Kerala– God’s Own Country is known for its diverse cuisine characterized by the use of coconut, curry leaves, and spices. Kerala food is popular for its unique combination of flavors, spices, and cooking techniques showcasing the state’s history, culture, and geography. The food dishes prepared consist of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. The vegetarian food items are prepared using different kinds of vegetables while the non-veg dishes are made from a variety of items like fish, poultry, and red meat.
List Of 8 Best Food Items In Kerala That You Just Can’t Miss!
If you also plan to visit Kerala in the near future, make sure to prepare the list of these best dishes to try in Kerala:
1. Appam with stew
Pronounced as Ap-pam with I-sh-tew
Best places to eat: Villa Maya, Varsha, Ariya Nivaas
Average Price: INR 175
Appam is a kind of pancake made using fermented rice batter with coconut milk. It is best enjoyed with a vegetable or meat stew that is flavored with coconut milk and spices. The stew is usually made with potatoes, carrots, peas, and beans, but in many places is made with chicken, mutton, or vegetables. The aroma of spices with the sweet fragrance of coconut milk is something that attracts all the foodies.
The aroma of spices in these Dishes of Kerala with the sweet fragrance of coconut milk inspires you to try these dishes. Though it is originally a vegetarian dish, one can also try it with chicken or lamb.
2. Thalassery Biryani
Pronounced as: Th-ul-ace-siri
Best places to eat: Fusion Bay, Suprabhatham
Average price: INR 245
While visiting Kerala, make sure to try Biryani. Biryani is one of the most exotic Kerala cuisines and you can get it at various places in Kerala, Calicut, and Thalassery. Kerala is the state of seafood with fish being the most famous meat. Biryani, popular Kerala dishes is prepared using different kinds of herbs, spices, and special biryani masala of Kerala.
3. Idiyappam
Pronounced as: E-di-ap-pam
Where to eat: Jasmine Bay, Saravana Bhavan, etc.
Average price: INR 100
One of the most famous dishes of Kerala is Idiyappam which is enjoyed the most by the people. The other name of this dish is Noolappam in Kerala cuisine; it is made with rice flour, salt, and water. Also, it is cooked with a number of thin strands or sevai entwined together to give a lovely texture to it. One can enjoy this dish with a variety of curries, but it tastes amazing with Egg Curry.
4. Puttu and kadala curry
Pronounced as Put-tu and Ka-da-lai
Best places to eat: Saravana Bhavan, Mezban
Average Price: INR 80
Puttu is a steamed rice cake that is usually served for breakfast with a spicy chickpea curry known as kadala curry. The curry is made with black chickpeas, coconut milk, and a blend of spices, giving it a unique flavor that is popular among locals and tourists alike. This dish is served with ripe bananas, and grated coconut, along with kadala curry.
You can enjoy food items of Kerala with chapatti or pooris apart from the puttu. It is a traditional dish with different flavors of Kerala.
5. Karimeen pollichathu
Pronounced as: K-a-ri-meen P-oh-li-chh-a-thu
Best places to eat: Oceanos, Adam’s Teashop
Average Price: INR 645
It is among the popular Kerala dishes where the fish is marinated using a blend of spices, wrapped in a banana leaf, and then grilled. This dish is quite popular among locals and among tourists as well. Also, it is prepared by marinating the fish in a mixture of lemon juice, red chilies, and other ingredients and then wrapped and baked in plantain leaves. Its exotic style of preparation enhances the overall taste of this dish while giving it a unique flavor.
6. Kappa and fish curry
Kappa is a dish made from mashed tapioca that is served with spicy fish curry. It is a popular comfort food in Kerala. The dish is a popular food in Kerala and is often served as a breakfast dish. The tapioca is boiled and mashed with coconut and spices to give it a unique flavor that is popular among locals and tourists.
7. Palada Payasam
Pronounced as: P-al-a-da Pie-sum
Best places to eat: Saravana Bhavan, Curry Leaf
Average price: INR 100
This is a sweet dessert made with milk, sugar, and vermicelli or rice. It is flavored with cardamom, saffron, and nuts, and is a must-try for anyone with a sweet tooth.
A delicacy amid the main food of Kerala has successfully won the hearts of all the foodies coming to the state of Kerala. Palada Payasam is a sweet rice kheer prepared with palada and is mostly served during the celebrations and festivals such as Onam. Among different varieties of payasam, Palada Payasam is the most famous and is made with a combination of rice ada, milk, sugar, and ghee.
8. Ela Sadya
Pronounced as: E-la S-a-dh-ya
Best places to eat: Hotel Bharath, Chakara
Average Price: INR 400
Ela Sadya is one of the most preferred meals which is prepared in the traditional way. Ela Sadya is the king of all Kerala food items and is especially served during religious and ceremonial occasions like festivals, weddings, and more. This royal and all-inclusive lunch has various dishes such as pulissery, olan, pachadi, kichadi, sambar, varavu, thoran, aviyal, and payasam. The dish can be enjoyed with hot steaming rice on a banana leaf.
Conclusion
Hope now you are well aware of the best food items of Kerala. Overall, Kerala food is famous for its unique blend of spices, flavors, and cooking techniques, which have been developed over centuries and have evolved to become an integral part of the state’s culture and identity.
So give yourself the best culinary experience with the variety of Kerala cuisine to satisfy your craving to eat something delicious. Book yourself an amazing trip to Kerala with Honeymoon Bug and enjoy the rich taste of Kerala.
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FAQs About Cuisine of Kerala
What are the main spices used in Kerala?
The traditional food of Kerala consists of different kinds of spices which help make the food savory. The species used include black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. The most famous dishes of Kerala include rice, coconut, and tapioca.
Which food people of Kerala prefer in Kerala?
The kind of Dishes of Kerala which can be eaten for dinner include:
- Puttu and Kadala Curry.
- Appam with Stew
- Idiyappam
- Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu
- Kerala Prawn Curry.
- Naadan Beef Fry or Kerala Style Beef Fry.
- Malabar Parota.
- Kerala Style Fish Molee.
Which fish is famous in Kerala?
Different kinds of fishes are available in Kerala but the most famous one is Pearlspot Karimeen fish. When it comes to seafood, people also prefer having lobster or prawns.
What is the signature food of Kerala?
Kerala is famous for Sadhya, which is served at the Hindu festival Onam. The dish is made with a combination of boiled rice and a host of vegetarian dishes on a banana leaf. Kerala cuisine also consists of a lot of seafood such as mussels, fish, prawns, and crabs.
What can I shop for in Kerala?
Tourists can shop for different kinds of items in Kerala including Essential Oils, Sarees, Kathakali Masks, Jewelry, Banana chips, etc.
What are some of the most popular snacks from Kerala?
Pazham Por, Ela Ada, Sugiyan, Bonda, Valsan, Unniyappam, and bread pakoda are some of the most famous snacks in Kerala which can be enjoyed with tea or coffee.
Why Dishes of Kerala are special?
The Kerala staple food is a combination of coconut, rice, tapioca, and different kind of spices such as black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. The most famous food of Kerala includes seafood like fish, prawns, mussels, lobsters, and crabs.
Which are the most common ingredient used in making dishes in Kerala?
Rice, fish, and coconut are the most common kind of ingredients used in the preparation of Kerala’s famous food. The flavors are enhanced by adding chilies, curry leaves, mustard seeds, cardamom, clove, turmeric tamarind, black pepper, ginger, etc. among other spices.
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