Kerala 3 - Banana Leaf Feast Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

‘Even if you have to sell your property,
You cannot miss a banana leaf feast ',
Says an old Malayalam proverb!

The green banana leaf spreads out
Into a generous large plate, ready to receive
In its lap, myriads of exotic food preparations!

Rice is the staple food of Kerala.
Supporting it are many vegetables with varied flavours,
Like Sambar, Kalan, Olan, Aviyal, Kari, Upperi, Pacchadi, kicchadi etc!

‘Sambar' has become the most popular South Indian dish,
Made of pulse, drumsticks, tomatoes, onion, tamarind,
Added with a variety of spices that gives it a tangy tingling taste.

‘Aviyal' is a fantastic Kerala dish made of many vegetables,
Like yam, raw banana, white pumpkin, carrot, all types of beans,
Mixed with freshly grounded coconut and green chillies!

‘Kalan' is a yogurt based dish, while ‘Olan' is made of red pumpkin,
‘Kari' is made of gram, ‘Toran' made of cabbage sprinkled with coconut,
‘Pacchadi' and ‘Kicchadi' are made of cucumber and salad vegetables!

‘Pappadam' is a crispy, crunchy, fried item
A favourite part of ‘sadhya' or the feast,
One cannot miss it at all! That would be foolish!

If you eat so many vegetables, grams & pulses
Mixed with coconut, spices, pepper and chillies,
Surely, a taste of "Inchipuli' is a must to digest the food.

The grand feast cannot end without a sweet dessert.
‘Palpayasam' and ‘Paalada' are made of rice, milk and sugar,
While ‘Pradamans' are made of either jackfruit, banana with jaggery!

A sumptuous meal on banana leaf,
Is an out of the world experience!
A God's meal in a fabulous country of coconuts!

Try it out, at least, once in your life time!