Private Traditional Cooking Class in Kochi with Archana

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Bio: Archana is a passionate home cook from Cochin, specializing in traditional Konkani cuisine. Inspired by her grandmother and mother, she began cooking at the age of 11 and now shares her love for forgotten recipes through hands-on cooking classes. A former celebrity coordinator and radio jockey, Archana turned her passion into a mission during the pandemic, reviving age-old recipes, making masalas and pickles from scratch, and promoting sustainable, seasonal cooking. Driven by a deep fascination with the science, sustainability, and stories behind traditional Saraswat Brahmin cooking from the Konkan coast, Archana has even been invited to lead workshops for chefs at the prestigious Oberoi Group of Hotels. Her mission is simple yet powerful: to revive and share a nearly lost cuisine that’s rich in heritage, built on seasonal foraging, and rooted in healthful, backyard-grown ingredients. Meal: Join Archana in her warm and welcoming home near Abad Nucleus Mall, Cochin, for an authentic in-home dining experience rooted in traditional Konkani cuisine. Konkani cuisine is known for its satvik principles, meals are typically prepared without onion, garlic, tomatoes, or garam masalas and emphasizes the use of fresh, locally available vegetables. Archana also practices no-waste cooking, creatively using vegetable peels, skins, and seeds in her dishes, just as her ancestors did. You can choose between a wholesome vegetarian Saraswat Brahmin meal or a flavorful seafood meal. Some of the dishes you may enjoy include banana blossom fritters, valval (vegetables simmered in coconut milk), ghassi (a coconut-based gravy with pulses or vegetables), and sukke (a dry preparation with fresh coconut). Meals are served with rice, dal, pickle, and papad, and are rounded off with a dessert like kheer (a traditional Konkani-style pudding). Please note that the menu varies by season, and seafood options like fish fry or fish or prawns in coconut gravy can be included upon request. Cooking class: Join Archana in her simple home kitchen in Cochin for a hands-on Konkani cooking class that brings forgotten Saraswat recipes back to life. In this 2-hour cooking class, learn to cook two dishes from scratch - a seasonal vegetable dish and a traditional coconut-based gravy, using treasured family recipes. Archana will also share her knowledge of no-waste cooking, showing you how to creatively use vegetable peels, skins, and seeds to make side dishes, chips, or preserves. As you cook together, she’ll introduce you to the unique principles of Konkani cuisine and offer valuable tips and tricks passed down through generations. After the class, sit down to enjoy the delicious meal you’ve helped prepare. This cooking class in Cochin is perfect for curious travelers, food lovers, and anyone interested in learning traditional Indian recipes, sustainable cooking techniques, and the unique flavors of Konkani cuisine.