Deepa Menon 1 The sea breeze rolled in from the Malabar coast, carrying with it the scent of salt, dried fish, and something warm from Meera Kurian’s café kitchen—her signature meen curry, gently bubbling in the clay pot, laced with kokum, green pepper, and roasted coconut. “Thenga & Tamarind,” the little café she’d built with her grandmother’s dreams and her own savings, was set to open that evening. The final touches were being made—the table runners embroidered with jackfruit leaves, brass tumblers polished, banana leaves stacked beside the cutlery trays. Meera wiped her hands on her apron and glanced at…