Exploring the REAL CALICUT/KOZHIKODE with Abida I Pathiri + Cheth Ice + Sea & River Fish MarketVisit

0:00 Introduction
0:18 KK Restaurant
3:52 Tharavad
10:57 Snacks At Kozhikode Beach
15:22 Puthiyappa Fishing Harbour
19:18 River Fish Market
Today is the first episode of our North Kerala Food Series and we have embarked on a day out with Chef Abida Rasheed who is one of Kerala's finest home chefs who is on a mission to introduce the world to the glorious cuisine of her community which is the Mappila cuisine. This unique cuisine is an amalgamation of Kerala and Arab influences. Her home kitchen is her universe from where she conveys the story of Mappila cuisine's grandeur.
We started the tour from KK Restaurant in Kuttichira which is basically a tea shop. In Kerala a tea shop has great socio-cultural significance where mostly the male members community socializes. This is an old shop that is open from the wee hours of the morning till afternoon. The owner informed that because of the growing demand they have now begun to operate in teb evening as well. This means lots of work and very little rest which is reflected in his reddish puffy eyes. Most of the crowd at these shops are people who got to the mosque early to pray. Here we tried some poricha pathiri with chaiya. Pathiri was a crisp and fluffy deep fried savoury snack made of rice batter.
From there we went to her aunt's place to witness their tharavad or ancestral home. Tharavad is the ancestral home of aristocratic families which houses a joint family. It is also related to the matrilineal system prevalent in some parts of Kerala. This means the property passes from mother to daughter and hence the daughter lives here while the sons go on to live in their wives place. Abida showed us around this old well maintained abode and gave us an overview of how the system works. The highlights of a tharavad are the wooden windows, stairs and furniture and spacious high ceiling rooms.
Next we stopped by a cart selling kallumakkaya Or mussels and picked up some of them for our forthcoming meal. Mussels are integral to this cuisine.
Next we reached Kozhikode beach to try a famous snack called cheth ice. It is shaved ice topped with vinegar and salt water soaked chopped veggies & fruits, nannari sharbat, roasted chana dal-peanuts etc. These ubiquitous carts on the beaches store brine soaked fruits and vegetables which are then served with different toppings. Here we also tried some nannari sharbat which was quite refreshing and fun.
Then we went to Puthiyappa Fishing Harbour to buy some fresh fish for the forthcoming home cooked meal. It was a busy scene at the dock lined with trawlers that have brought the fresh catch to be dispatched to places far and near. The cacophony of the place testified to the busy business hours. Some of the fishermen helped us identify the popular fishes. And Abida then handpicked the best ones for the home feast. Fishing is a chief occupation in Kerala.
Next we reached the River fish market looking for some oysters. Here too we found a wide variety of fresh fishes neatly displayed in bamboo baskets. Here we got some oysters and red snappers for our home meal.
This short tour of the place gave us a sneak peek into the cuisine and culture of the communities residing here. Heartfelt thanks to Chef Abida for introducing us to some of the basics of this cuisine.
Follow Abida Rasheed @
www.abidarasheed.com/
/ abidarasheedclt
www.youtube.com/@abidarasheed...
About the host:
anubhavsapra.com/
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Design and filmed by Rahul Singh
/ iamrahulsingh.2
Text by Swetaleena Nayak