Sabita Radhakrishna's new cookbook about Kerala cuisine highlights the need to record food

From the Syrian Christian errachi olayathi to the appam and stew of the Thiya community who were originally toddy tappers to the puttu of the Nairsmdasha warrior community to the idli and dosai of the Nambuthiris Brahmins and the delish biryani of the Mappilasmdashfood in Kerala differs dramatically across regions sects and castes This variety is at the centre of writer and former Doordarshan broadcaster Sabita Radhakrishnarsquos beautifully illustrated cookbook Paachakam Heritage Cuisine of Kerala Roli Books Rs 1259 Her first was a compendium of all her motherrsquos recipes and the second book was the awardwinning Annapurni Heritage Cuisine from Tamil Nadu 2015A traditionalist at heart it pains her to see all expressions of heritagemdashlanguage food craft and textilesmdashlanguish For 40 years she has been working to revive language and textiles at the grassroots Radhakrishna says she enjoys the process of producing a recipe bookmdashfrom researching recipes to curating photographs to designing and editing ldquoYou must be patient through it I think that documentation is very important for our culturemdashbe it heritage textiles crafts or foods Wersquove lost so much information that was passed down orally especially because people kept so much of it secret for some reason It struck me when I was trying to standardise my motherrsquos recipes She would say lsquouse a bit of chilli powderrsquo or lsquojust some tamarindrsquo So Irsquod hold her hand and say lsquotell me what is lsquothis muchrsquo And I would take it measure it and note it downrdquo she laughsDuring her research she found out that Cochin has just five Jewish families left By the time she decided to go there Radhakrishna says there were none She did manage to reach out to one of them settled in Mumbai ldquoDocumentation is the answerrdquo she emphasises ldquoWersquove come a full circle going back to the traditional in everything from haircare to skincaremdashlooking for grandmarsquos secret in the kitchen If there is no documentation we wouldnrsquot have any record So I urge people who come across ancient recipes to please note them down for future generationsrdquoSabita RadhakrishnaKeralarsquos cuisine has a distinct identity ldquoIt was an alien culture for merdquo she adds ldquoso it made sense to reach out to people whorsquove been working with traditional foods picking out one expert from their community What strikes me about Kerala is that the recipes are not diluted Theyrsquove been adhering to traditional methods and are orthodox about itrdquoFor the bookrsquos research Radhakrishna went into libraries looking for archival papers found out the why and whereof a dish why people use a certain spice or ingredientmdasheven though she knew most of this research wouldnrsquot make it to the cookbook ldquoMaybe I am oldfashioned but I donrsquot trust the Internet for authenticityrdquo she says ldquoRecipes online are often diluted with modern innovations Instead I took it directly from experts Most didnrsquot know how to give measurementsmdashthey cook with andaz So I ended up deciphering their lsquolittle thisrsquo and lsquosomewhat thatrsquo by trying it out myself I feel if you standardise the recipe it turns out the exact way it was intended tordquoKerala cooking has a certain distinct taste a lot of which comes from the use of coconut but also from the spices that grow in the state ldquoWhatrsquos amazing is that none of the flavours are overpoweringmdashthey always unravel on the palate in layers You will feel the pepper and the chillies first and if therersquos coconut milk it sort of subdues the taste Despite the influence of the Portuguese and Arabs itrsquos still quintessentially Kerala Even the beautiful cakes baked there are largely learnt from the West but they carry the Kerala trademarkrdquoMeen porichathuIngredients1 kg seer fish cleaned4 tsp red chilli powder34 tsp turmeric powder4 tsp vinegar red or white1 marblesized ball of tamarind Soak in water for 30 minutes and extract juice3 tbsp 1 tsp coconut oilSalt to tasteMethodMake a few vertical gashes 2ndash3 inches on both sides of the fish In a small bowl stir together the chilli powder salt turmeric powder vinegar and tamarind juice Smear the paste on both sides of the fish Let rest for 30 minutes Heat the coconut oil in a tawa over medium heat Add the fish Fry on both sides until dry and golden brown Serve hot with steamed rice and parottaMahashaisIngredients15 kg large to mediumsize onions1 kg minced lamb beef or chicken12 garlic cloves finely chopped1 inch fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped1 dried red chilli thinly sliced1 green chilli thinly sliced1 large bunch fresh coriander chopped1 tsp turmeric powder1 tsp red chilli powder1 tbsp raw basmati riceSalt as needed1 cup malt vinegar250 gm palm sugarCoconut oil for fryingMethodPreheat the oven to 170degC Using a sharp knife slice from the top of the onion as though you are cutting it in half but do not cut all the way through This will help each layer hold shape Peel each layer carefully Do not make haste or the skin will tearWash the minced meat and place it in a bowl Add garlic ginger dried red chilli green chilli coriander turmeric powder chilli powder rice and salt Mix thoroughly Take an onion layer in your hand and slide your finger under the first ring It should come away easily Take one tablespoon of the minced meat mixture in your hand and make an oval shape Wrap the onion leaf around the mince It will hold well Do not overfill the peel Continue with the remaining peels and meat mixtureHeat four tablespoons of oil in a large skillet on medium heat Working in batches gently add the mahashais to the hot oil in a single layer Fry for about five minutes or until golden brown Carefully turn to brown on all sides Transfer the mahashais to an ovenproof dish Fry all the mahashais and keep aside In a small bowl whisk vinegar and sugar together Season with salt Pour this sauce over the mahashais Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes Remove the foil at the last 10 minutes of bakingNote Use wellshaped onions that donrsquot hold two bulbsRadhakrishnarsquos favouritesNairs Mambazham puliserry is a lovely blend of sour yoghurt and the soursweet mangoNorth Malabar Thiyas Neyyi choru or simple ghee rice is subtle and goes great with chutneys and curriesMoplahs Thalaserry biriyani is a complicated recipe but tastewise light and not heavily spicedPoduvals They have strictly vegetarian dishes that are light on the stomach but the uli thiyal is a tamarindbased curry with spice and a shot of tamarind fried shallots and of course coconut fried to a rich brownCochin Jews Mahashais is an unusual delectable dish made by peeling the onion layer by layer packing each leaf with spiced minced beef or mutton and sauteing them