I've just come back from Spice Village, Thekkady. It's a lovely non-hotel like hotel located in the highlands of Kerala. The drive up feels like a much smaller version of any touristy town I've been to. The shops sell clothes and handicrafts that could be found in Goa, Colombo or Shimla.
So what makes it unique? The smell of spices. It is almost as if there are subtle aroma-therapy candles burning in every corner of this little town. Wafts of cardamom hit you as soon as you enter the town, and even more when you walk into Spice Village. I bought my share of white pepper, cinnamon, vanilla and star anise from here. The star anise is so beautiful that I feel like hanging it in a locket. I am a huge fan of Mallu food and where there is appam and stew, I don't care for anything else. The hotel offers cookery classes in the evening in a semi open space. Unfortunately, my workshop hours didn't permit me to attend it. For a hotel, the food was an interesting blend of the fancy fish, mutton, beetroot dosa, ragi idiyappam, fresh pineapple jam etc. and the very mundane khichdi and dal chawal (which was a life saver in the middle of a 12 day program).
I've come back with the smell of allspice leaves and bird calls lingering in my memory. As a Kerala special- here is a simple recipe that I came across online, tried and loved. It is subtle, full of flavour and light. Makes a perfect meal with plain rice.
Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic
3 green chillies
2 inch ginger
1 small onion- sliced fine
3 tablespoon oil ( I used soya oil. Any vegetable oil or ghee should do)
5-6 curry leaves
2 small tomatoes
1/4 tea spoon haldi
salt to taste
500 grams fish ( I used boneless Sole fish, cut into cubes)
200 grams coconut milk ( I use the Maggi coconut powder)
150 ml boiling water
- Put the green chillies, garlic and ginger in the mixer/grinder, mix till smooth
- heat oil and fry onion and curry leaves on medium heat
- Stir in the chilli, ginger garlic paste and haldi- fry for 2 min
- Add half the coconut milk and water ( there are instructions on the packet of coconut powder, mix as per your preference)
- Simmer for 2 min
- Add fish and simmer for 5-6 min
- Add the rest of the coconut milk and chopped tomato
Enjoy with steaming hot rice!
So what makes it unique? The smell of spices. It is almost as if there are subtle aroma-therapy candles burning in every corner of this little town. Wafts of cardamom hit you as soon as you enter the town, and even more when you walk into Spice Village. I bought my share of white pepper, cinnamon, vanilla and star anise from here. The star anise is so beautiful that I feel like hanging it in a locket. I am a huge fan of Mallu food and where there is appam and stew, I don't care for anything else. The hotel offers cookery classes in the evening in a semi open space. Unfortunately, my workshop hours didn't permit me to attend it. For a hotel, the food was an interesting blend of the fancy fish, mutton, beetroot dosa, ragi idiyappam, fresh pineapple jam etc. and the very mundane khichdi and dal chawal (which was a life saver in the middle of a 12 day program).
I've come back with the smell of allspice leaves and bird calls lingering in my memory. As a Kerala special- here is a simple recipe that I came across online, tried and loved. It is subtle, full of flavour and light. Makes a perfect meal with plain rice.
Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic
3 green chillies
2 inch ginger
1 small onion- sliced fine
3 tablespoon oil ( I used soya oil. Any vegetable oil or ghee should do)
5-6 curry leaves
2 small tomatoes
1/4 tea spoon haldi
salt to taste
500 grams fish ( I used boneless Sole fish, cut into cubes)
200 grams coconut milk ( I use the Maggi coconut powder)
150 ml boiling water
- Put the green chillies, garlic and ginger in the mixer/grinder, mix till smooth
- heat oil and fry onion and curry leaves on medium heat
- Stir in the chilli, ginger garlic paste and haldi- fry for 2 min
- Add half the coconut milk and water ( there are instructions on the packet of coconut powder, mix as per your preference)
- Simmer for 2 min
- Add fish and simmer for 5-6 min
- Add the rest of the coconut milk and chopped tomato
Enjoy with steaming hot rice!
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