A culture bearing Fruit

The bearer brought in 2 bowls and a large plate with something that looked like pieces of white frost cake. He placed them on the table, thanked and walked out. It was probably the sensual aroma that travelled, or just me that I jumped off the chair, and sat to look into the first bon-china bowl he bought. The label read, ‘chicken stew in coconut gravy’, and I was nothing less than surprised. I have never seen a stew in coconut base and I am here looking at a bowl of just that, cream colored; a different conjunction! I opened the next bowl, labeled, ‘authentic chickpeas in spiced coconut broth’, I was actually awed at the difference in aroma from each of these dishes, made in a common base of coconut. The spicing was different, the sauté` and thickness varied and the color was nowhere near to each other! Bowled over and eager to taste the difference, I couldn't ignore that the white frost cakes were nothing but ‘steamed coconut milk cakes called appams’! Amused, I suddenly realize that it's a coconut tickling my taste buds, now! Although Kerala, the spice garden, has an authentic and highly appreciated spicy cuisine to boast about, I never expected coconut to rule it all; to be its base. Taking a minute off, I look outside my window across the tarred road, in a corner lay a huge pile of green coconuts with flies hovering around. A vendor with his sickle, clears the head of a coconut, chips a small hole on it, pushes in a straw, hands it over to a young girl. The vendor then peels off the white tender juicy flesh from another coconut onto a plantain leaf. My mouth watered. The tall heads of swaying coconut trees far and near informs me of the abundance in my dishes and it’s all around! Kerala holds its coconut flavor so close that it’s one common element that runs through the oil they use, the medicinal concoctions, the coir-mat at their doorsteps, the tender liquor to the base of their authentic cuisine! Speaking of which makes me delve in. Yum! True Story.