SENSEX
NIFTY
GOLD
USD/INR

Weather

image 14    C

Kerala News

News

Kerala / The New Indian Express

details

Everyone free to eat what they want but dont provoke others

Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri, the master chef of school arts festivals for the past two decades, is an unassuming individual who swears by the divinity of cooking, a task demanding utmost passion and deep dedication. In a freewheeling chat with TNIE, he opens up about his culinary journey spanning over three decades, why he believes in the individual freedom to choose what to eat, the controversies over beef and menu in school festivals, and the speciality of the much-talked about traditional Kerala sadya. Excerpts Youve made a name for yourself in Keralas culinary world. But its said your entry was accidental Yes. After acquiring my masters in physics, I struggled to get a job. I attended around 126 tests in five years, but with little luck. During those days in the 80s, Brahmins had two other options priesthood and cooking. I chose cooking because it gives instant results. Those days, you were an ardent admirer of M T Vasudevan Nair. Its heard that you passed through a phase of existential dilemma In my birthplace Kurichithanam there was a library in our neighbourhood. Reading became a habit since Class 5. Reading and travelling gifted me experiences. Thats how I developed a craze for MTs works. I also loved the poetry of Ayyappa Paniker and Balachandran Chullikkad. At the time, I had visited most states, as part of job-hunting. In between, I tried my luck in business and other small ventures. But they failed, and resulted in financial liabilities. I even thought of ending life. That was a period after Kerala society had undergone several changes. As a member of the Brahmin community, what was your life like then? The situation wasnt favourable for educated and qualified people. Reservation is a big problem. In that sense, I feel a uniform civil code is necessary. Imagine people standing in a queue under a hot sun. Some are invited and given lemon juice. The rest are excluded. Back then, such was the scenario. Opportunities were fewer. I wasnt very bright... my life evolved through reading and travel. Since you belong to a forward community, it was natural to have such an opinion. But do you still hold the same view? Certainly. Back then, I even had an inferiority complex for being a Brahmin. Now, in many places, there are attempts to make people Brahmins by giving them poonool (sacred thread) and teaching them mantras. It was the reverse then. I thought about the possibility of getting into the reservation category. It (reservation) is something which should not have been done in a place like India. From my travel to other countries, I understood there is no reservation there. People get employment based on merit. Skill should be the criterion, shouldnt it? Wasnt it necessary during that period, considering the social situation then? True, but how far have we changed from the social situation back then? Today, while beneficiaries of reservation occupy the highest levels of society, many from my community struggle for food, although they do not reveal it because of self-esteem or false pride. You mentioned the rigours of being a Namboothiri. Any perks of being a Namboothiri? My name is P D Mohanan. I changed it to Pazhayidom Namboothiri to establish myself as a cook. The tag found acceptance among people. Isnt there apathy from within your community towards those employed as cooks? In the 2000s, cooks were akin to aanakkar (those looking after elephants) and vedikkettukar (those engaged in fireworks). People engaged in cooking usually didnt present themselves well, didnt wash, ate pan, and dressed untidily. I could change this make them believe they have a place in society. Nowadays, cooks appear in whites (smiles). You once said business isnt meant for Namboothiris Successful ones are very rare. There could be two reasons. One, lying is quite difficult for them. Nobody can do business truthfully. One should know how to hide certain truths. Secondly, business is not meant for people who dont know how to handle money. They dont have much idea on aspects like utilisation of finances, investments, and returns. How did your situation change after those bitter life experiences? After my unsuccessful business venture, I got a job at a book stall in Ottapalam. While there, I happened to befriend a person, someone who handled funerals. He was a charming personality and a voracious reader, proficient in Malayalam, Sanskrit and English. I learnt lifes basics from him. I learnt that we cannot judge a person by his colour or job. He suggested that I try my hand at cooking and encouraged me to take up the profession. My career started with cooking for some 50 persons gathered at a local temple for namajapam. Had you tried cooking at home? No. Even today, I cant do it. My basic unit is a serving for 100 people. I can do any multiples of that. But anything below 100 would be an utter flop (laughs out). Isnt that easier than preparing food for 10,000 people? My interest grows with the number of people. Its a great pleasure to cook for a lakh (laughs). But it will be difficult if you ask me to cook for ten. I dont know how to prepare a dish with one or one-and-a-half spoons of ingredients. Women who cook at home are the best at that. The taste of homely food lies in their care and goodness. Its different from the commercial cooking I do. Did you have such love for cooking initially? It took five years to learn even the basics. I kind of established myself in 2001-02 when I prepared food for a Travancore royal family ceremony. It has been 25 years since you became the chef for school youth