It’s officially the first day of spring, and, despite the odd flurries of snow and a forecast for rain and more rain , the skies graciously cleared enough to show just a little watery blue.

In Vancouver’s changeable weather, there’s one cookbook that I can count on to consistently bring the lush, tropical warmth of Kerala to my kitchen at any time – Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts©. A perfect blend of historical perspective, personal anecdotes, and impeccably researched and written vegetarian recipes from the kitchens of the Kochi royal family, GG&GC  truly is a timeless classic.

I’m honoured to have the first guest post on this blog by the author, my friend, Ammini Ramachandran.

Kerala Puttus

by Ammini Ramachandran

Reading Shalini’s post – Oduputtu: aromatherapy for the cook – brought back memories of a favorite breakfast dish of Kerala with a similar name – puttu. Just as with Coorg cuisine, Kerala cuisine is deeply rooted in rice. And similarly, there are several Kerala dishes that end with the suffix puttu. The one major difference is that Kerala puttus are prepared with rice flour, wheat flour, ragi flour or grated tapioca, but never with a batter. They have a crumbly texture.
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I’ve been hearing wonderful things about Pune for many years now, but somehow, the chance to visit had eluded me until recently.

Pune, formerly known as Poona, the second largest city in the state of Maharashtra, is a fascinating mix of history and modernity. It has a thriving cultural scene that the locals are justifiably proud of. Music, dance, theatre, it’s all there.

There’s a lot you can do in a weekend in Pune. The question is where to begin taking in all the wonderful things that the city has to offer. Many phone calls, text messages, and drawing up of lists later, we had an itinerary tailored  to our time and interests.

Every visitor in Pune has their version of Pune Darshan (viewing). Here is some of what was on our menu!

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In Coorg a couple of weeks ago, the local markets were just beginning to show signs of jackfruit coming into season. By May and June, there will be freestanding fortifications built from these giant fruit, for sale along the road to Mysore, Bangalore and beyond.

The jackfruit, (chekké in Kodava thakk) is the largest tree-borne fruit in the world, with specimens that tip the scales at 15 kg being considered quite average. Add to that a thick, spiky skin and a big, strong fragrance that is almost as polarizing in effect as that of the durian, its cousin, and you have quite a formidable creature on your hands!

Though there are now many cultivars available, jackfruit is traditionally classified simply into the kind that can be eaten fresh and the kind that requires cooking.The ripe fruit can range from firm, crisp and easily eaten out of hand, to soft and stringy, with a stickiness that can pose a very real choking hazard. The latter is usually reserved for cooking into a variety of sweets.The flesh of all varieties is edible in the fully grown but green, or unripe stage, the fibrous structure mimicking that of animal flesh quite convincingly when cooked as a meat substitute. The seeds, probably my favourite part, make delicious  additions to curries, and are a deeply satisfying treat when roasted in embers.

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