It was her mother-in-law's Chicken Stew that sparked Pragati Saigal's interest in Kerala cuisine. This was in 2015, when the third generation Malaysian of Punjabi origin had just married Kim Koshie, a music producer born to a Syrian Christian family in Kochi. "She used coconut abundantly in the stew. It brought the flavours to life. Having grown up eating Malay food, I discovered that it is similar to Kerala cuisine in its use of spices, coconut and rice. Both regions also have hardcore meat and fish eaters," says the 37-year-old. The husband-wife duo, now based in Mumbai, decided to delve into their cuisines, and late last year, launched The Kopaara Kitchen. The catering venture offers Keralite and Malaysian fare, made using a collection of family recipes. "Kopaara is Kim's 'house' name, similar to a family name. Through marriage, I'm a Kopaara too," she adds.

Meen Pollichathu