The Essential Mallu-Food Guide for Non-Mallus.

 Kerala Loverzz....<3

Kerala which is called as the "God's Own Country" is one of the most beautiful states of India. It is a narrow strip of land which lies between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea and holds diverse geographical features. It is well known for its greenery and the coconut trees from where it got its name Kerala, which means "The land of coconuts". The moderate climate, calm beaches, beautiful backwaters, serene waterfalls, cool hill stations and striking wildlife, all makes it a destination of a lifetime. Kerala has the cultural marvels such as colorful festivals, spicy and unique cuisines, Ayurveda treatments and various art forms.

History of Kerala

Parshuram

The history of Kerala is very fascinating and intriguing. Although the exact version about the origin and history of Kerala, India is still a mystery as there are no written records about Kerala history. Many tales about the history of Kerala exist in the form of folklores. The most popular (and my personal favorite!) is the one in which an avatar of Lord Vishnu (one of the main Gods of the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) recovers the land of Kerala from the sea. The story is as follows.

According to ancient legends, the 6th incarnation of Lord Vishnu was born as the son of a sage. He was named Parashuram. Parashuram was an ace warrior and it is said that he traveled around the world 21 times and punished wrong doers for harassing the weak. It is said that Parashuram is one of the few immortals on earth. According to legends, it is said that Parashuram threw his battle-axe at the Arabian Sea. The sea respected and feared Parashuram and receded to reveal the beautiful land of Kerala. It is said that the sea never crossed the place where the axe fell.

Besides this folklore, Kerala has been ruled over many times by foreign invaders. Merging with the Dutch, Portugal and British rulers has created a mixed community in Kerala. Most of the existing Christians are influenced by the Latin style of Christianity and their culture is noticeably dissimilar from the conventional Kerala culture. There were migrants from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, besides a large number of Gujaratis, Marwaris, Konkanis, who also migrated to Kerala. The gradual settling and merging of one religion into the other has resulted in a unique evenness that it is difficult to trace the original roots of Kerala.

Best time to visit Kerala

Each season in Kerala is special and has its own charms.
Kerala weather is very pleasing and enjoyable throughout the year one of the reasons because of which Kerala is fastly emerging as an all season destination.
Winters in Kerala from September to March, are mild, comfortable and pleasant.
Summers, from March to May, are hot but not very humid, unlike fall and winter.
Enjoy the charm of wet Kerala and trees swaying to monsoons between June and August.
Occasional rains and pleasant climate is seen in September and October.

Top 10 places to visit in Kerala

Kerala is a region in India that is rich with attractions and beautiful scenery. There is no shortage of incredible places to visit. Here are the recommendations for the top 10 places to visit in Kerala.
1)The Backwaters – Wherever and however you choose to explore the backwaters, this emerald watery paradise is a definite highlight of Kerala.

2) Fort Cochin – The oldest part of this seaside city is more laid-back than other Indian cities and features Portuguese and Dutch colonial architecture, art galleries, churches, spice markets and the famous Chinese Fishing Nets.
3) Munnar – A beautiful, tranquil hill station with a cool climate, plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities and visits to tea plantations.

4) Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary – A fantastic place to take boat, jeep or hiking trips to spot elephants, monkeys and even the elusive tiger.
5) Kollam – This small market town isn’t an obvious attraction, but it’s the southern gateway to the backwaters, and a quieter alternative to Alleppey for organizing houseboat and canoe trips.
6) Varkala – A gorgeous beach below rocky cliffs lined with chilled out cafes- the perfect place to watch the spectacular sunsets.

7) Kumarakom - At this bird sanctauary near Kottayam you can walk or take a boat ride to spot comorants, herons, egrets and storks.
8) Thrissur – A religious and cultural centre featuring one of the largest temples in Kerala.

9) Kozhikode – This historic town is the gateway to the quieter beaches and backwaters of Northern Kerala, with temples and museums to visit too.
10) Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary – A quieter alternative to Periyar as a great place to spot elephants in the wild.

 

Ayurveda - Relax yourself

Ayurveda is the oldest science of medicine and believes in harmony in health. Health is the well being of both physical and mental state of a person. In Ayurveda the aspects of mental, physical and social well being of a person are taken into consideration. This makes it unique and different from the rest of the medicinal treatments. The word Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words Ayur which means life and Veda which means knowledge.

