Just down the street in Mattancherry is an organic spice shop with a wide variety of classic South Indian spices. The aroma inside of the shop definitely met my olfactory needs for new smells.

The 51 restaurant at Spice Harbour serves a Xandari Salad to represent Raxa Collective’s other property, Xandari Resorts. The Xandari Salad has become a favorite at 51 with its tahini-yogurt dressing, avocado, roasted cashews, and feta cheese on top of a fresh lettuce mix.

With something at 51 from Xandari, we wanted to complete the culinary exchange and send something from South India to Central America. The 51 chef, Ghanshyam, Amie and I, went to buy the ingredients to make into a spice mix to send to Xandari. The plan is to incorporate a dish into the menu that represents this exchange and collaboration of flavors between properties, which also help tell the story of each property. The spice mix created for chicken contains: cardamom, coriander seeds, red chili, cumin, black pepper, fennel seeds, star anise, turmeric, cinnamon, and cloves. The fish mix contains: red chili, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, fennel seeds, and turmeric.

Ghanshyam, the 51 chef, setting out the spices to dry before grinding.

People have been coming to South India for spices for millennia. Now, Costa Rica can have a little taste of Kerala as well.