Kayra: Keeping up with Keralan food

Delia's Stew is a recipe handed down by Meriam Alfonso's mum and is decadent and rich.

Growing up, Meriam Alfonso’s fondest memories were of her family’s restaurant in Johor Baru, which was opened in 1949 by her grandparents and served the cuisine of their homeland, Kerala, India.

In the womb of the familial eatery, she inhaled the intoxicating aromas emerging from the kitchen and absorbed everything her aunts and mum whipped up with the wide-eyed interest of a child who had unearthed life’s greatest treasure.