CHENNAI: The Tamil Muslim cuisine or the Tamil Sahibu is the cuisine of the Tamil-speaking Muslims who live along the Coromandel Coast of South Tamil Nadu. The intermingling of Arab traders and the local women during the 8th or 9th century resulted in the formation of the population who live around Kilakarai, Kayalpattinam Adirampattinam, etc. Though not listed among the popular cuisines, it is unique and subtly flavourful.
The life of the Tamil Muslims has been shaped around the ocean. It is mostly a seafaring community that relies on maritime trade, fishing, and pearl diving as their main source of income. Over the centuries merchant traders, Islamic Evangelists, foreign cultural practices along with new culinary influences started docking in towns around Kilakarai, Kayalpattinam, and Thondi.
According to researchers, this rich and distinct food identity was shaped by influences not only from the Arab world but also from countries like Sri Lanka, The Maldives, and those from the South Asian archipelago due to semi-permanent migrations and trade. These migrants formed cultural strongholds to establish their identity in their greener pastures and one of their proud exports was their cuisine. They also incorporated the cuisines of the places they moved into and hence, porkless yum cha, mamak food, and Khaleej mandi became hot favourites.
The most exquisite ingredient of Tamil Muslim cuisine is the kanava karuvad or dried squid. It is an ode to hot Indian summers and made from fresh squid that has been gutted and made to dry in the blazing hot tropical sun. The squid once thoroughly dehydrated is deconstructed by hand into thin thread-like pieces and is one of the most expensive seafood commodities available locally due to how labour-intensive the process is.
The combination of perfectly fried dried squid (the oil has to be at optimal temperature and removed from heat after dropping the calamari) with curry leaves and chillies can amp up any meal. Another special ingredient of the region is the rampe or pandan leaves. These leaves give out a distinct flavour only when cooked. The thenga choru or nei choru with the flavours of pandan leaves are served on every special occasion along with Kayalpattinam kalari kari.
Masi or Maldivian fish which is smoked and dried tuna is yet another special flavouring agent of this region. Made into a thovayal with shallots, chillies, and coconut or as a flavouring agent to curries this gives an oceanic punch and umaminess to the dish. The anams or watery coconut milk-based curries of the region have a spectacular taste. Their pulianam or coconut milk rasam is the best I have tasted and the meal itself is heavenly when paired with kanava karuvad fry.
Dumroot, a sticky cake made from semolina, maida, and coconut milk is a local specialty that is made for festive occasions and weddings. Though dumroot has many doppelgangers in world cuisine like the Arab basbusa, Filipino bibinka, the Indian version is unique. Another local specialty is the dodol, a fudge sweet made by cooking coconut milk, jaggery, and rice flour for over three hours on a firewood stove. Dodol is believed to have been brought by the Portuguese from Indonesia and there is a version of this in Sri Lanka too. Vengaya paniyaram, poicha idiyappam, dum adai, surul paniyaram, pathir puri, and seeni vadai are some of the famous and exquisite short delicacies of the region though the list is endless.
Kayalpattinam Kalari Kari: It is a delicacy from the Kayalpattinam area and no marriage or celebratory meal would be complete without this. It pairs beautifully with ghee rice, pulao, plain rice and rotis too. It is tangy, creamy, and flavoursome and irresistible.
Ingredients
Mutton: 500 g
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Jeera powder: 1 tsp
Fennel powder: 1 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
Onion: 1, sliced
For gravy
Coconut oil: 3 tbsp
Ghee: 2 tbsp
Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom: 2 each
Onion: 1, sliced
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
Curry leaves, pandan leaves
Curd: 2 tbsp
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Jeera powder: 1/2 tsp
Fennel powder: 1/2 tsp
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp
Poppy seeds: 1.5 tbsp
Cashews 10
Coconut milk: 1 cup
Raw banana: 1/2 cubed
Mango: 2 slices
Method
