The Taste of Kerala

Critic´s Review

• Food: 4 / 5
• Service: 3.5 / 5
• Decor: 3.5 / 5

-By Ameeta Agnihotri

Kerala greets you not only through your taste buds but also through your senses of sight and sound as you enter the Taste of Kerala. The trademark ‘uruli’, the flat-bottomed circular brass vessel in which the heavenly halvas of the southern Indian state are cooked over slow fires, the auspicious rice-filled ‘para’, the traditional utensil used to measure paddy, and the trademark brass lamp are only some of the Kerala curios on display. The walls are adorned with pictures of the exciting Aranmulla boat race. Malayalam music plays in the background, but the tone is low enough to let you hold a conversation. You can also see the food being cooked - it’s an open kitchen, with the cooks sporting mini chefs’ hats. The food served is quintessential Kerala, drawn from the different regions - the Malabar area, the South of the State and Central Travencore. Signature items like the Kareemen Pollichathu (pearl spot fish stuffed and cooked in banana leaves), Kappa Meen Curry (tapioca served with fish curry) dishes made of Mussels and clams, Crab Chilli Fry and the interesting Kerala Shaap Curry (a dish synonymous with the ubiquitous Toddy Shops) grace the menu, apart from the more familiar beverages, dosas, appams, biryanis and chicken dishes. The Irachi Puttu is worth a special mention - it is made of rice flour layered with minced chicken, and steamed in a tube of bamboo placed over a pot of boiling water. For the sweet toothed, there are various types of payasams (kheer). Don’t miss the Ada Prathaman, made with jiggery and coconut milk. The Kariku Pudding is another classic Kerala dish, made as it is from the succulent flesh of the tender coconut.