Page 65 - UpperCrust e-Magazine Third Quarter 2024

KOCHI | FOOD TRAILS

it can be thought of as a well-seasoned Calicut Paragon was
and spiced chicken pakora, but it is truly established almost 70
delicious. The curry leaves and shallots add years ago
a lot of character to this dish.
The next dish I had was the Meen
Pollichathu. This can be made with a myriad
of fishes and for me they used king fish,
which is also known as neymeen or seer fish
or ayakoora. These are large fish, which are
slightly oily and perfect for either grilling or
being poached in a curry. This is one of the
more expensive fishes available in Kerala
and has a wonderful steak-like consistency.
The other advantage is that it has only one Phoenix-tailed Golden
Fried Prawns
central bone making it so much easier to
eat. The Meen Pollichathu is almost like the All the above are served with Malabar
state dish of Kerala. It is fish steak cooked paratha, which is a flat layered bread Malabar paratha
with shallots, kokum, then wrapped in made of refined flour. The multiple layers
banana leaves and grilled. The king fish and the richness of the paratha served in
itself is flaky and has a wonderful texture, Kerala makes you believe that everything
and the flavours of the pollichathu range else served in other restaurants across the
between the sweetness and the oiliness of country is a poor representation of the
the fish combined with the tanginess of the original. You can try the curries with appam
shallots, kokum and spices. or idiyappam and of course steamed rice is a
The other fish dishes on the thali were staple with any meal.
all served with king fish and included a It is a common misconception that all
Meen Manga Thakkali Curry, which is fish curries from Kerala taste the same and have
cooked in tomato, mango and coconut- coconut. Each one has a very distinctive
based spicy sauce; a Meen Moilee, which is taste and Chef Latha is very keen to point
fish stewed in coconut milk and coconut out the very real differences in each of
oil − a great accompaniment to idiyappam the curries. The Meen Manga Curry has a
or rice hoppers; and a Meen Mulakittathu, predominantly raw mango-based flavour, but this is a wonderful drink. Not only is it
a spicy red fish curry where tamarind is the though there is coconut milk and coconut- brimming with flavours and aroma, but it
predominant ingredient, and this goes very based sauce in this, the raw mango is the is also wonderful for your health. It has its
well with the Malabar paratha. star. The moilee is a much milder curry origin in Ayurveda and with ingredients like
Kozhi Pidi Curry, which is chicken where the coconut milk and the coconut oil ginger, black pepper, cumin, jaggery, basil,
cooked with the rice dumplings and are the main ingredients. The mulakittathu it has lots of medicinal qualities, which
roasted coconut paste was a dish I has tamarind as its strongest ingredient, are meant to be good for you, particularly
had not eaten before. Pothirachi Kaya which is very evident with the tanginess aiding in digestion, and it has a great effect
Peralan is beef and raw banana simmered and the slight sourness that the dish brings. on coughs and colds as well.
with Kerala spices. Another revelation for me in this trip We are sharing Chef Latha’s original
For the vegetarian part of the meal, to Kochi was the chukku kaapi, an herbal recipe for the chukku kaapi and I highly
we had an avial, which is mixed vegetables coffee with dry ginger and black pepper recommend that you try it. Whenever you
with yogurt, ground coconut, cumin and and a variety of other spices. Chef Latha are in Kochi next, it is worth visiting the
curry leaves and pulissery, which is pineapple makes this herself and it is one of her Grand Hyatt only to sample this coffee.
cooked with coconut paste and yogurt. trade secrets. Having had chukku kaapi Another favourite of mine which
The Parippu Pradhaman, which is on multiple occasions during the trip, I we do not get enough of in Bombay or
roasted lentils cooked with jaggery and realised that the version made by her is other parts of the country is the banana
coconut milk and then tempered with infinitely better than what is served by dosa. This is a unique recipe found down
coconut, is a wonderful accompaniment others. It sounds incredible to think that we south and made only in a few places.
with both the Malabar paratha as well as have now made our own variety of masala Dakshin, the speciality restaurant across
the rice. coffee from the eponymous masala chai, ITC, used to do a wonderful banana dosa

JUL-SEP 2024 | UPPERCRUST | 63