Accompanying me on this trip to Kerala is the book “Eating India” by Chitrita Banerji. Borrowing a line from the book on Kerala…

“A state tourism brochure proclaims: ‘With the Arabian Sea to the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 meters to the east and networked by forty-four rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought after tourism destinations in Asia. A long shoreline with serene beaches….lush hill stations and exotic wildlife…sprawling plantations and paddy fields.”

The author sets about exploring the culinary feasts to be enjoyed in Kerala. And no mention of food in Kerala is complete without touching on the most popular spice in world – the black pepper. And as the author details in the book, history is witness to the fact that for may centuries Kerala was the sole source of this spice, popularly called…