Kerala, God’s own country, the land renowned for its exotic range of spices. The cuisine of Kerala is a symbolization of its culture, tradition, heritage and its geography. It is an epitome of both veg and nonveg cuisine at one phase. When you ask any Malayali about the Kerala cuisine, the very first thing you might hear will be Coconut and Banana fries. But from my experience, there is a lot to explore in Kerala cuisine apart from coconut and bananas. Being the land of spices, every dish in Kerala you can experience a magical amalgamation of spices. There are so many places in Kerala which are famous for their dishes and recipes. “Mittayi Theruvu” in Kozhikode is renowned for a cluster of a wide variety of chocolate shops and different types of halwa throughout its aisle. And the famous Manjali biriyani and Kayees biriyani from Ernakulam and also famous “Kulukki Sarbath” which is extensively popular among youngsters. Being a North Indian, from Ahmedabad it was a fascinating moment for me when my Malayali friends introduce me to the authentic Kerala cuisine when I moved to Kochi for my post-graduation. Apart from the delicious food there a lot of lush greenery destinations in Kerala which can be included in your tour packages to make a phenomenal trip to Kerala.
As a famous film dialogue “Food is not just a word, it’s an emotion” and it is completely true when it comes to breakfast for every Malayali. The spectacular option for breakfast is just amazing. But before I came to Kerala, the only thing I know about South Indian cuisine was Sambar and Dosa. But apart from Sambar and Dosa there a lot more to explore in South Indian Thali. From my personal favorite “Puttu” and “Kadala curry” or Chickpea curry to the piping hot beef stew and Appam, the breakfast options are just dashing. So let’s dig into the wide variety of authentic Kerala cuisine.
1. Puttu and Kadala Curry
Puttu or steamed rice cake is one of the most popular breakfast options in Kerala. Usually, it is made up of rice powder, coconut, and water. But apart from rice, wheat, corn powder, and semolina are also used to make Puttu. And the recently discovered “Jack fruit Puttu” is one of the edible breakfast options in Kerala. Puttu can be molded in different shapes, From cylindrical to most recommended: “Chiratta Puttu” which has a shape of semi-sphere is also available across different parts of Kerala. If you’re a vegetarian Puttu and Kadala combination is the best choice for you. Apart from Kadala curry, beef and chicken curry or even Fish curry are also a kick-ass combination for Puttu. When I travel with my friend to Calicut, he introduced me to “Kuthirabiryani” which sounds weird to me but later I discovered that it is the famous combination of Puttu and Kadala Curry with Papadam or Papad.
2. Appam and Stew
Appam and stew is an integral part of Syrian Christian cuisine. Appam is a pancake made up of rice batter and cooked in a specially designed cooking vessel called “Appachatti”. It was a magical moment for my taste buds when I took my first bite of the crispy Appam with the coconut stew. Stew is basically, a curry made with the richness of coconut milk and can add vegetables, chicken, or even red meat according to our taste. Among them, piping hot Mutton stew along with the crispy Appam is my all-time favorite. Even though stew is white and has a creamy texture, it is a little bit spicy due to the presence of black pepper and green chilies. The making process of Appam is also very delightful to watch, the sweetness of coconut milk and sugar which balances the sour taste of the fermented batter, like a perfect marriage of flavors. And the most interesting part of making is the deft swirling of “Appachatti” to get a unique bowl-like shaped Appam.
3. Malabar Parotta and Beef roast
Kerala cuisine is incomplete without having the most favorite Malabar Parotta and Beef roast. Malabar Parotta is another version of bread which is made up of all-purpose flour, oil, and water. And the making process is quite complex but interesting to watch the way he broke down the dough into long strips, which is then rolled together to make multi-layered Parotta. One should add this delicious Malabar Parotta along with the aromatic spicy beef curry in your next trip plan to Kerala. But it cannot be taken daily due to the huge amount of calories but still a perfect combo which gives immense pleasure to your taste buds. Beef or “Panni” curry is an authentic Kerala curry which is filled with the richness of spices, coconut, and red meat. In local wine shops, Beef curry is the main dish that is paired up with toddy and a must-try combination in Kerala.
4. Kappa Biriyani
One of my favorite evening snack. Kappa biriyani is a combination of mashed tapioca mixed with beef roast. Kappa is a ground crop in Kerala which is an edible food ingredient with a lot of fibers, which is cooked in water and it gets softened and then it mixed well with beef curry and garnished with onions and curry leaves. I became a huge fan of Kappa and Fish curry which I tried once in my college trip to Kerala which is organized by a travel company called Gogeo Holidays. If you’re someone who loves spicy food then Kappa Biriyani is a must-try dish for you. In my experience, the local Kappa Biriyani that we got from the street vendors is more flavourful, delicious and available at cheap prices. During my post-graduation period, this is used to be our evening snack along with some hot black tea. A day is not enough to complete the food diary through Kerala, from the wide varieties of biriyanis, Banana chips, and “Kuzhi mandi” the dishes are ceaseless. Depends on the region, culture, and religion we can explore a spectrum of dishes in Kerala cuisine.