Tribute to fusion food by the Jews from Cochin

The Cochinim (as the Jews from Cochin are called in Israel) is the tiniest and most ancient of Jewish communities in the diaspora. They trace their 2000-year-old history to the lush, monsoon-swept Malabar coast in south-western India.

migrator|8 Jan 2017 1:28 PM IST

Tribute to fusion food by the Jews from Cochin

Cochini Hamin and Insert: Chef Ramaa Shanker

Chennai

The Jews landed there as sailors in King Solomon’s fleets to purchase spices, animals and precious metals. Their songs and traditions give details about their settlements in places like Paloor and Cranganore, after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 BC, although recorded history begins from 1000 AD.

The community lives on in Cochin, today and still adheres to its famed Cochini-Jew cuisine, songs, the Judeo-Malayalam language and other cultural facets. The Malabar spice trade was for many centuries controlled by the Jews and they incorporated the spices into their cuisine. These included pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, asafoetida, red and green chilies, coriander, fenugreek, nutmeg and mace. The dishes were infused with the magic of curry leaves, tamarind pulp and coconut, creating a piquant cooking style. A long coastline teeming with some of the finest edible fishes in the world contributed to great seafood medleys.

Many of these ingredients were common among the Jews, Hindus, Christians, and Muslims who lived in proximity for centuries in the then kingdom of Cochin.

The staple food of Cochinis remains unpolished/parboiled rice, which takes on many incarnations throughout the day. Items like the dosa, idli, appam and puttu continue to be eaten with relish in Cochini households/restaurants throughout Israel as it is done in homes across Kerala. One of the distinctive rice delicacies is the Cochin Jewish hamin rice. It is prepared by adding thinly shredded coconut flesh and spices to cooked rice or cooking the rice with various ingredients in a slow cooker and then adding spices to unleash a delightful aroma and an unforgettable flavour. It is a tribute to fusion of flavours.

Kosher is the Hebrew word for fit. Kashrut is the Hebrew word for keeping kosher. Jewish cuisine owes its ingenuity and originality to kashrut or the prohibition of mixing meat products with any of the dairy products, ban on pork and fishes with no fins and scales (this means no seafood like shrimps and lobsters, scallops and crabs).

— The writer is a chef and author of Festive Offerings to the Gods

COCHINI HAMIN

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, sliced thinly

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed

1 tablespoon turmeric

4 cloves

4 green cardamom pods

1 stick Ceylon cinnamon

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup tomato, chopped

½ cup dried apricots, sliced

1/2 kg carrots, cut into quarters

1 kg chicken, cut to pieces

Vegetarians can use 1/2kg paneer

2 cups water

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a heavy pot or slow cooker. Add onion and sauté till it begins to turn golden brown. Add rice, dried spices, tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes. Add ginger and garlic. Sauté for a minute and add the chicken and carrots. If you are a vegetarian, just add paneer in place of chicken.
Mix to combine and add a cup of water along with the apricots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is all absorbed. Stir from time to time.
Add the remaining water, season to taste with salt and pepper, cover it and place in slow oven or slow cooker for 10 to 12 hours. When finished, serve the dish with chicken and carrots or paneer and carrots on top of a bed of rice.

Note: Any crust that forms on the bottom of the pot should be scraped off and served as well, as this is the best part of the dish! This dish can also be made on a weekday night by heating the oven to 375 degree Celsius and cooking for an hour after the initial set up.

Tips of the day: When you are reheating dry dishes in microwave, place a glass of water along with food. It will help as dry food will not dry up further.

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Tribute to fusion food by the Jews from Cochin

The Cochinim (as the Jews from Cochin are called in Israel) is the tiniest and most ancient of Jewish communities in the diaspora. They trace their 2000-year-old history to the lush, monsoon-swept Malabar coast in south-western India.

migrator

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