The Malayalam of the kitchen — the equipment, the cooking verbs, the spices, and how to follow a recipe given to you by somebody who has never measured anything in their life. I am Dr. Reshmi R. Nair, an applied linguist from Kerala. I have taught hundreds of learners to speak Malayalam as it is actually spoken. THE EQUIPMENT അടുപ്പ് - aduppu - the stove, the hearth ചട്ടി - chatti - a shallow pan ഉരുളി - uruli - the wide heavy bronze vessel Kerala cooking is traditionally done in കലം - kalam - a pot ചട്ടുകം - chattukam - a stirring spatula കത്തി - katthi - knife ചിരവ - chirava - the coconut scraper ചീനച്ചട്ടി - cheenachatti - the Chinese pan, the wok. Along with ചീനവല (the Chinese fishing nets of Kochi), this word records who sailed to Kerala. THE VERBS, AND THEY ARE FULL OF CAUSATIVES വേവുക - vevuka - to become cooked വേവിക്കുക - vevikkuka - to cook something തിളയ്ക്കുക - thilaykkuka - to boil, said of the liquid തിളപ്പിക്കുക - thilappikkuka - to bring to the boil മുറിക്കുക - murikkuka - to cut അരിയുക - ariyuka - to slice ചിരകുക - chirakuka - to grate, especially coconut ഇളക്കുക - ilakkuka - to stir വറുക്കുക - varukkuka - to fry മൂടുക - mooduka - to cover കരിയുക - kariyuka - to burn, which is what happens if you answer the phone THE SPICES മഞ്ഞൾ - manjal - turmeric മുളക് - mulaku - chilli കടുക് - kaduku - mustard seed ഉലുവ - uluva - fenugreek കുരുമുളക് - kurumulaku - black pepper ഇഞ്ചി - inji - ginger വെളുത്തുള്ളി - veluthulli - garlic ചെറിയുള്ളി - cheriyulli - shallots, which Kerala uses far more than onions THE ONE INSTRUCTION EVERY KERALA COOK GIVES പച്ച മണം പോകുന്നത് വരെ - pacha manam pokunnathu vare - until the raw smell goes. The commonest doneness instruction in South Asian cooking. Written recipes use the bare -ഉക form as a neutral instruction: ചേർക്കുക, ഇളക്കുക, മൂടുക. Add. Stir. Cover. Which Malayalam dish do you want to cook first? #LearnMalayalam #Kerala #Malayalam