The scintillating aromas of the South tempt foodies to Kerala, where they are rewarded with a smorgasbord of gastronomical adventures. Text MS Mahadevan Waterlogged How else does one describe a strip of land, 38,863 sq km in size, with a 580-km long coastline and a water network of 1,920 km? A fine criss-crossing of 44 rivers, countless canals, lakes and lagoons make up Kerala's famed waterways.

And an annual rainfall of 310 cm-nearly thrice the national average-ensures that the level remains topped up through the year. Water, high temperatures and a fecund soil have made the region ideal for paddy cultivation. Of the 25 species of rice in the world, as many as six grow in Kerala. The state is home to three religious communities-Hindu, Christian and Muslim-each with its own distinct culinary tradition, but the rice-eating habit is common to all. Rice is the grain that sustains the Malayali-body and soul. It is the kernel around which is woven story and song, ritual and celebration.

A FEAST FOR A KING- Onam KERALA
Onam, which celebrates the harvest season, is Kerala's biggest festival. Widespread as the Malayali diaspora is, this is the time when everyone heads home and inbound flights, trains and buses are invariably chock-a-block with people from God's own country.

Onam is also when Mahabali, the much-loved mythical king of the land, returns to his people. At the crux of the festivities is the sodya (literally 'feast'), where Mahabali is the invisible guest. An Onasadya showcases the finest of the vegetarian culinary traditions.

Though the cooking style is minimalist almost everything is steam cooked the combination of individual flavours and textures pleasures the taste buds and satiates the stomach. The number of dishes in a sodya ranges from four to eight, though it can go up to as many as 15. The meal is served on a banana leaf, with the narrow end facing left.

The order of serving, too, is precise the crispy titbits like banana chips and papadam are placed first; next comes the tangy pickles of lime and mango and a fresh ginger-tamarind chutney; then the kootan, a range of thick vegetable curries made from vegetables such as yam, drumstick, white pumpkin and raw banana.

When the guest is seated, rice is heaped in the middle of the leaf. It is followed by an array of 'pourable' dishes: a thick plain dal, topped with a smidgen of ghee, sambar (a lentil-vegetable combination) and the watery rasam. The meal ends with payasam, a sweet made either from thickened milk or from lentils cooked with molasses. A small yellow banana is the final touch.