There are a few restaurants in London which serve authentic Kerala Cuisine. Kerala Food is divine in every sense of the word. Especially Vegetarian Kerala Food. This type of cooking uses a lot of spices and coconut. The base oil is usually coconut oil. The use of spices is however subtle and it is always the real taste of the ingredients which are enhanced by the spices and the end product never highlights the taste of spice. Many a time the a teaspoon of coconut oil is added after the curry is cooked to give it the subtle taste of coconut. None of the curries use much of chillies so is not very hot nor does it use much oil. Nly pappads when frying uses a lot of oil. Pappads can be roasted also like in olden days. This is also tasty.
In a normal Kerala household everyone sits around the table and eats together. Curries are all served on the plate or banana leaf and all the curries have to be eaten and plate has to be clean when the meal is over. This is the time when politics is discussed and children asked doubts to their parents or elders. The grandparents are always at the head of the table and usually a prayer is said before a meal. Food is considered to be God incarnation and noone usually gets up while eating no matter how urgent a matter is. Usually no one disturbs a family while they are at the dinning table. Phones are never attended. A meal is the time for relaxing. Digestion it is said happens smoothly when the atmosphere in which you eat is calm and happy. This is the reason I suppose this rule of eating etiquette is followed strictly.
Fruits mostly banana, chikoos, jackfruit or mango grown in the back yard is shared at the end of a meal. Sweet dishes are served only for occassions. Mango is the favourite fruit and once the season for mango starts it is used in many different ways. When the fruit is small it is used for pickle. Still green its used for chutneys and also instead of tamarind in curries and ripe mangoes are used for curries too. They make great tasting dishes with jackfruit too. The Kerala Food is essentially a healthy food and is great for anyone who is obese. It rejuvenates and gives you a healthy skin too.
In a normal Kerala household everyone sits around the table and eats together. Curries are all served on the plate or banana leaf and all the curries have to be eaten and plate has to be clean when the meal is over. This is the time when politics is discussed and children asked doubts to their parents or elders. The grandparents are always at the head of the table and usually a prayer is said before a meal. Food is considered to be God incarnation and noone usually gets up while eating no matter how urgent a matter is. Usually no one disturbs a family while they are at the dinning table. Phones are never attended. A meal is the time for relaxing. Digestion it is said happens smoothly when the atmosphere in which you eat is calm and happy. This is the reason I suppose this rule of eating etiquette is followed strictly.
Fruits mostly banana, chikoos, jackfruit or mango grown in the back yard is shared at the end of a meal. Sweet dishes are served only for occassions. Mango is the favourite fruit and once the season for mango starts it is used in many different ways. When the fruit is small it is used for pickle. Still green its used for chutneys and also instead of tamarind in curries and ripe mangoes are used for curries too. They make great tasting dishes with jackfruit too. The Kerala Food is essentially a healthy food and is great for anyone who is obese. It rejuvenates and gives you a healthy skin too.
