Top Dishes To Try When in Kerala

What is life without food and friends, in that order…just kidding, of course!

I have a lot of friends who are really close and being a foody, I have often forced them to accompany me to different food joints- from top-class restaurants to road-side dhabas. Just that amazing aroma makes my taste buds tingle with anticipation, it’s so tough to wait out those infinite minutes when you are so excited, so animated. Someone has truly stated that trying out new cuisines is one of the greatest adventures that makes your life so much more enjoyable, so much more colourful!

Our gang has naturally tried out virtually everything on offer on mother earth: Italian and Spanish, Mexican and Continental, Thai and Greek, Chinese and Japanese, and not to forget, all sort of North and South Indian cuisine. And just when we thought nothing was left to discover, we had a wonderful surprise!

Rich Keralite tradition

When we landed at this Southernmost state of India, we were just not aware of the rich tradition of local delicacies, and so much was at the store for us really. Your desire would be aroused instantly by the amazing varieties and flavours of the Kerala cuisine- a blend of Malabari, French, and Arabian texture mixed with that unique local culture and tradition. The exclusive taste and fragrance of coconut oil make Kerala cuisine very different and distinctive. You may be a vegetarian or may crave non-vegetarian food, but you are going to freak out on these dishes wanting more of everything! Just for an idea, fish, poultry, red meat, rice, coconut and fish are the most common ingredients of Kerala food, cooked of course in coconut oil, wow yummy. And of course, chillies, curry leaves, mustard seeds, clove, black pepper, cardamom and ginger make them so hot and savoury. Let us have a look at some top Kerala delicacies, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, that will take you on a thrilling pleasure trip!

1. Erissery

If you are on the lookout for exciting new flavours, Erissery is certainly going to bowl you out. Keralites just love this pumpkin- lentil preparation that’s an integral food item on grand religious festivals like Onam. Prepared by boiling sweet pumpkins with salt, chillies, dried lentils, pepper, grated coconut, ginger, and cumin seeds, it is served with steaming rice and provides the perfect gastronomic experience for people passionate about their food. Banana in Kerala is a part of its rich tradition, don’t forget to enjoy Erissery on a giant banana leaf.

The average price you have to pay for Erissery is Rs 400. The best place to eat are Mezban and Kashi.

2. Appam with Ishtu

Another delicious veg dish from the coconut state. Believe me, you will be licking your fingers when you try this scrumptious, succulent delicacy. Appam (thin pancake) and Ishtu (stew) are served as a speciality for honoured guests, and you will definitely feel like one when you devour this traditional Kerala food item. Appam is made from fermented rice flour, coconut milk, and coconut water mixed with a little bit of sugar. These crepe-like bowls with crispy edges taste delectable when served with Ishtu, a kind of stew made from coconut milk, cinnamon, cloves and shallots. You can add to the flavour of this Kerala curry by adding mango pieces and vegetables. The amazing spicy aroma mixed with the sweet fragrance of coconut milk will bowl you over! And great news for the non-vegetarians, you could definitely enjoy saucy appams with chicken or lamb!

You will have to dish out approximately Rs 200 for Appam with Ishtu, and some of the best places to eat are Ariya Niwas, Villa Maya and Varsha.

3. Ela Sadya

Those wishing to taste the real traditional Kerala vegetarian food just can’t afford to miss the spicy, delicious Ela Sadya. Demonstrating the rich culture and traditions of the coastal state, this incredible delicacy serves an amazing variety on your platter- virtually Chappan Bhog, a royal treat! Ela Sadya is a local favourite during festivals, weddings and prestigious ceremonies and loved by all the denizens. To make the picture clear, it’s not a single dish but a combination of appetizing dishes like pachadi, kichadi, pulissery, sambar, varavu, olan, aviyal, thoran, Kerala chips, and paysam served with steaming hot rice on a banana leaf- an astonishing royal lunch. You are going to remember this sumptuous meal with astounding taste and aroma forever in your life!

You will have to dish out a surprisingly low price of approximately Rs 500 for Ela Sadya; some of the best places to eat are Chakara and Hotel Bharath.

4. Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu

Coming to some non-veg recipes, do you like chicken, hot and spicy at that? You don’t have to go farther than Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu, forget the Punjabi tadka or hot wings for a while! This Kerala fried chicken made with a generous amount of hot southern spices is served with onion, garlic, extra spices and vinegar on a traditional banana leaf. You can feast on this spicy dish of course with hot steaming rice, but also with chapatis, appam or Kerala porotta (layered flatbread). This Kerala chicken roast item is so popular that many street vendors serve it even with dosa to make your time more colourful!

The average price you have to dish out is Rs 800; the best places to eat are Spice Village and Fusion.

5. Karimean Pollichathu

How can you desist the piquant seafood when you visit Kerala? Karimean Pollichathu, the Kerala style fish will instantly make your senses tingle with expectation, the aroma is just so irresistible! If you are a fish lover, you will go head over heels over this traditional Kerala fish sprinkled open-handedly with chilli and pepper, salt and turmeric, and cooked in whole coconut milk and jaggery, and flavoured with curry leaves. This exotic seafood can be the essence of one’s Kerala visit, enjoy this famous Kerala food thoroughly with a platter full of hot steaming rice!

The average price you have to dish out is approximately Rs 700; the best places to eat are Forthouse Restaurant and Adam’s Teashop.

6. Fish Molee

If you want to take your dining experience to a new level, don’t forget to gorge on the Kerala Style Fish Molee when you visit the coconut state the next time! The sensational taste and the exotic aroma will make your mouth and eyes water. Cooked in coconut oil with a mix of King fish, coconut milk, tamarind paste, lemon juice, ginger, pepper and green chillis, and a good amount of hot spices, Fish Molee is a speciality you will come back to Kerala for. Feast on this Kerala fish curry with a bowl of steamed rice of appam, and invite your friends to share this out-of-the-world experience.

You have to dish out approximately Rs 900 for Fish Molee, and the best places to eat are Harbour Restaurant and Fusion.

7. Thalassery Biryani

Everyone goes gaga over the famous Hyderabadi Biryani, but I was just overwhelmed when I came across this luscious Kerala cuisine- Thalassery Biryani. Stuffing myself with a sumptuous platter of Thalassery Biryani with Chicken 65 (and on another occasion, Chilli Chicken Stir Fry) was the ultimate dining experience, believe me. Prepared from fried onions, basmati rice, gravy, rose water, yoghurt, cashew nuts, lime, wheat flour and coconut cream, Thalassery Biryani surely ranks among the best! Incidentally, you also get breathtaking biryani at Calicut.

You will have to dish out about Rs 250, and the best places to eat are Fusion Bay and Suprabhatham.

8. Erachi Varutharacha Curry

Let me end with a delightful traditional Kerala recipe you won’t easily get in just any ordinary restaurant even in Kerala. The king of cuisine, Erachi Varutharacha Curry is of Syrian-Christian origin and finds a place of honour in this Arabian sea state. Spices are first fried and ground before mixing them well in a base of mutton, onions, tomato, roasted coconut paste, and mustard seeds with a generous tadka of curry leaves to prepare this Kerala mutton curry. An out-of-the-world experience really, a very different mutton dish than what you have ever tasted.

The average price you have to dish out is Rs 500; the best places to eat are Ali Baba and 41Dishes.

These delectable cuisines have won the hearts of foodies from around the world. Don’t miss a chance to satiate your appetite when you plan a vacation in Kerala, God’s own country. Seems God is a food buff, too!