Best Christian cuisines in Kerala ….

 Best Christian cuisines in Kerala ….

Keralan Christians, particularly Nasranis (Saint Thomas Christians), have their unique cuisine, a fusion of Indian, Middle Eastern, Syrian, Jewish, and Western cooking techniques and flavors. The Syrian Christian community in Kerala has long been known to reside in the Kottayam and Pala districts, and they are noted for their unique food. It is said that they can be traced back to the individuals who followed Thomas the Apostle on his arrival in India in AD 52.  Nevertheless, Christian cooking has no fish, meat, or vegetables. Spices are used excessively in fish meals. This would be apparent in the food prepared for funeral rites. Until the forty-first day, only vegetarian food would be offered at any event related to a person's passing. 

 

1. Chicken mappas 

The taste was further improved by a touch of coconut milk from the area. It leaves a distinct flavor when combined with other spices like cinnamon, star anise, fenugreek and fennel seeds, and coriander powder. Mustard seeds, curry leaves, coriander powder, and coconut milk produce Fish Mappas.On the flip side, the Duck Mappas enhance the distinct flavors of the meat by combining fennel seeds, curry leaves, cinnamon, star anise, and coconut milk.

The Mappas are often served as a side dish with rice or appams on special occasions like baptisms.

2. Pidiyum kozhiyum 

The term "pidiyum kozhiyum" or "kottayam-type pidi" refers to traditional Knanaya cuisine. This Malabar kakka roti and kozhi pidi rice dumplings feature a thick gravy-like sauce, contrasting with their dry counterparts. Furthermore, A traditional dish of St. Thomas Christians in Kerala, pidiyum kozhiyum is particularly enjoyed by Syrian Jacobites and Syro-Malabar Catholics, the Knanaya community. Serve the pidi in the Knanaya way with the varutharacha kozhi curry. As part of a religious ceremony known as "Panthrandu Sleehanmaarude Nercha," or "to Twelve Apostles," twelve boy children are given blessed food under the guidance of a priest. This tradition is shared by Syrian Orthodox Christians, Syrian Jacobite Christians, and Syro-Malabar Christians.

  3. Angmaly pork fry 

You should try this cuisine to spice up your life a bit. Angamaly Pork Fry will take you back to the colorful streets of Kerala with just one bite. Savory foods abound to tempt your palate, ranging from tender hog roasts to fiery pork curries.  However, the Angamaly Pork Fry is arguably the most well-known of all the pork dishes in Angamaly. This delicious treat is a perfect illustration of the town's passion for pork. However, the fame of Angamaly pig dishes is not solely attributed to their flavor. The citizens of the town are renowned for their distinctive cooking methods, which have been handed down through the years. Their food is cooked using traditional clay pots and wood-fired stoves, which gives it a unique, difficult-to-replicate smokey flavor.

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  4. Beef ularthiyathu

In Kerala, the ideal way to enjoy beef is as a roast or curry (Ularthiyathu). The classic beef roast involves slow-cooking the meat in an iron kadhai with spices. However, when cooking at home, the beef must first be pressure-cooked before being roasted in a heavy cast-iron or earthenware pan. The most important factor is It's funny because even though these spicy, roasted bits of beef are my favorite component of this recipe, I still love the beef fry! It's the final item my mother would make. The most delicious morsels of spices and beef would be left in some coconut oil at the bottom of the pan after the steak was roasted. My folks would add a cup or two of matta rice and create a basic little fried rice out of it since it was TOO delicious to waste. After a while, it became the standard whenever my mother prepared Beef Fry for us.  

 5. Kerala style Meen Achar 

Fish pickles are incredibly simple to make (easier than I had anticipated) and have the ideal spicy flavors to brighten up any dish. Although white tuna, Modha, barracuda, and seir fish are said to be the best, any fleshy fish can be utilized. It is best to wait a few days before ingesting it because the flavors become stronger afterward. There's no assurance it would last that long! Pickles are a staple of the daily meal in Kerala, where they are enjoyed with curd rice, parthas, and rice or biryani. Despite my passion for spicy pickles, I don't often eat them because of their high oil, salt, and spice content. I do, however, like Pavakka (mango pickle) with Kanji or curd rice, as well as Lime pickle/Naranga Achar with Biryani. On occasion, we have Kerala rice and sides with Beef Pickle and Kerala Meen achar. Another favorite pickle to have at home is made in the Lebanese way and eaten with grilled chicken or Shawarma.