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Red Ginger flower
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A South Indian Spice Primer from Mr. Abraham’s Spice Garden in Kumily

Our friend Mr. Abraham has a two acre spice garden surrounding his home and two more gardens nearby. They are completely organic and open for tours. Lunch can be booked. In our previous post, we described our day in the spice garden in his backyard. Now, with Pauli-Ann’s beautiful photos, we want to lead you …

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Mr. Abraham of Abraham's Spice Garden.
Faces

Mr. Abraham and his Spice Garden

I’m excited to write this piece for you because Mr. Abraham’s Spice Garden is a must every time we visit Kerala. As a cook, it’s the kind of place that I dreamed of experiencing because it is chockablock full of spices. I had always longed to see where and how spices grew. I imagined a …

Read more about Mr. Abraham and his Spice Garden

Anna Zacharria's garam masala.
Plates

Anna’s Secret Garam Masala

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SOUTH INDIA ROAD TRIP ROUTE MAP

South India map, Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, South India, India, Faces Places and Plates blog

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Award-winning writer and photographer Karen Anderson and Pauli-Ann Carriere spent over 40 days in South India in 2016 and 2017 travelling and researching this project to bring you closer to the people, food and rich culture of this place.

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Finishing our recent journey through South India i Finishing our recent journey through South India in Kovalam in Kerala and thinking of all the reasons we love to travel here is beautifully summed up in this Repost from @keralatourism - we might only add, travel for the food 🤣 • When you travel across Kerala, you become part of an inspiring journey. One that is all about making places better and people happier. That’s just one of the reasons why Time magazine ranks it among the world’s greatest places of 2022. #TravelForGood #KeralaExperiences #KeralaTourism #facesplacesandplatesblog #cooksandtheircultures #southindiaroadtrip
It was over in a flash! Through her company, Alber It was over in a flash! Through her company, Alberta Food Tours, Karen led a 20 day tour from Hyderabad in Telangana throughout Tamil Nadu and onto finish in Kovalam in Kerala. After 10 years of bringing groups to India it was a delight to once again connect with the faces, places, and plates of these states in South India. Special thx to her partners at Travel XS for their depth of knowledge and relationships that support these tours 🙌 __ @albertafoodtours @travelxs.journeys @charlesprince555 @ivon.murugesan __ And thx to @lisa_neiles @cherylr63 and @dkennedyglans for the photography support 📸 __ #facesplacesandplatesblog #facesplacesplates #cooksandtheircultures #southindiaroadtrip @discovertamilnadu @keralatourism @albertafoodtours #ancienttastesandtemplestour #cuisineandculturetours #hyderabad #chennai #mahabalipuram #pondicherry #kunbakonam #karaikkudi #chettinad #madurai #kanyakumari #kovalam 🏝#sustainabletourism
Fishermen at Kovalam Beach in Kerala 🏝 __ @ker Fishermen at Kovalam Beach in Kerala 🏝 __ @keralatourism #godsowncountrykerala #kovalambeach🌊 #facesplacesplates #southindiaroadtrip
Colorful Kanyakumari after a monsoon shower. __ # Colorful Kanyakumari after a monsoon shower. __ #kanyakumari #tamilnadu #southindia #afternoonmonsoon #facesplacesplates #southindiaroadtrip
How do you bond with a city? What’s the fastest How do you bond with a city? What’s the fastest way to find where and what the locals eat? What are the foods that you can only find in a place? __ The key that unlocks the door to the answer to all these questions is food tourism. Local knowledge, passion for food and culture, and the friendliest hosts, that’s what we enjoyed with the team from Foodies Day Out in Madurai this evening. Wow, do they know this place. Praveena, Pondeon and Ram shared so many specialties you can only find here: crispy, lacy dosai, dosai made with 6 lentils, paneer soda, short grain rice Biryani, cotton seed milk, and almond sap served over ice cream. __ Kudos to our own guide @ivon.murugesan plus our hero bus driver Mari and his assistant Sitharamen for getting us to 7 stops around this busy city!!! __ @foodiesdayout.tht @prav.mukunth #foodiesdayoutmadurai #foodiesdayout #foodtours #foodtravel #foodtourism #foodtraveller #culinarytourism #facesplacesplates #cooksandtheircultures #southindiaroadtrip @albertafoodtours #cuisineandculture #ancienttastesandtemplestour
Onion market. One of the backbones of Indian cuisi Onion market. One of the backbones of Indian cuisine. Average price per kg? 60 INR or $1 CAD. __ #onionmarket #onionprice #indiaonions #maduraimarkets #marketsoftheworld #facesplacesplates #cooksandtheircultures #southindiaroadtrip @albertafoodtours #cuisineandculture #ancienttastesandtemplestour __ Special thx to @lisa_neiles and @cherylr63 for help capturing this busy market 🥰
