Fire. That’s what comes to my mind when I think of Indian food. I understand from my colleagues that here in Kerala food can never be too spicy. Don’t get me wrong– I love spicy food. I am less keen on surprises. But how to make sure to avoid them ?
My mother is from Mauritius and a lot of the local cuisine there originated from the Malabar coast before crossing the Indian Ocean. But the real hot stuff in Mauritian cuisine is usually on the side: birdseye chili purée, cherry-tomato chatini (from chutney)… I am starting to think that the emigrants from Kerala who landed on my island did so before the chili peppers from the Americas became popular here, back when the hottest spice you could find was black pepper.
So it’s always an icebreaker to start a conversation with a cook or a waiter with “How hot is this ?” Whatever the endurance of your tastebuds you’ll always find appropriate dishes wherever you go. As chef Mohan Pillai at All Spice says, dialogue is key. For instance, in South India many Hindus eat fish. Jain tourists however, follow a vegetarianism that entails not eating root vegetables such as carrot nor potatoes or tamasic foods such as garlic and onions nor mushrooms. It is the responsibility of the chef to meet their dietary needs. The chef usually designs a menu in advance with the guests’ travel agency.
So before you place your order, whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, omnivore or adventurer, go ahead and fire the waiter or the chef with questions about the spices, the ingredients, the methods of cooking used… they will be happy to share this with you. Here in India food matters.
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