Indian · regional cuisine

Kerala

The spice coast: coconut, coconut oil, curry leaves, black pepper and rice, cooked very differently by Hindu, Syrian Christian and Mappila Muslim communities.

Flavour character: Coconut in every form (grated, ground, milk, oil), curry leaves and mustard seed spluttered in coconut oil, black pepper heat, and sourness from kudampuli (Malabar tamarind), tamarind or yoghurt. Christian and Mappila dishes add whole garam masala spices.

17 recipes

Close-up view of freshly made appams arranged on a terracotta plate. Perfect for food inspiration.

History

The Malabar coast was the source of black pepper and cardamom traded to the Roman world, Arab merchants, China and later Europe; Vasco da Gama landed near Calicut (Kozhikode) in 1498, followed by Portuguese, Dutch and British trading posts. Kerala's Syrian Christians trace their church to the apostle Thomas by tradition, and their cooking (appam and stew, beef fry, duck roast) uses meat freely. The Mappila Muslims of Malabar, with long Arab trading links, developed pathiri, Thalassery biryani and harees-like alisa. Hindu cooking reaches its peak in the sadya, the vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf. Cochin also had an old Jewish community.

Well documented

Geography and influences

A wet, green strip between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, with backwaters and lagoons (Kuttanad), spice-growing hills (Idukki, Wayanad) and abundant coconut palms; two monsoons a year.

Ancient spice trade with Rome, Arabia and China
Syrian Christian community
Mappila (Malabar Muslim) community and Arab trade
Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial ports
Tamil influence in the south and Palakkad

Regional variations

Malabar (north): Mappila food: pathiri, Thalassery biryani with short-grain kaima rice, mussel (kallummakkaya) dishes, sulaimani tea.
Central Travancore and Kottayam (Syrian Christian): Beef fry, fish in kudampuli in clay pots, appam with stew, duck curry.
Kuttanad backwaters: Duck, pearl-spot fish (karimeen), toddy-shop food.
Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad: Stronger Tamil influence; Palakkad Iyer vegetarian cooking.

Festive and seasonal food

Onam: the sadya on a banana leaf, with inji puli, avial, olan, kalan, erissery, sambar, parippu and two or more payasams
Vishu (April new year): Vishu sadya and Vishu katta (rice and coconut)
Christmas and Easter (Syrian Christian): appam with stew, duck roast, plum cake
Eid in Malabar: biryani, pathiri and meat curries

Signature dishes

Not on the site yet: Puttu and kadala, Onam sadya, Olan, Thoran, Kalan, Palada pradhaman, Thalassery biryani, Karimeen pollichathu, Meen vevichathu (fish in kudampuli), Beef ularthiyathu, Kappa and meen curry, Kuttanad duck roast, Unniyappam, Banana chips