Kerala cuisines to be featured on American TV Channel
Published October 7, 2010 | 
Kerala boasts an astonishing range of delicacies and exceptional culinary delights that grace the dining tables of not only Keralites but also gourmets all over the world. Kerala’s own gastronomic delights like appam, puttu and karimeen curry are set to satiate the American taste buds soon. The much sought after American TV programme “No Reservations”, in its sixth season, has reserved an entire episode for Kerala cuisine.
Anthony Bourdain, the celebrity chef and host of this culinary programme in Discovery Travel channel has already canned the episode in the state. Culinary tourism seems to be the latest buzz in holiday circuits especially the British, French and Americans. It is interesting to note that an increasing number of tourists are trying out local food when travelling abroad.
“When it comes to spices and variety, Kerala is right up there in my alley,” says Bourdain, 53, author of ‘A Cook’s Tour – In Search of the Perfect Meal’.
From eating ant eggs in Mexico to sheep testicles in Morocco, and an entire cobra in Vietnam, Bourdain, has sampled it all for his earlier episodes, it was a comparatively smooth run for him as far as the Kerala episode was concerned.
The master chef landed in Kochi on a hot and humid day of March and travelled to Alappuzha to savour the typical backwaters cuisine and the boat man’s culinary delights that are never featured in cookery books. He stayed in a houseboat where he tried the spicy and delectable combo of mussels and tapioca, a Kerala sadya (feast) and the signature dish of the region, the tangy pearl spot fish ( karimeen) curry.
He was simply bowled over by the high standards of food in Kerala, especially the street food, served in small make shift eateries known as ‘thattukadas’ in local parlance. By sunset these vendors get ready to start their business, which will extend well past midnight. Bachelors and youth living away from home will make a beeline to savour the piping hot food served in these way side eat outs. These nondescript ‘thattukadas’ offer an impressive menu including fried beef, chicken and some of the local delicacies like paruppu vada and paratta. Anyone who has sampled the freshly-made thattu dosa or chiratta puttu with the fiery meat curry, well complemented by a cup of frothy, piping hot tea, would vouch for its lingering taste and easy prices.
The celebrity chef also found time to taste some exceptional specialties offered by ‘Adipoli Thattukada’ near the Medical Trust Hospital on the busy MG Road. Bourdain had a chance to savour the taste of home cooked puttu and fish curry cooked in coconut milk brought from the Malayalam movie star Mammootty’s house, when he visited the superstar during the shooting of one of his films. The “No Reservations” episode will also feature Bourdain’s taste debate with Mammootty. The episode will be aired in India and the rest of the world on the Discovery Travel & Living channel later this year.
“Indian food has been under-appreciated in certain parts of the world. I would love to come back again to explore other towns and cities,” Bourdain said as he bats for the street and home cooked menu of Kerala .
