Kozhikode: M Arya, a 12th grade student of the Mukkam Anayamkunnu VMHMHSS stunned the judges and the spectators alike when she served some unique dishes in mud vessels. She had presented the dishes that were once eaten by our ancestors at the cooking competition conducted as part of the school work experience festival.
Arya cooked palm-rice porridge, panachiyila curry, a jackfruit seed dish, dates fries, arrowroot halwa, plantain stem stir fry and raw tapioca fries. Panachiyila is star-shaped leaf with yellow leaves and small pines. In the olden days, this leaf was used for sourness instead of tamarind. Arya says that panachiyila curry goes amazingly well with the dates-rice porridge.
Arya is the daughter of Suresh Babu and Saritha. It was Saritha who made the beautiful palm leaf hat for her daughter. Arya had said that she wanted to wear this unique hat when everyone else would wear a chef's hat. The elaborate spread was arranged beautifully on a coconut leaf mat which was made for Arya by her neighbour.