There are 46 kinds of bananas that grow in South I There are 46 kinds of bananas that grow in South India; 20 in Tamil Nadu alone. There’s nothing we love more than visiting food markets and the Madurai Banana Market was colourful, friendly and filled with hard working people AND BANANAS. We even got to try a few ☺️The world really needs to bring back this rich diversity. Nothing against Chiquita and her banana (singular!!!!) but variety is important for survival not just novelty. __ #bananamarket #maduraibananas #marketsoftheworld #facesplacesandplatesblog #facesplacesplates #cooksandtheircultures #southindiaroadtrip #eatbananas #eatlocalgrown #biodiversity @albertafoodtours #cuisineandculturetours #ancienttastesandtemplestour __ Thx for help with photos @cherylr63 and @lisa_neiles 🥰
THIRUMALAI NAICK PALACE THIS ROYAL PALACE WAS BUIL THIRUMALAI NAICK PALACE THIS ROYAL PALACE WAS BUILT CIRCA 1636 BY THIRUMALAI NAICKER, REPORTEDLY THE GREATEST OF NAICK RULERS OF MADURAI. __ The architecture is Indo-Italian with both Hindu Gods and angels with wings decorating the granite-filled columns. The court-yard measures 50 meters east and west, by 32 meters north and south, surrounded on all sides by arcades that capture the light with great beauty. The supporting pillars are of stone are 12 meters high. The palace is now believed to be one quarter its original size and is protected by the India Archeological Society. Nightly light shows are held but I’ll always go for the light of day and the play of that light on the soft colours of the architecture. __ #thirumalainaikerpalace #madurai #tamilnadu #palacesofindia #palacesofinstagram #facesplacesplates #southindiaroadtrip
Meenakshi Temple in Madurai has 4 magnificent gate Meenakshi Temple in Madurai has 4 magnificent gateway pillars. Construction began in 300 BC. It covers 6 hectares. You are no longer allowed to take cameras, wallets, purses, cellphones, Apple watches or any makeup inside. There was a car bombing near the temple and a fire from a vendor inside that were gamechangers for security and for the realization that commercialization of such a sacred place goes against the energy of the temple itself. Visiting at sunset was a great treat. __ #meenakshitemple #madurai #tamilnadu #shivatemplesinindia #shivatemple #parvati #meenakshi #facesplacesplates #southindiaroadtrip
At the flower market in Madurai. The specialty gro At the flower market in Madurai. The specialty grown here is Jasmine. It’s often shipped all over Asia. And wowza, is it ever haggled over! __ #madurai #maduraiflowermarket #maduraijasmine #templeflowers #facesplacesandplatesblog #facesplacesplates #southindia @discovertamilnadu #tamilnadu #southindia __ With photo help from @lisa_neiles @cherylr63 @dkennedyglans 🥰
Staying at The Bangala and enjoying all their anti Staying at The Bangala and enjoying all their antique cookware inspired our own treasure hunt down Antique Alley in Karaikkudi. __ #treasurehunt #antiquecookware #chettinadantiques #antiquesalley #karaikkudi #tamilnadu #facesplacesplates #cooksandtheircultures #southindiaroadtrip @thebangala
When making Chettinad Mutton Fry (Uppu Kari), goon When making Chettinad Mutton Fry (Uppu Kari), goondu milagai chilies play the starring role. Pro Tip: put your hood fan on high when browning them. Chef cleared the room with the fumes today 🤣 But, as with all things Chettinad, the taste is totally worth it! __ #uppukari #chettinadmuttonfry #chettinad #thebangalatable @thebangala @sumeetnair @yummefy #facesplacesandplatesblog #facesplacesplates #cooksandtheircultures #southindiaroadtrip
We made Masala Fried Fish (Meen Varuval) at The Ba We made Masala Fried Fish (Meen Varuval) at The Bangala today with chefs Kasi and Sumeet Nair - author of The Bangala Table cookbook. Did you know when this cookbook was published in 2014, it made The Hindu’s Top Ten Books of the Year. And that’s ALL books, not just cookbooks. The second printing has recently sold out. Time for a second edition 👍 __ #meenvaruval #masalafishfry #thebangalatable @thebangala @sumeetnair #facesplacesplates #cooksandtheircultures #southindiaroadtrip #karaikkudi #tamilnadu #incredibleindia
Carrot Halva sings in the key of ghee! __ Learning Carrot Halva sings in the key of ghee! __ Learning so much from chefs Kasi and Pondeon along with our friend chef Sumeet Nair who so cleverly captured a collection of Chettiyar recipes from The Bangala for all of us to enjoy. __ @thebangala @sumeetnair #chettinad #carrothalva #togheeornottoghee #facesplacesplates #cooksantheircultures #southindiaroadtrip
Though the Chettiyars don’t always live in their Though the Chettiyars don’t always live in their mansions, they do come to these massive, multi courtyard palaces for family celebrations. For weddings they might house a few hundred and feed 1000. Here’s a few photos from the MSM Meyappan family home. The Meyappans are the owners of The Bangala in Karaikkudi, Tamil Nadu and are people with incredible finesse. __ @thebangala #karaikkudi #tamilnadu #facesplacesandplatesblog #facesplacesplates #southindiaroadtrip __ Thx to @cherylr63 for help with photos!
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