ghee are hot favorites while in the South, folks love pepper,
tamarind and coconut and will often even cook in coconut oil. In Eastern India, mustard and fish are favorites and the
extremely cosmopolitan West Keralas have adopted western ingredients forming a kind of fusion. Keralites love their food and
for them, cooking for and sharing a meal with a guest is the ultimate sign of hospitality.
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