Cooking holiday in Kerala, India

Learn to create a wide range of dishes from one of the most intriguing cuisines of the world, in a relaxing environment where you will meet others who share your passion for food and for life.

During our 4 and 8 day residential cooking courses, you will be introduced to different preparations of rice, vegetable dishes, the use of coconut in food, and the preparation of a Keralan festive lunch or dinner (known as a ‘Sadya’) in our 8 day programme.

The course will be held in a traditional home set in the grounds of a working bio-organic spice garden. All of the recipes will be provided alongside and we will also help you to make detailed flow charts outlining the cooking processes.

Our Keralan cooking adventure isn’t just about being in the kitchen. You will also explore the spirit of the region and its people, with a range of captivating excursions that will be inspiring and relaxing. The level will be basic Keralan vegetarian cooking with a special focus on the vegetables and ingredients available in other countries. This is an exclusive course that will give you hands-on experience and so is limited to a maximum of eight people.

Our 8 day programme is given below. The 3 day cooking course offers daily cooking classes and sessions with time to relax and explore the farm, region and local markets.

Day 1:	Arrival. Familiarise yourself with your cottage and the tropical forest garden around. Enjoy a tuk tuk tour of the region.
Day 2:	Cooking basics and demonstrations. After breakfast learn about the regional evolution of Kerala cuisine, the spices and utensils used and convenient contemporary adaptations. In the afternoon, there will be cooking class and dinner in the evening.
Day 3:	Enjoy a walk through the region and say hello to the spices and plants growing in the region and visit a pineapple market. In the afternoon, there will be cooking class and dinner in the evening. In between you can explore the region or walk to the river for a swim in Summer (December to May)
Day 4:	Visit an elephant training centre, handloom cotton weaving centre and also temples and churches if you wish. In the afternoon, there will be cooking class and dinner in the evening.
Day 5:	A day out to see the Keralan Hills and Tea growing area. Do tea shopping and also visit a natural dyeing and hand made paper unit.
Day 6:	Visit to local snack, chip, masala and curry powder making units. In the afternoon, there will be cooking class and dinner.
Day 7:	Question and answer session, review of progress. In the afternoon, there will be cooking class and dinner.
Day 8:	Breakfast and farewell.

You will be staying in one of our clean and comfortable ensuite bungalows on our family run farm, overlooking the lush native forest.

All bungalows have a veranda, and we have hot water (most of the time) and filtered drinking water. Bathrooms have toilet paper, soap and towels.

The accommodation is away from the communal area, so that you can be as sociable or private as you wish. Facilities for making coffee, tea or fresh lime soda are available in the communal area, together with seasonal tropical fruits.

For farmstay accommodation only, please click here
By air: We are 50km (1 hr drive) from Cochin airport.
By train: We are 55km (1 hr 15 min drive) from Ernakulam Junction (to the North) and 65km (1 hr 30 min drive) from Kottayam railway station (to the South).

The Midlands of Kerala are the place where spices, food and fruits were naturally grown in homestead forest gardens that were eventually lost to rubber plantations. Spices were moved up to the hills where the forests were cut and plantations were established, thereby damaging the ecosystems in a significant way (monoculture plantations e.g. tea, coffee, pepper and rubber).

Here we are making an effort to bring back the glory of the Midlands by establishing a homestead forest garden (bio organic farming), growing spices in their natural habitat and endeavouring to preserve the recipes of the region. This is quite different and environmentally more aware than growing spices and crops in the cleared forest ranges in the mountains or the dense mangrove forests in the backwaters as a monoculture.

We believe the enjoyment of excellent foods should be combined with efforts to save the countless traditional grains, vegetables, fruits, and milk products that are disappearing due to the prevalence of convenience food and agribusiness.

During this week of cookery classes, we will introduce you to South Indian food as it is cooked at home, far away from restaurants and mass commercial ventures. This helps other communities learn about the wonderful vegetarian options, how to spice a food properly and learn interactively from those who know best! In this way we support the growers of local foods, protect regional gastronomic traditions, safeguard cultivation and processing techniques and protect wildlife species.

Participants will also gain an insight into local traditions and culture, the use of food in local health practices and have the opportunity to experience the ayurvedic medical massage!

We are also trying to conserve the bio diversity of the region by raising lots of medicinal herbs in the garden itself, a self financed economically viable conservation initiative by the family.

We also use solar power for water heating, bio gas for cooking, low energy bulbs in the rooms and outside, minimal use of concrete, hedges for fencing instead of walls and grow bamboo for use on the farm.

The cost of your stay is ploughed back into the farmstay, and all the products and services are locally sourced thereby benefiting the local community.