festivals. What changes have you noticed over the period? In the initial years, there was mass contribution... people and students would pool resources. Local residents would volunteer to assist. These were then not just events, but a place of togetherness. Also, back then, it was just a simple meal. Now, theres more diversity, including payasam on all days. In 2009, the current form of youth festival started... a common festival replaced separate events for HS, HSS, VHSS. Workload increased. Though the number of festival days was reduced, we increased the number of items by 20%. Do you follow the same menu, irrespective of the place, or make changes in line with regional differences? We usually follow the Travancore style, but also include a regional dish as a special item. Do you have the freedom to fix the menu? Earlier, we did, but stopped it with the 2023 controversy. Now, its an e-tender, wherein the menu is given. That said, we still retain the flexibility to make minor adjustments based on practical experience. Whats your focus, more dishes or more special items? We limit the menu to 12 dishes, but we experiment with payasams to add variety. There are so many possibilities... weve even created yam and pumpkin payasams. How have your travels influenced your approach to food preparation? Food exists to satisfy hunger and taste is born from hunger. If someone isnt hungry, eating loses its meaning. Ive seen people struggling to find food as well as prepare it. Such experiences made me view cooking as a form of worship. It taught me that serving food isnt just a taskit is a divine responsibility. Viewed as such, we approach it with true commitment. When we view the process of cooking and serving as divine, taste naturally follows. Its said that you start cooking with a prayer I always pray before cooking. No matter how busy we are, we never begin cooking without first taking a bath. Food is meant to be served to others, so we must treat it with respect and care. We also make it a point not to waste food. What exactly do you pray? My first prayer is that nothing untoward happens to any child because of the food. Second, my own actions should never harm the food. Third, my attention should not falter. Is there any truth in the saying that food tastes better when cooked on firewood? Vessels placed on firewood receive even heat, while on a gas stove, maximum heat is concentrated directly above the burner, increasing the risk of burning. Firewood allows slow cooking, which enhances flavour. The only caution is to ensure that smoke does not seep into the food. Each district differs in food preferences. What is Keralas food habit per se? Its difficult to define a single food habit for Kerala. We need to look at traditions that existed even before the formation of the state. Food practices vary widely across regions. For instance, in areas north of Kozhikode, non-vegetarian dishes are inseparable from daily meals. The food habits of northern, southern, and central Kerala cannot really be compared. What about authenticity of food? Everyone claims their food is the most authentic. In Thiruvananthapuram, people prefer dishes arranged in three layers on the banana leaf almost like a rainbow. For them, appearance matters more than taste. In northern Kerala, the spread is simpler, but they are very particular about flavour. Which sadya is better? Isnt the Thiruvananthapuram sadya considered superior? People may claim, but no one can insist thats the absolute truth (laughs). How about the serving style? In Thiruvananthapuram, people are very particular about the order of serving. For instance, if you serve pulissery before pradhaman, they may stop eating altogether. In other regions, this isnt the case. Is there a specific gastronomic order to follow in a sadya? Not really. A vegetarian sadya is built around six fundamental tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Whether the sadya has 10 dishes or 36, basic taste elements remain the same. The idea that digestion depends on following a strict sequence is not accurate, but certain practices do matter. You are vegetarian. How do you manage non-vegetarian dishes? We have a separate team and separate utensils for non-veg items. Whats your favourite food? I enjoy rice with curd and cut-mango-pickle. If rasam is added, Im even happier. Your take on the controversy over non-veg food during the school arts fest in 2023 The government provides an estimate about the number of people whod dine. The exact count is way different. Last year, the government said thered be 12,000 diners daily. But 20,000 people ate each day. Non-veg cannot be given to so many people. Food is prepared in a single kitchen and preparing meat is impossible. Even if meat is supplied, it will rot by the time its taken for preparation. Else, the government should install a freezer and a generator. In school games, food is prepared in five kitchens. Hence, non-veg dishes are served there. Politics over food is heating up Human digestive system is seven times longer than the height of a person. Digesting non-veg food is difficult, and could lead to health issues. Human body is more suited for a vegetarian diet, but now humans are used to being non-vegetarian. Brahmins too consume non-veg... Brahmins consuming non-vegetarian food is not unusual. Bengali Brahmins and some Maharashtrian Brahmins traditionally eat fish and do not claim to be strict vegetarians. Their food habits are shaped by regional culture. Kerala follows a different system, where certain Brahmin communities practise vegetarianism strictly. This has contributed to a perception that all Brahmins must be vegetarian, and in some cases, it has also created a sense of superiority among groups who identify