A Culinary Conundrum
During a state banquet hosted at Rashtrapati Bhavan for the President of Seychelles, a menu themed 'Coastal Flavours' was presented, aiming to showcase
culinary traditions from India's coastal regions. While dishes from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra were featured, the specific Kerala-inspired items on the menu caused considerable surprise and sparked a lively debate among those familiar with the region's cuisine. The intention was to highlight maritime culinary connections between India and Seychelles, yet many of the purported 'Kerala flavours' seemed to deviate significantly from their traditional forms, leading to questions about authenticity and cultural representation in a high-profile diplomatic setting. The inclusion of unfamiliar preparations under the banner of Kerala cuisine prompted discussions about whether these were innovative fusions or misrepresentations.
Unfamiliar Kerala Dishes
The menu presented several dishes labeled as Kerala specialties that were met with widespread surprise and confusion. For instance, a 'Paneer Tellicherry,' described as a spicy Kerala-style paneer dish, was unfamiliar even to residents of Thalassery, the town it was named after, raising eyebrows about its origin and preparation. Another item, 'Jackfruit–Banana Flower Skewers,' was presented as a salad-like creation, featuring jackfruit and banana blossom threaded onto sugarcane sticks and cooked with Malabar tamarind (kodampuli). This particular dish was considered by many to be completely outside the realm of traditional Kerala culinary practices. Furthermore, the serving of yam thoran and raw banana thoran alongside porotta, a popular flatbread, was also noted as an unusual pairing, as thoran is typically enjoyed with rice.
Authenticity vs. Experimentation
The primary concern raised by the menu selections is the potential for misleading foreign dignitaries about the true nature of Kerala's diverse and rich culinary heritage. Critics argue that presenting experimental or fusion dishes under the guise of traditional cuisine could create a skewed perception. The 'Paneer Tellicherry' dish, in particular, garnered significant ridicule on social media platforms, with many questioning the rationale behind its creation and naming. Diplomacy observers have also voiced their opinions, questioning the necessity of such culinary experiments when Kerala boasts an extensive array of authentic, flavourful, and well-established vegetarian dishes that could have been showcased. This debate underscores a broader conversation about balancing diplomatic representation with culinary integrity, especially when showcasing a region's food culture to an international audience.
A Vegetarian Coastal Affair
An interesting point that emerged from the discussions was the absence of any seafood items on the menu, despite the banquet's theme being 'Coastal Flavours' and the guest of honour being the President of an island nation. This omission was particularly noteworthy as seafood forms a significant part of the culinary landscape of many coastal regions in India, including Kerala. It was clarified that, in accordance with current practices at Rashtrapati Bhavan, only vegetarian dishes were served during the banquet. While this adherence to a vegetarian menu is a policy consideration, it led to a unique interpretation of 'coastal' cuisine for the occasion, further adding to the discussions around the menu's composition and thematic relevance.