 

Tree houses in Kerala-Feel with nature

If the beauty and serenity of Kerala mesmerizes you, you will be amazed at the innovative thinking of people there. To make tourists feel one with nature, the people came up with the idea of tree houses of Kerala. These unique treehouses in Kerala are an ideal way to break off from the bustling city and surrender to nature. Local craftsmen build these tree houses from eco-friendly material on the top of tall, strong trees. Some tree houses can go upto heights of 100 feet from ground level. Make it a point that you experience tree house stay in Kerala while in India.

The tree houses are built in such a way that one feels one with nature and at the same time, isn't devoid of modern amenities like electricity, attached bathrooms, telephones, etc. The energy for electricity and other modern amenities is produced using a unique combination of solar energy and "gobar gas" (energy from processed cow dung). This prevents air pollution and noise pollution, thus keeping the environment clean and noise free. A uniquely built crane is used to transport people onto the tree houses. Some tree houses also have a hanging bridge to reach the ground.

The people who manage these tree houses take extra care of those who have come to take a break from the busy and stressful city life. You will be treated no less than Gods and every need of yours will be taken care of. You will be served authentic Kerala cuisine in the traditional style. Instead of plates, you shall have banana leaves and you will have to eat with your hands for a truly finger licking experience. The pleasure of eating with your fingers is no comparison to forks!

Kalaripayattu – Martial Art of kerala

"Payattu" is an Indian martial art from the southern state of Kerala. One of the oldest fighting systems in existence, it was originally practiced in northern and central parts of Kerala and the Tulunadu region of Kalaripayattu includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, weaponry and healing methods. Regional variants are classified according to geographical position in Kerala; these are the Northern style from Malabar region in north Kerala, the Central style from inner Kerala and the the southern style from Travancore region of south Kerala. The southern Payattu system is now extinct and the Tamil style of "Adi Murai" is classified as the southern kalarippayattu by Kerala Kalarippayattu association.

This is something very funny but true

The Essential Mallu-Food Guide for Non-Mallus.

“Do you have squid today?” I asked the waiter.
“No, we don’t have squid.”
“Damn! I was craving for some squid! Anyways, do you have prawns?”
“Yes. Prawns curry, prawns roast, chilli prawns.”
“Hmm.. ok. Then get me two velleappams and one prawns roast.”

I was at a mallu restaurant with a friend, to satisfy my mallu food craving. My friend, a non-mallu, decided to play safe and ordered a chicken biryani.

I was pigging out on the prawns roast with single-minded focus, when a couple came and occupied the adjacent table. Non-mallus, going by the hindi they were speaking. And also going by the amount of fuss they were creating over everything that was there on the menu. Why come to a Kerala food joint if you don’t like the cuisine, I thought to myself. They were dismissing anything and everything that the waiter was suggesting. For one, they didn’t have a clue about half the things on the menu, and were making the bewildered waiter describe what went into all those dishes. And on top of that, it didn’t look like they were seafood or beef-eating people, which, hello, is the whole point of going to a mallu place.

I lost interest in them somewhere in between and got back to my second plate of prawns roast. (Do not judge me, I haven’t been home in 6 months!)

“I’m sorry sir, we don’t have mushroom masala.” I overheard the waiter telling the couple. They still hadn’t ordered.

Err..Mushrooms?? In a Kerala restaurant??!! Umm..ok. Whatever suits them.

Wait wait. The best is yet to come. The guy goes through the menu and asks “How about chicken biryani?”
“Ya! We’ll have that.” The girl is finally interested.
“But wait. Usme tho poora coconut coconut hoga.” (There’ll be coconut coconut in it, whatever that means)
“Oh! Nahi nahi, mujhe coconut nahi pasand.” (No no, I don’t like coconut.)

I was speechless. This was the height of ignorance about mallu food!!! Coconut in chicken biryani, for god’s sake??!!

So here’s a little food guide for all you non-Mallu’s. It’s time you got rid of certain misconceptions about our cuisine, and also were aware of certain things.

1)Yes, we come from the land of coconuts. Yes, we love coconuts. Yes, sometimes we love them enough to make babies with them. But that does NOT mean that we put coconut in each and every thing! And definitely not in Biryani!

2)I really don’t think you should order edible fungi in a Mallu restaurant. The fungi might be edible, but the dish might not be.

3)Yes yes, we luuurve banana chips. But that does not maketh a meal.

