Malabar is reminiscent of the word Malanad which means the land of mountains. According to William Logan, the word Malabar comes from a combination of the Malayalam word Mala (mountain) and the Persian/Arabic word Barr (country/continent). Kerala cuisine is a culinary style originated in the Kerala, a state on the southwestern Malabar Coast of India. Kerala a.k.a God's Own Country - is known as
the "Land of Spices" because it traded spices with Europe as well as with many ancient civilizations with the oldest historical records of the Sumerians from 3000 BCE. THE BLEND OF MALABAR. Food has always been a significant indicator that reflects the kind of history experienced by a region. The traditional Malabar cuisine has its own distinct taste, being rich in flavor and ingredients it is a popular pick. Being the perfect amalgamation of indigenous and foreign flavors, the dishes of the Malabar are created with all natural ingredients procured locally with techniques and concepts borrowed from foreign traders. Kerala cuisine offers a multitude of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using fish, poultry and red meat with rice as a typical accompaniment. Chillies, curry leaves, coconut, mustard seeds, turmeric, tamarind, asafoetida and other spices are also used in the preparation. The Kerala staple food revolves around an abundance of coconut, rice, tapioca, and spices like black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Kerala famous food also features a variety of seafood like fish, prawns, mussels, lobsters, and crabs owing to the state's long coastline. The diversity of the cuisine of Malabar evolved from its past, from its numerous intimations with the cultures that traded and settled in this area. This distinctive cuisine has the flavours of Arab, Brahmin, Zamorin and Chirakkal cuisines. Kozhikode and Thalassery are branded as the centres of Malabar cuisine. Apart from the backwaters and its rich agricultural land, this state is popular for its mouthwatering cuisine. The cuisine of Kerala is known for its generous use of spices, coconuts and vegetables exclusively grown in the region. The variety of flavours in this cuisine range from spicy to mellow and sweet. The Malabar cuisine with its unique flavor and taste has many vegetarian and non-vegetarian delights. The flavours of Arab, Zamorin and Chirakkal cuisines have been incorporated in Malabar cuisine. The lightly flavoured aromatic Malabari Biriyani is a treat for the taste buds. Most dishes of the Malabar cuisine, including Thalassery biryani, involve frying in ghee; there are sweet and spicy variants and they are predominantly non-vegetarian. Some typical examples include Ari pathiri, Chatti pathiri, Coin porottas, Kallummakaya fry, Arikkadukka and Biryanis with chicken, mutton, prawn, fish, egg. Why Malabar biriyani is special and different ? Biryani is an exotic dish of Mughal origin, but this variant is an indigenous recipe of Malabar. It is a symbol of the cultural amalgamation of Mughal and Malabari cuisines. The Mughals brought the cuisine of biryani from Samarkand, and later variations of biryani developed in different parts of India. Malabar Biryani in Kerala uses raisins and cashews in Khyma rice. Biriyani made with mutton, chicken, lamb or prawn prepared in dum method (in which heat is applied both to the top and bottom of the dough-sealed vessel) will always be the most sought-after dish in all hotels and eateries in this region.
