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Payasams are generally made of cow's milk for better texture and
smoothness of taste, Coconut milk must be extracted in three steps and
use the richness as desired. Using very rich or first milk where a
thinner consistency is required will make the dish too heavy to
consume comfortably. One the other hand wherein rich milk is required
the flavour will not be right without rich milk.
- Kerala, a beautiful state, located at the south western tip and border of the Indian continent, is a land of lush
green coconut palms swaying in tune with the whistling breeze. On its western length, span many beaches with smooth sands that look like gold dust. These are interspersed with the breathtaking lagoons, creeks and myriad tiny inflows from the Arabian Sea. This is a land which thrives on fish, in food and trade.
The whole family, men, women and children are involved in this trade.
Traditionally, women wear wonderful silk sarees, draped in a style very typical only to them, and ornaments include gold necklaces, cumarbands, nose rings and other normally worn jewellery.
- Coconut forms another versatile means of food and occupation. No part of the tree and fruit are wasted.
The water of course, is drunk by foreigners and natives alike, the kernel is used to flavour dishes(like vegetables, etc.) , to form the main base (like chutneys), to make sweetmeats, to extract milk used in cooking and canning for export, to extract oil which forms the main hair nourisher of most homes.
The shells are used to make handicraft objects, spoons, ladles, etc. leaves are dried to remove the veins for
making brooms, and the jute like material got from the nodes is used as lining material.
Therefore coconut related industries provide large amount of employment to its populace.
- Though lovers of seafoods, many interesting dishes which are vegetarian carry the typical keralite flavour.
- Rice is staple and the womenfolk find innumerable ways of using it as an ingredient.
- Many delicious recipes are becoming popular, as tourist traffic in this region has increased in recent years.
One interesting point to note that all cooking is done in coconut oil.
This impart a very different and distinct flavour to cuisine from this region.
Spices like cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, fennel and ginger also form important sectors for trade.
Kerala's spices have been the apple of the eyes of foreigners from centuries.
Exotic fruit like jackfruits, mangoes, red bananas, etc.
Another favourite of this region is the peculiar but ethereal 'paani' made from the toddy tapped from the palms of coconut and palmyra.
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