South India is lush. Things want to grow and grow and grow. Nowhere is this more true than in the area around Periyar National Park. On the drive up to these highlands from coastal Kerala, you’ll see white Angel’s Trumpets heralding your journey. Blue morning glory creeps along the roadside. Clusters of red, orange and …
Sheril J.S. is 40 years old and one of the most fun cooks I know. He was born in a place simply referred to as “six mile” in the Periyar District of Kerala. He learned to cook from his mother and grandmother and he’s still cooking with his mother at his business, the Thekkady Barbeque …
Read more about Sheril J.S. and the Thekkady Barbeque Cooking School
This is a dry stir-fried dish. It’s quite like a coleslaw as it has the cabbage and carrots. The difference is that this coleslaw is very coconut-y and it’s eaten warm. I learned to make it in 2012, on my first trip to India, in the kitchen with Mrs. Abraham and I’ve been enjoying it …
Our friend Mr. Abraham has a two acre spice garden surrounding his home and two more gardens nearby. They are completely organic and open for tours. Lunch can be booked. In our previous post, we described our day in the spice garden in his backyard. Now, with Pauli-Ann’s beautiful photos, we want to lead you …
Read more about A South Indian Spice Primer from Mr. Abraham’s Spice Garden in Kumily
I’m excited to write this piece for you because Mr. Abraham’s Spice Garden is a must every time we visit Kerala. As a cook, it’s the kind of place that I dreamed of experiencing because it is chockablock full of spices. I had always longed to see where and how spices grew. I imagined a …
There are at least 20 kinds of bananas that grow in South India. This drink is another great way to enjoy them. Note: This recipe serves one. Multiply it as needed for a nutritious start to your day or snack anytime.
This recipe for Fried Buttermilk adds protein to your diet, and colour and taste to your plate. It is a South Indian favourite that we enjoyed at Green Palms Homestay. Serve over rice.
Tamarind, ginger, and coconut grow throughout Kerala and so it is not surprising that someone thought to put them together in a chutney. When you taste it, you’ll believe that cooking axiom: what grows together, goes together.
Thorans are quick vegetable stir fries that include grated coconut and finely chopped vegetables. This one features cabbage but you can also use carrots, beets or green beans. We’ve grown to look forward to a good Thoran on a menu because it is the dish that replaces our North American cold fresh salads when we …
Pomfret is the most common fish in a Keralan Fish Fry. Pomfret flesh is white and delicate in both texture and flavour, making it an ideal complement to a tasty masala. Here we share Anna Zacharria of Green Palm Homestay’s recipe. This Fish Fry Masala may be multiplied many fold and then kept in the …