Indian Vanilla beans L - Gourmet quality

What is Kerala vanilla?

Kerala vanilla comes from the region of the same name in India. It's a planifolia vanilla, like most of the world's vanillas. Although India is better known for its various spices than for its vanilla, it's fair to say that our producers do wonders here.

Kerala vanilla is a beautiful product that will appeal to vanilla lovers, especially those who like to think outside the box. Forget what you know about vanilla and try this unique product.

What does Kerala vanilla taste like?

This Kerala vanilla is very intense. Its notes of cocoa, butter, leathery musk and toasted hazelnuts make it the real star of your recipes.

Harvesting Kerala vanilla

If we're talking about vanilla cultivation, perhaps we should be talking about an art. Growing vanilla requires a great deal of patience and a real knowledge of this very specific product. Why patience? Because first of all, you have to wait 3 years after planting for the vanilla plant to produce its first flowers. Then they have to be hand-pollinated, a real precision job. It then takes several months for the vanilla flower to give way to beautiful pods ripe enough to be picked.

Various stages then follow to obtain the finest Kerala vanilla:
- scalding
- steaming
- drying
- refining

Refining is a crucial stage, which involves leaving the Kerala vanilla beans in a trunk and sorting them to remove those that are mouldy and could damage the quality of the other beans.

How to use Kerala vanilla?

Kerala vanilla, with its slightly cocoa notes, works wonders in your recipes. Here are a few suggestions for exploiting the full potential of this high-quality product.

Our recipe ideas with Kerala vanilla

Scallop toast with Kerala vanilla

For a chic aperitif or starter, vanilla scallop toast is sure to please. Mix olive oil with the seeds of a Kerala vanilla pod and marinate for 24 hours. Brown your scallops in butter in a frying pan. Cut squares or circles of sliced bread and place in a buttered frying pan. Serve your toast topped with the scallops, with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and drizzle with your Kerala vanilla oil.

Beef simmered with Kerala vanilla

Not only does vanilla go well with beef, but here you'll enjoy the tasty marriage of red meat and cocoa flavors. Place a piece of roast beef in a casserole dish with olive oil, tomato sauce, peppers and onions. Infuse a vanilla pod in coconut milk and add to the casserole. Sprinkle lightly with lemon. Just before serving, cut up the beef steaks and drizzle generously with the vanilla sauce.

Kerala vanilla lassi

This is a drink that's perfect at the end of a meal. With your Kerala Indian vanilla, this drink is just the thing. It is widely consumed in India after a spicy meal to soothe the digestive system. It's easy to make: just heat up some milk and infuse your Kerala vanilla pod. Mix the milk with yoghurt and add poppy seeds. Serve chilled.

The health benefits of Kerala vanilla

Vanilla is an extremely healthy product, combining taste pleasure and well-being.

By eating Kerala vanilla, you can benefit from all its virtues:
- a natural antidepressant;
- a brain stimulant;
- reduces fatigue;
- fights cell ageing;
- a natural antiseptic;
- a slimming ally;
- an aphrodisiac.

How to store Kerala vanilla

Vanilla should be stored away from light and humidity.