The coasts of peninsular India have different names that vary from state to state, Konkan (in Maharashtra), Karavali (Karnataka), Coramandal (in Tamilnadu) and Malabar (in Kerala). Of these costs the Malabar coast has been world famous since medieval times. The quest for this coast changed the word history, one of which led to Columbus missing his route that landed him in America. During mid 15th century when the Turkish closed the land route from Europe to India, Europeans had to find the sea route to continue trade with Indian merchants for precious things, 2 such precious things called the king & queen of spices respectively are Pepper & Cardamom grown in the high altitude tropical rain forests of Kerala, close to the Malabar coast and the sea route which made Vasco de Gamma (a Portuguese sailor) land on shore near the city of Calicut (also close to the famous pepper growing Tellicherry region). Today I began my journey from the malabar coast (Willingdon Island,Cochin) to interior Kerala towards Thekkady region soaking in the best Kerala has to offer. Somewhere between the countless & tastefully built Naalukettu homes (traditional Kerala style homes) surrounded by rubber plantations, bridge after bridges across the back waters, serene churches, temples and mosques, foggy mountain tops, tea gardens, spice plantations and to top this all a breath taking sunset, I had to agree, this indeed is “God’s own Country” (Kerala’s nick name) alright!!!
Culinary wise, a wonderful Kerala sea food demonstration by Chef Amit & his team at the Taj Malabar Hotel, Cochin during am hours, where they showed me the “Pollichadu” technique of cooking. (Wrapping half cooked food in Banana leaves and finishing them on a hot griddle.
