Love broth from hills of Kodai

The earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Paliyar tribes. The earliest specific references to Kodaikanal and the Palani Hills are found in ancient Tamil literature. American missionaries came and settled here in 1845 to take refuge from the heat on the plains and in the 20th century a few elite Indians came to realise the value of this enchanting hill station and started relocating here. The meaning of the word Kodaikanal is a ‘place to see in summer’. 

The great love story of Valli and Lord Murugan, the beautiful god in Hinduism in mythology, is based in the beautiful hills Kodaikanal. Murugan, coming in the guise of an old hunter tried to woo Valli, daughter of paliyar tribal family is a beautiful love story, that many of us have grown up hearing from our grandparents. 

This romantic story and numerous other traditions associated with them, makes Kodaikanal, a haven for lovers and married couples, who come from all over. Since Valentine’s Day is around the corner, it would be ideal to celebrate it at Kodaikanal. It is the best place to romance and savour the original recipes, that are unique to Kodaikanal.  

To understand the cuisine of this place, you should know that the early inhabitants of the place were by no means vegetarians. Rice was the staple diet and they ate it with the meats of any available animal,in the region cooked with ghee and spices. Mangoes, jackfruit, sugarcane and honey provided the sweet component to their meals. 

Their foods also included edible roots, buffalo curd preserved in bamboo pipes, sweet cakes resembling honey combs, pasties made of coconut and sugar and pickled fruits. Toddy was in abundant supply and was consumed by all classes of people.  

The vegetables which were grown there were major ingredients of some of the tastiest food. Kodai cheese and butter, which was introduced by the American missionaries is used in many of the foreign cuisine, which has gained popularity amongst visitors and locals. Now Kodai is a place that has a mélange, of cultures and myriad cuisines, rarely seen elsewhere in the south. An ancient dish amongst the locals in Kodai was a rich gravy (kozambu) made with available vegetables like kadala or lentils and whatever was available available. It was called kootukari , which is also one of the ancient dishes available throughout Tamil Nadu. Inspired by this dish, and as an ode to this ancient dish, I created a gravy, more like a desi saaru soup which you can eat just like that, with rice or simply with great home- baked bread or hot rotis. This is a Valentine special. Try it out.