Visiting Kerala, Don't Miss These 10 Dishes

By Vidushi Singh

India's southernmost region is a paradise of calm backwaters, placid beaches, diverse wildlife, lush highlands, and its own distinctive, vibrant cuisine.

Puttu and kadala curry

Puttu is a cylindrical steamed coconut-grated rice cake. The dish is accompanied by kadala curry, a preparation of black chickpeas with shallots, herbs, and coconut milk.

Appam with stew

Keralan staple with crispy edges made from fermented rice flour with coconut milk. Mango chunks, veggies, poultry, or lamb can all be used as strew.

Karimeen pollichathu (fish)

Pearl spot fish is wrapped and baked in plantain leaves after being marinated in a blend of lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and other spices.

Malabar Parotta with Kerala mutton  curry

Layered flat bread made by kneading maida egg  oil or ghee and water. This is then eaten with mutton curry - pieces of mutton simmered in a tangy spicy curry.

Erissery or pumpkin and lentil curry

This dish is cooked with either sliced yams or raw plantains, frequently includes rice, dried lentils, grated coconut, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, and garlic, along with a pumpkin.

Palada payasam (dessert)

A sweet rice kheer prepared with  basic ingredients like rice ada, milk, sugar and ghee. This delicacy is famous in Kerala households.

Kerala prawn curry (chemmeen curry)

A prawn curry made with fenugreek, black mustard and fennel seeds, coconut milk and green chilli. It also includes a special ingredient called kudampuli.

Thalassery biryani

The meat is cooked with the masala over low heat and layered with rice. Then, a layer of hot charcoal or coal is added over the lid.

Fish moilee

Coconut milk-based fish stew from Kerala. The curry is typically made in a traditional manchatti (earthen pot) and includes coconut milk, fresh green chillies and other spices.

Banana fritters (dessert)

Juicy banana fritters, also known as pazham pori or ethakka appam, ripe bananas coated in plain flour and deep-fried in oil.