"....Kerala cuisine might prove too spicy to a delicate palate..."
That's a warning some tourist guides give visitors to the land of
spices.
Spice trade in Kerala dates back 7500 years. The Spice Coast of Malabar
has found mention in ancient travelogues. And if chilli and pepper
have been the hot favourites across time, the cardamom of Malabar
is considered the best in the world. In fact, today only cardamom
from Kerala is used for any medicinal purposes in the West.
Cardamom ( Elettaria cardamomum), apart from its medicinal qualities,
has a pleasing flavour and aroma that makes it a chief condiment for
tea, cool drinks, confectionaries and sweetmeats, vegetarian and non-vegetarian
dishes. At 750-1000 m above sea level the wooded Western Ghats are
the home of the cardamom. The hills of Idukki district, which is the
main cultivator of the spice, are called Cardamom Hills.
India is the world's largest producer of cardamom and Kerala contributes
the lion's share. Commonly used in the state (and in the country),
cardamom is available at all provision stores, super markets and state
owned emporia across the country. Though the standard price is around
Rs. 500/kg to Rs. 600/kg it may vary depending on quality.
This website is updated frequently. We invite your comments
and suggestions to make this site better. Have
a suggestion to make - feel free to contact us - E
mail
- Rss Feed -
