Naivedyam-The Meaning and Concept

NAIVEDYAM The concept‘Naivedyam’- the offering to the Gods. Symbolic of the deep rooted culture of this land and its people, cutting across caste creed & communities; this act of offering the food to the Gods is a timeless legacy; lovingly imbibed by generation after generation. ‘Prashaad’ Prasaadam’ ‘ Chadavaa’ are but, different regional names to this offering. ‘Naivedyam’- Introduction to the compilation: This compilation opens up the culinary delights of the hithero unexplored kitchens of the Tamil Brahmins, settled in Palakkad (in North Kerala). Some of the finest cooks of South India, nay, India have their roots in this region, the granary of Kerala. As one famous bureaucrat hailing from Palakkad was quoted thus “Palakkad is famous for three C’s, Carnatic (the style of music), Crooks & Cooks. And I am neither a Cook nor a Carnatic exponent!!” ‘Naivaidyam’The Contents- ‘Naivedyam’ is not another recipe portal. On the contrary, it is a well- planned compilation by a couple, natives of Palakkad (see profiles for details). It dispels the misnomer that ‘Idli, Vada, Dosa & Sambhar’- are the leitmotif of food below the Vindhyas. History of this Diaspora, the reason for this mass to migrate from their original roots in Thanjavur- Kumbakonnam belt in Tamil Nadu. The recipes, a delightful amalgamation of the kitchens of TN & Kerala are show- cased as recipes, classified under their respective heads, as ‘food festivals’ and as ’festival foods’. Glossary of the culinary terms (A-Zwith a one-line explanation) makes it reader friendly. Use of spices & its blending being the difference between a meal and a meal par excellence is not neglected. All the spices used are listed with botanical, regional & English equivalents. In addition, a brief on the spice and a reference to the foods it is used in is detailed. Special Note : All the recipes are tried & tested across three generations. Profiles of the Compilers P Geetha- is a post-graduate in Botany. She has been, over the years catering to eclectic parties & functions. MS Neelakatan-is a professional with teaching experience in the hospitality industry. He is a contributor to the national media on food & lifestyle. He is also a member of he IFCA (Indian Federation of Chef’s Association).