Keralan Cooking class in Periyar

 I am kneeling on a coconut grater. (The Indian women sit sideways in their sari......but I am definitely Not Indian)

the most perfect cooking appliance ever created

This instrument has a "half-moon grater" attached in the front.  You place half a coconut, on the grater and use a rolling forward motion.  It Works Perfectly, creating grated coconut so moist and supple......but formed into individual pieces (unlike our Cuisinarts which can make things MUSH).
Plus it is efficient as it is quick, easy and completely removes all coconut meat from the shell!

We are making Bhindi masala..... that would be the best OKRA (no slime)

This cooking "school" is called "Backyard barbeque"  Enterprising Sherill who is a tuk-tuk driver invites us to come and cook with 3 generations of cooks!  We went to their home in Periyar.......and it was the most heartwarming ......informative and interactive  experience.  Not to Mention:  Extraordinary food from Kerala; so refined and bursting with fresh pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, shallots,coconut oil,anise seed,cloves and of course all parts of the COCONUT

Here is the Original Cuisinart

I used this tool in Bali as it is the exclusive way to pulverize your herb,spices and roots.  This one belonged to the family for generations, as they normally do. The only difference was that in Bali these tools are made from volcanic stone. 

Charles making a fish curry

Riyaz trying his hand at pineapple/coconut curry

Riyaz and Ellen +pineapple (you should see the technique used to dice the pineapple........... finger shredding technique!

Gina..... yes, most of my fellow intrepid travelers were YOUNG (I only became Mom to help them when they were sick..... each night Charles would invite Party Phyllis out for drinks!)

sorry the deliciousness is not better captured............. it was one of the best MEALS ever!

 Of course I could not wait to visit Abraham's spice garden.
Grown up in the hills, I finally got to see cardamom growing.

his farm is amazing....... he even grows Huge Tufts of Black Hair from his EARS!!!!!!

these are the famous alleppy black pepper; a vine often grown with tea......up the silver oaks.  White pepper is the same fruit......... with outside removed

this is CARDAMOM -yummy and fruity when  green

 We even made Paratha in the cooking class.  Charles was kind enough to make a video of this for me (with my camera) because it is so damn technically challenging.......... like pizza dough., (throwing it up in the air+ stretching.......but more difficult.....but I need Dee to show me how to place the video on the blog

 Happy Eating!






travelin' woman