Discuss the monsoon food rituals of Kerala.
Medicinal porridges and healthy dishes are prepared with leafy vegetables and bran, which are the specialties of the season. In Kerala, the monsoon season is about cleansing and regeneration. According to Ayurveda, the wet, dark months of the monsoon are the perfect time for rejuvenation of the mind and body. A medicinal porridge called Marunnu kanji is taken either early in the morning on an empty stomach or at night as dinner, for a minimum of seven days. It is prepared with a special nutritious variety of rice called njavara (Oryza sativa Linn). t is cooked in cow and coconut milk along with spices and local herbs. It is garnished with jaggery and thinly sliced shallots sautéed in ghee.

Ammini Ramachandran