THE SCENT OF PARADISE

The Scents of Paradise

by SMITA & SANJEEV CHANDRA

Aromas of pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom lingered in the air as we drove along the steep road that wound up hills whose sides were covered with lush, green trees. Our destination was Aanavilasam—a working, thriving, spice plantation that doubles as a luxury resort. It is a lovely, tranquil place with flower-lined paths leading to the guest rooms.

Aanavilasam Plantation

Sitting on the verandah of our resort room, we were shaded by a canopy of towering eucalyptus, cinnamon, and jackfruit trees. Thick vines, heavy with bunches of peppercorns clung to the tree trunks. And the heady perfume of spices was everywhere. If paradise is scented by spices, as ancient legends claim, we had arrived!

The following morning, as we gathered for breakfast and dipped into the honey, we discovered, to our delight, that it had the distinct flavor of cardamom. Even the bees here were raised on cardamom flowers!

Born and raised in India, we have lived in North America for decades and often tap into experiences from our homeland to teach and write about Indian food. Spices are at the heart of Indian cuisine, yet, despite years of using and talking about them, neither of us had ever seen these beloved seasonings being grown.

India’s verdant state of Kerala had long been on the list of places we hoped to visit, both for its natural beauty and because of the abundance of spices grown there. The tropical Malabar coast where merchants from around the world have come for millennia to buy spices grown in the nearby hills – seemed like the perfect place to begin.

After discussing the various options, we decided on a twoweek tour that would take us from the port city of Kochi to the hill town of Thekkady, with many scenic stops in between.

Spices, we soon learned, do not grow in neat rows. Rather, they are a riot of foliage that threaten to overwhelm everything around them. Pepper vines clamber up

the trunk of any tree within reach. Clusters of cardamom pods trail on the ground. Nutmeg, mace, cloves, and star anise grow next to coffee, cocoa, papaya, bananas, and cashews.

During the tour, we tasted fresh ginger dug from the ground, crushed a leaf from an allspice plant to inhale its lovely aroma, peeled bark from a cinnamon tree, and broke open a fresh green cardamom pod to sample the crunchy, aromatic seeds inside. Each new burst of flavor was an eye-opening, unforgettable experience.

Kerala’s food is renowned for the liberal use of spices and coconut in fragrant meat, seafood, and vegetable curries. Each new meal we tasted in the resort was made with the plantation’s own spices, vegetables, honey, and dairy products. The flavors were so pure and fresh, we didn’t want to stop eating!

The chef’s creativity shone in dishes like decadent pumpkin halwa with cashews; melt-in-the-mouth beet croquettes scented with cinnamon; fresh paneer korma with garam masala; and banana cardamom preserves slathered over toast. He even gave us a cooking lesson in the plantation kitchens, showing us how to make Kerala’s famous fish curry, one of our favorite dishes.

In the town of Kochi we discovered a melting pot of culinary influences left behind by the Arab, Chinese, and European merchants who sailed into its port. Overlooking the harbor, the stately Brunton Boatyard hotel was the perfect place to experience this magnificent range.

Sitting at the hotel’s History Restaurant, we scanned a truly international menu that included English beef cutlets, Syrian fish curry, Portuguese pork vindaloo, and a sublime Dutch-inspired cinnamon laced, coconut milk crème caramel called vattalappam. Our selection was a seafood thali with grilled marinated fish, spicy mussels, masala calamari, and delicate prawn biryani with spicy fresh cardamom pickle. Returning home to Toronto, our bags were filled with spices that had been grown on the plantation and our hearts were full of warmth. Whenever we open our kitchen spice cabinet, the scent instantly sweeps us back to India. We delight in the heightened flavor of the dishes we make with them, and cherish the memories of our scented journey through the lush, green hills of Kerala.

Brunton Boatyard hotel

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