strongly with vegetarian practices. Personally, I dont believe that some Brahmins have higher status. Ultimately, such divisions are meaningless. It is up to each individual to decide their way of life, including what they eat. The problem arises when one insists that you should eat what I eat. Vegetarian or non-vegetarian food, which one is good for health? Non-vegetarian food can boost stamina quickly. But its wrong to say that vegetarians have no strength. Vegetarian food boosts stamina slowly. Look at elephants; they are incredibly strong, yet they eat only plant-based food. Does the food we eat affect our character? Hitler was a vegetarian, yet he was an extremely cruel man. Food alone does not determine a persons character. Some people say eating spicy or salty food can make a person angry. There are people who get irritated easily after eating such food. The food we eat helps build body and health, but does not automatically shape our nature or behaviour. A non-vegetarian does not become short-tempered because of meat, neither does a vegetarian become peaceful by avoiding meat. Personality depends on the individual, not on whether they eat vegetarian or non-vegetarian food. On the changing food culture in Kerala, especially Arabic food Arabic food culture has adversely impacted the health of Keralites. Sudden changes in diet and the habit of eating food unsuited to our system have led to numerous health issues. Having such dishes occasionally is fine, but making it a regular habit just because they are popular is not right. Food should match climate and lifestyle. A major reason behind such trends is social media. Food bloggers and influencers constantly promote and encourage people to try dishes without considering health. How has the spread in traditional functions evolved? Over the years, the menu served during traditional functions has undergone a noticeable change. Earlier, the practice was to keep the previous days meal simple and light. Even non-vegetarian items, if served, were limited and uncomplicated. Today, the simplicity of the pre-wedding menu has largely disappeared. Heavy non-veg meals and elaborate spreads have become common even on the previous day. The sadya, once reserved for the wedding day, is now served frequently across various functions. The number of sadyas has increased, while exclusivity and ritual significance of the feast have decreased. Is non-vegetarianism increasing in Kerala? Non-vegetarianism itself has not necessarily increased, but there has been a noticeable shift in food habits. Many who were traditionally vegetarian now eat non-vegetarian food, while some non-vegetarians have moved towards vegetarian options. In short, there has been an interchange of preferences over the years. Why are vegetarian hotels shutting down? One major issue is that genuinely good vegetarian hotels, especially hygienic ones, are becoming rare in Kerala. This decline is not because people have stopped eating vegetarian food, but because many vegetarian establishments fail to maintain standards such as attractive interiors, clean and well-presented spaces, or even neat uniforms. Non-vegetarian hotels, on the other hand, generally maintain certain standards whether it is the quality of food, hygiene, or affordability. You once served sadya to PM Narendra Modi. How was the experience? I had the opportunity to serve a traditional Kerala sadya to Narendra Modi during the BJP national council meet. It was a completely vegetarian sadya. Cooking the sadya was quite challenging because of the security setup. But everything went smoothly. He ate the whole sadya; not a single item was left on the plantain leaf. He told me the food was excellent. I had prepared around 30 items including four varieties of payasam. I have prepared food for our chief minister too. Which is the most difficult food to cook veg, non-veg, or north Indian? Most difficult to prepare is vegetarian food, because each item has to be cooked separately in its own vessel, with its own method and time. In non-vegetarian cooking, if you make two gravies and one masala paste, you can finish many dishes. In north India too, most items have a gravy base, and once that is prepared, many dishes can be completed. In Kerala, beef is a political topic. People discuss whether eating beef is right or wrong. Whats your view? If you ask me whether it is wrong to eat beef, I will say no. People have the freedom to eat what they want. If someone tells us not to slaughter cattle, then what do we do with the animals that are already old and nearing death? I dont think eating beef is wrong. Politicians project the issue in a certain way thats the real problem. People should be free to choose what they eat, but they should not hurt others in the process. If you want to eat, eat... but dont try to provoke others. We talk about diversity, but real diversity is respecting individuals. Each person should be able to live according to their own beliefs. If someone sits next to you and eats non-veg, do you feel uncomfortable? Sometimes I might. In such cases, I try to sit elsewhere, where I feel comfortable. Kerala is known as a spice capital, yet our traditional meals are actually mild and subtle Traditional Kerala food is not very spicy. But now, the interest in spicy food has increased. It depends on what people have grown used to. You have been cooking for the past 27 years. How do you look at your life now? I have served food to 2.6 crore students. I have understood that this job has its own dignity and divinity. Ive no disappointments. I believe I was able to win peoples trust. TNIE team: Cithara Paul, Anil S, Aparna Nair, Parvana K B, Varsha SomarajVincent Pulickal (photos) Pranav V P(video)

30 Nov 2025 8:32 am