Kovalam Beach/Cape Comorin

It was another nice week in India! I spent the week at Kovalam Beach where I had a fairly leisurely week where I didn't do much other than walk, read, hang out at the German Bakery cafe and take the occasional swim. Again, it was quite hot so I didn't really feel like doing too much. I did enjoy one day where I hired a car and driver and took a day trip down to the southern tip of India. It was really neat to see the small seaside town of Cape Comorin where 3 bodies of water meet (the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean). Along the way we stopped at the Padmanabhapuram Palace which dates back to 1550 and is the largest wooden complex in Asia. This palace was once the home of the ruling King and although technically in the State of Tamil Nadu, it is designed and built in traditional Kerala style. I also stopped and had a visit at the Euchindram Hindu temple. Visiting these temples and seeing the Hindu people praying within them is always an interesting occasion. The large statue that is just off the coast of the southern tip of India is a temple dedicated to the poet Thiruvalluvar and it is the work of over 5000 sculptors! The Gandhi memorial monument is also appropriately placed at the end of the nation. This memorial resembles an Orissan temple designed by Hindu, Christian and Muslim architects. The monument was completely covered during the 2004 Tsunami in which an estimated 18 000 people died! Again, a nice week at Kovalam Beach!

Fort Cochin

I had a great 5 days at Fort Cochin! Although it was unbearably hot, I was quite comfortable staying with Beena and Sadu at Beena's Homestay. I actually stayed one night, then went inland to Thekkady for a week and then I returned to Beena's for another 4 nights! Upon my return, Beena said "Welcome home Gordon!". They are unbelievable people and they certainly did make me feel "home away from home". It cost 600 rupees ($7.50 Can) a day to stay here, and that includes a delicious breakfast and the most amazing dinner you can imagine! Take a look at the picture of one of the meals I enjoyed during my stay! Sadu is an amazing cook! Traders and explorers have been coming to Fort Cochin for over 600 years and you still get a feel for the history of the village from the ancient Chinese fishing nets that still remain, the ancient churches and the influence of the Portuguese architecture of the houses. I was there for Good Friday and was able to participate in part of the service even though I didn't understand a word that was being said! It was a very relaxing part of my stay in India. If you ever get the chance to come to Fort Cochin, I highly recommend that you stay at Beena's Homestay!

Backwaters of Kerala

I enjoyed a fabulous one day excursion on the backwaters of Kerala. We were on a larger boat in the morning on the main channels, and then spent the afternoon in smaller canoes travelling through the smaller canals. The backwaters of Kerala consist of 900 kms of waterways that fringe the coast and move inland at various locations from Cochin down to Alleppey. Long before there were roads in India, these were the highways of Kerala, and many villagers still use these waterways as their main form of transport. Along the way we had the opportunity to stop in to a few of the villages to see how the people live. A very interesting day!

Cooking Class # 3

Chicken Curry (for Chicken Biryani)
-heat mustard seeds and curry leaves in a little more sunflower oil than usual
-add 1/2 kilo (about 5) sliced red onions, a ginger and garlic paste (50 grams), 1 small tomato cut in wedges and a handful of fresh coriander
-mix together red chili powder (1 tsp), coriander (1 tsp), turmeric (1 tsp), and chicken masala (3 tsp) then add to mixture
-add 1 chicken cut in pieces, sprinkle salt on top of chicken and then stir
-cover pot with lid and cook 20 minutes
Chicken Biryani
-heat ghee (200 g) in pot
-roast cashews (3/4 cup) and raisins (3/4 cup)
-roast cashews on low flame until colour changes (15 seconds or so), remove from ghee
-roast raisins on low flame, they'll grow big and change colour (30 seconds), remove from ghee
-in same ghee roast 2 sliced red onions (a little more heat) about 7-8 minutes until colour changes, remove from ghee and heat and mix with cashews and raisins
-meanwhile, take 1/2 pineapple and score into small pieces. Yields 1/2-3/4 cup.
Rice
Boil a large pot of water
-toss into water, a cinnamon stick (10 g), cardamom (10 pieces), star anise (10 pieces), cloves (10), and a small handful each of mint and fresh coriander (chopped a couple of times), and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil.
Rinse 1 kg of basmati rice three times and add to boiling water.
-add juice of one lemon.
Cook until rice is done (check by taste and feel). Drain rice.
Add some ghee to the pot.
Add 1/3 rice.
Next, add 1/2 curry chicken.
Add 1/3 of rice.
Add pineapple.
Add a little more of the ghee.
Add turmeric (1/2 tsp) in water and add to pot.
Add onion, raisin and cashew mixture (save a little)
-add remaining chicken
Add remaining rice and remaining onion, raisin and cashew mixture.
Touch more ghee. Pat it down into a hill shape with top of hill in middle of pot. Press down and cover and heat 15 minutes.
In bowl, slice 3 onions, one green chili (small sliced), small ginger slices. Add salt. Add plain yogurt. Stir.