It’s important to have an introduction to Ayurveda when travelling in South India because it’s a term you’ll encounter frequently. We’ve experienced both authentic and less than authentic versions in our travels. After our own experiences, we feel a proper introduction to Ayurveda will help you find the real deal and avoid anything less than …
Seeing Chef Velayudhan’s team at Kalari Kovilakom Vengunad (KKV) in action was a chance for us to learn how to put Ayurveda food principles into practice. KKV is known as A Palace for Ayurveda. The CGH Earth Experience group of hotels lease the palace from the family who are descendants of the Vengunad Chieftains who …
Whether you are a visitor travelling across South India or a local bustling through a frenetic day in the life of Mother India, street food is often the easiest fuel supply to keep the human engine running. We spied these Green Chilli Fritters at a stall across from a monument we were visiting in Kochi. …
Thin, crisp, round flatbread, papadam (papads) are typically made from seasoned dough of black gram (urad dal) flour. They’re either fried or cooked with dry heat (usually flipping over an open flame). For many years, when we’ve wanted to make papadam at home, we simply picked up a package at our local Indian grocer, brought …
When you go out for a walk at night on the streets of Kochi, as you near the Old Fort harbour front, you’ll find a wonderful assortment of street food vendors. Known as wallahs or workers in India, they usually do one thing and they do it very well. This is definitely the case for …
Chefs love to talk food. And, we love to know what they are cooking – both professionally and at home. We always ask about their favourite dishes. Often, they are amazingly simple recipes like this Quick and Easy Shallot Salad. This is a dish that one of the CGH Earth Experience Hotel‘s chefs – Francis …
We learned to make this Keralan Chicken Ishtoo (stew) at Brunton Boatyard in Fort Kochi, Kerala. It was our first day in the “land of coconuts” back in 2016. We attended the nightly cooking demo that CGH Earth Experience offers at all their properties. Chef Noble Francis expertly conducted the demo. He explained that coconut …
This recipe for Thiele (tiny shrimp stir fry) comes from our friend Chef Manoj Nair. He is Executive Chef and GM at CGH Earth’s Brunton Boatyard Heritage Hotel, Kochi. We first met him on our research trip in 2016 and then again when we returned with one of Karen’s cuisine and culture tours in 2018. …
Vegetables are a huge part of the diet in Kerala. And, locals enjoy their vegetables especially when they are served in Keralan Vegetable Ishtoo. Ishtoo is the Malayalam word for stew. The vegetables involved in this stew vary depending on what’s fresh at the local markets. Cooks pick the freshest seasonal ones. Then, they simmer …
Appams are steamed rice and lentil crepes. We made them with Aroma Dipu of Casa Linda in Kochi. We watched in fascination as she spread the batter in a concave pan, then created a flower petal design by tipping it to and fro. The batter is then steamed by placing a lid on the pan. …