Sautés of various kinds are served as complimentary dishes. These sautés are called "Ullarthu" in Malayalam (the language of Kerala) and can be prepared from a variety of vegetables and meats. The preparation follows 2 basic principles of either cooking the food or then sautéing in oil, or sautéing in oil till the food is cooked. In both processes, spices are added in varying quantities to create the final effect. The author has selected 11 different sautés for this book.