4)We do love our coconuts and our banana chips, but we do eat other stuff too, you know. If one more person goes “Ohhh!! Kerala Kutti! Coconut oil and banana chips!” with the all-knowing glee in their eye, I swear I shall not hesitate to break said coconut on their head.

5)We use coconut oil on our hair, and we use the same coconut oil for cooking. If you have a problem, eat bread and jam while you’re vacationing in Kerala. There’s no coconut oil in that.

6)And while we’re on that, if you’re planning to visit Kerala, be willing to taste our cuisine. Don’t expect to find the food of your land here. We Keralites are accommodative and gracious hosts, but if we hear you complaining about our food, you might just find an empty pot of toddy upturned on your silly snooty head.

7)We loooove cows. Go figure.

8)If you’re planning to start a hotel in Kerala, and you dish out Continental and Chinese fare, you may or may not strike gold. But start a porotta-beef thattukada (wayside eatery that serves yummy food), you’ll be a millionaire overnight.

9)If you want to eat the best food in Kerala, eat from a thattukada*. If you pass it off thinking it’s unhygienic, then you really don’t know what you missed.

10)If you can’t take spicy food, either go on a liquid diet or come prepared to spend ample time in the loo. We are not known as the Land of Spices for nothing.

11)We eat bananas, we fry bananas, we make sweets out of them, we make curry out of them, we eat out of a banana leaf, and when the need arises, we may even use the banana peel to take revenge on somebody. You’ll just have to learn to accept it.

12)When we see fish, we lose all self- control. You’ll have to accept that as well.

13)Mallu children might grow up reciting the different names of fish that we get here rather than A B C D. Yes, we are proud of our coast and the bounty it brings.

14)Mallus are very adaptable to other cuisines. We will try anything once. If we don’t like it, we will still eat it. And then go crib about it to our ‘country’men over a pot of toddy and some fish fry.

15)We eat rice. A lot of it.

16)A bowl of kanji (rice gruel) with coconut chutney and a papad equals one satisfied Malayali.

17)‘Avial’ is not just a rock-band. It’s a delectable dish that every Keralite is proud of.

18)If you visit a Mallu house and are served Jackfruit chips, and half an hour later at lunch, find jackfruit in your curry as well, along with jackfruit sabji, do not be alarmed. The jackfruit kheer is on the way.

19)Same is the case with tapioca. We believe in maximum utilization of our resources, as you may have figured out by now.

20)We worship the sea-goddess. In every sense.

21)No matter how busy the mornings are in a household, we still take time out to prepare and eatputtu-kadala or appam-egg curry or idiyaappam-stew for breakfast. We believe in starting the day royally.
So, there you go. I'm not sure if this has helped in making you any wiser about Kerala cuisine, but it sure has made me crave for some good home-made mallu food. Dammit!!

Going Kerala????Then try their dressing style.....It just awesome
 
Mundu is a traditional Kerala dress, which is worn on festivals, for marriages and to temples. It is made from an off-white fabric with an elegant gold border. Men should try wearing the Mundu and women the Kasavu Neriyadu. The deceptively simple tuck is really worth a try. It surprises all those who cannot imagine a dress without belt, buckle or button. Enjoy the freedom, comfort and aesthetics of this simple attire.

Attend Kathakali - The mesmerizing dance form of Kerala

Kathakali is a dance form in which actors do not speak but enact dialogues, sung by singers in the background. The emphasis is on facial expressions. Mudras or hand signs too have significance. Kathakali actors excel in the presentation of the most beautiful and most violent scenes with equal skill. The whole face of the artist is painted and it appears as though he is wearing a mask. Performed in front of lighted oil lamps in traditional theatres this sophisticated art form takes you to the hoary past of the epics.


Watch the sunset 

Relax and watch the sunset at the beach along side the Chinese fishing nets in Cochin. Similar views are possible from the backwaters or any other beach side in Kerala-a truly picturesque and memorable experience. Watch the birds flying to their distant homes. Catch a glimpse of the sun setting behind the palm leaves. Listen to the ceaseless sighs of the breeze and the sobs of the waves. Behold the pageantry of the protean clouds. Discover the poet in you.

Take a boat ride through backwaters 

This is a relaxing experience as the boat takes you along the narrow canals and beautiful villages. You get an opportunity to see local people engaged in fishing, duck rearing and shell collection.You may also see the traditional toddy makers at work on the coconut palms.