Kollam Puli Inji

In a Kerala sadya, the smallest dish on the leaf is the one everyone reaches for first. Puli Inji is Kerala's sweet, sour and fiery ginger relish. Fresh ginger is slow-cooked in tamarind and jaggery, then finished with green chillies and curry leaves. Kerala homes make it for Onam and weddings, and an old saying claims it's worth a hundred curries. We brought it home from Kollam, the way the coast makes it. How it tastes: Tangy tamarind first, then the warmth of ginger, then a slow jaggery sweetness that holds the heat together. Eat it with: Curd rice, dosa, idli, or a simple plate of rice and dal. A spoonful wakes up almost anything.