The health and wellness culture has set us off on an expedition to look for new alternative cooking methods, ingredients and cuisines that provide the most nutrition without any side effects. Biohacking and other realms of self development that involves making sure our bodies are in optimal condition fall under the same culture; all we want is to be healthier and do better, probably without sacrificing the flavours. When talking about healthy food, salads are the only thing that comes to mind, but a chef from coimbatore had enough of that and wanted to expand our options.
Chef Padayal Sivakumar, a visionary in the culinary world, has dedicated himself to revolutionizing the way we consume food through his concept of 'No Boil, No Oil'. Sivakumar's journey towards developing this groundbreaking culinary philosophy began during his extensive travels throughout India. Immersed in diverse culinary traditions, he discovered the profound impact of eating food in its most natural state. It was during this time that he realized the importance of preserving the inherent flavors and nutritional value of raw ingredients.
The chef has now developed over 2500 unique recipes without the use of oil. His belief is that oil often masks the natural flavours and essences of ingredients, and by eliminating it from his cooking, he can offer a more authentic and healthier dining experience. Sivakumar also suggests that boiling can often lead to the loss of essential nutrients. Instead, he explores alternative cooking techniques such as steaming, grilling, and baking to preserve the nutritional value of ingredients and enhance their flavours. Through these methods, he ensures that each dish retains its natural goodness.
For more than eight years, Chef Sivakumar has been teaching the style of fireless cooking, garnering a loyal following of health-conscious individuals. Two years ago, he opened the Padayal No Oil No Boil Restaurant offering world's first exclusive South Indian raw vegan cuisine in Coimbatore. The restaurant reflects Sivakumar's philosophy that "food is medicine". Its walls adorned with paintings of renowned figures such as agricultural scientist G. Nammalvar and farmer and activist 'Nel' Jayaraman, the place offers full-course South Indian meals lacking the heat but not the flavours.
Promoting raw foodism, a dietary approach that emphasizes the consumption of uncooked and unprocessed foods that has gained considerable attention in recent years, Sivakumar's cuisine is trying to take people back to more natural culinary traditions and away from the present world of heavily processed fast foods. As a country that takes pride in its culinary heritage, the 'no boil no oil' method could prove to be a great way to cleanse our digestive systems and tackle health issues by using food as medicine.
You can follow the restaurant here.
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