There’s a reason travelers go gaga over the varieties and flavours of Kerala cuisine! Inspired by a fusion of Malabari, French, and Arabian influences and enhanced with a touch of Kerala’s unique culture, each dish in the state is an experience in itself that will leave you asking for more! From the enormous platters of vegetarian dishes like Sadya, the range of non-vegetarian dishes made with seafood, lamb, and beef, to the sweet and savoury delicacies, the food of Kerala will take you on a joyride!
Kerala Cuisine: An Overview
The staple food of Kerala is greatly influenced by the history and culture of the state. It’s a blend of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, in which the latter is prepared a variety of items like fish, poultry and red meat. Rice, fish, and coconut are the most common ingredients of almost all Kerala famous food. The flavours are enhanced with chillies, curry leaves, mustard seeds, turmeric tamarind, black pepper, cardamom, clove, ginger, cinnamon, and asafoetida.
Though the traditional food of Kerala, including Kerala Sadya prepared during festivals and celebratory ceremonies, is vegetarian, the contemporary food of the state includes non-vegetarian dishes. One might also be able to identify the taste of coconut in most dishes in Kerala, owing to the fact that blending grated coconut and its milk in food for thickening and flavouring is a common culinary practice in India. Other than that, Kerala is also a heaven for seafood lovers because of its thriving fishing industry, making seafood a common part of meals here.
So, for all those who think Kerala food is all about idlis and dosas, you’re in for a surprise! Come over to this charming coastal town with the choicest Kerala tour packages and indulge in the best gastronomic experiences that probably won’t let you leave!
Popular Vegetarian Dishes In Kerala Food
1. Idiyappam with Curry
Also known as Noolappam in Kerala cuisine, Idiyappam is made of rice flour, salt and water with a number of thin strands or sevai entwined together to make the lovely texture that this dish bears. It is this texture that makes it versatile. You can have it with all kinds of curries, but it tastes best with Egg Curry.
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2. Erissery (Pumpkin and Lentil Stew)
A hit in every kitchen of Kerala, this curry is made from either raw plantains or sliced yams. It is typically prepared by boiling slightly sweet pumpkins with salt, chillies or pepper, dried lentils, grated coconut, turmeric powder, cumin seeds and garlic, and is served on a bed of rice once cooked. A favourite Kerala food item on the menu of religious festivals like Onam, Erissery provides the perfect culinary for foodies who are always on the lookout for new flavours!
3. Puttu and Kadala Curry
A famous breakfast recipe out of the many Kerala dishes, Puttu is a cylindrical steamed rice cake that is cooked in a mould with grated coconut. It can be served with ripe bananas, grated coconut, and kadala curry (the Keralite version of ‘Kala Chana’! Don’t be fooled by the simple appearance of this dish; Puttu can be very flavoursome!
4. Appam with Ishtu (Stew)
A staple element of Kerala cuisine made from fermented rice flour, coconut milk, coconut water, and a teensy bit of sugar, Appam is essentially a thin pancake with crispy edges. These crepe-like bowls are best enjoyed with Ishtu, a kind of stew that has been originally derived from the European stew and is made from coconut milk, cinnamon, cloves and shallots, and sometimes also mango pieces and vegetables. The aroma of spices with the sweet fragrance of coconut milk is enough to lure foodies to the kitchen!
