This serene hill station, nestled in the Western Ghats in the Idduki district of Kerala is empowered by its bountiful verdure of tea and spice plantations, which drive its economy as does tourism. Not only are its natural landscapes a magnet for visitors here, but the culinary offerings of the Munnar twist to traditional Kerala dishes also add a nice edge to meals here. Watching a local homemaker prepare a Munnar style meal, and its end result is an awesome experience.
Rice and fish, cooked in coconut oil are staple fares in these hills, but there's a whole lot of other delicious dishes to try such as the appam and stew, puttu and kadala curry, beef fry with Malabar porotta, Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu (Spicy Chicken Fry) and Idiyappam/ noolappam that unique dish made with rice flour, salt, and water and transformed into thin strands of sevai that are entwined together and served traditionally with egg curry.
Interactions with a local familyPreparation with the homemaker of a meal cooked Munnar-style, to later share with the familyLearning something about the community in the region
Going shopping in the local market of this pretty hill station is an exceptional experience. You will enjoy the buzz of the market as vendors and patrons stir up the air with their lively interactions. Having selected the ingredients for the meal with you hostess you will return to the family kitchen and learn a lot about what it takes to make a delicious Munnar-style meal. In between, you will enjoy conversations about the Raj-era culture of Munnar, the food habits of the people and how Kerala's traditional dishes are transformed by local ingredients found in these hills. It's a lot of fun watching the cooking demo and asking all kinds of questions related to the methods used so that when you go home you can replicate some of the dishes being made for dinner.