Keralan cuisine
In Keralan cuisine the fierce heat of north Indian dishes is eschewed in favour of milder aromatic spices and the ubiquitous coconut. Vegetarian cuisine is the norm. However, plenty of restaurants present themselves as being VEG and NON VEG. The Arabian sea and the backwaters provide an amazing array of sea-food and the Keralan 'meen' fish curry is a delight.
Among other local specialities are Appam, a soft pancake made from toddy fermented rice batter, with a soft spongy middle, which is laced with crispy edges. It is generally consumed with either vegetable or mutton stew, thoroughly mellowed with thick coconut milk and garnished with curry leaves.
A type of steam cake, 'Puttu' is made from rice flour and steamed in long hollow bamboo or metal cylinders. Depending on the taste preference, Puttu can be had with steamed bananas and sugar or with a spicy curry made from gram or chickpeas.
Tea and spices
As the land rises from the sea-shore to the Western Ghats [the mountain range that runs from the southern tip of India all the way to Mumbai] you pass through an eco-system like no other. In the space of an hour, as you climb, you can see the cultivation of rice, pineapple, coconut, coffee, pepper, cardamom, vanilla and finally you emerge, at over 5,000ft, in the incredible landscape of tea.
The tea hills of Munnar
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