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There is a reason why travellers go gaga over the flavours of Kerala cuisine. Inspired strongly by a mix of Malabari, Arabian, and French influences and elevated with a dash of Kerala’s unique culture, each of the dishes is an experience in itself that will leave your taste buds salivating and wanting more. From a lip-smacking platter of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes to sweet-savoury delicacies, foods of Kerala are sure to take you on a joyride.

If you think Kerala is all about dosas and idlis, you are in for a surprise. Here are some of the most appetizing Kerala dishes that are a must-try –

Idiyappam with Curry

This authentic Kerala dish is prepared with rice, water, salt and flour, and has sevai or thin strands entwined together to add to its unique texture. You can relish this with any sort of curry but it tastes best when had with egg curry.

Lentil Stew with Pumpkin

This curry is a hit in all the kitchens in Kerala. The dish is typically prepared by boiling dried lentils, sweet pumpkin with a pinch of salt, peppers or chillies, turmeric powder, grated coconut, garlic and cumin seeds. And, it is best served with steamy rice. Locally known as Erissery, the dish is one of Kerala’s favourite food items to have on religious occasions like Onam.

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Puttu and Kadala Curry

This one is a famous breakfast dish from Kerala cuisine. Cooked in a mould with grated coconut, Puttu is a steamed rice cake served in a cylindrical shape. You can have it with Kadala curry, ripe bananas and shredded coconut. Don’t let the simple appearance of the dish fool you, it is packed with flavours!

Stew with Appam

A staple amongst Kerala dishes, Appam looks similar to pancakes only with a crispy texture. It is made from coconut water, coconut milk, fermented rice flour and a tiny bit of sugar. The best way to have these crepe-like Appams is with stew, prepared from coconut milk, shallots, clove and cinnamon, and sometimes with vegetables and slices of mangoes. The sweet fragrance of coconut milk and the strong aroma of spices are enough to lure you to the kitchen.

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Ela Sadya

The king-sized platter offers you more vegetarian food options that you would ever see. Sadya is served and prepared during ceremonial and religious occasions like weddings and festivals. The royal platter offers a combination of flavoursome dishes, such as khichadi, pachadi, olan, pulissery, sambar, payasam, aviyal, thoran and varavu. And, it is served on a banana leaf with hot steaming rice.

Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu

Garnished with garlic, vinegar and onions and served on the traditional banana leaf plate, Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu is fried chicken prepared using lots of spices. One can have it with appam, chapattis, rice or special Kerala porotta. If you like your food spicy, then this dish is worth a try!

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Prawn Curry served in Kerala style

When you are looking to try out some of the traditional foods of Kerala, this scrumptious plate of prawn curry cannot slip your mind. The dish is cooked in jaggery and whole coconut milk and prepared using turmeric, salt, peppers and chillies before it is finally garnished with aromatic curry leaves. You can enjoy the Kerala-style prawn curry with chapattis or steamed rice.

Nadan Beef

Nadan Beef, which is usually cooked in thick gravy or roasted, is one of the most popular Kerala dishes. It is perfectly cooked to ensure the right consistency before being served with rice, porotta or chapatti.

Palada Payasam

Kerala cuisine offers a wide range of mouth-watering desserts as well. A delicacy amid the main foods of Kerala, Palada Payasam is sweet rice kheer cooked with palada. The ingredients used in its preparation are milk, rice ada or rice batter, ghee and sugar. You will see the dish being served during the Onam festival in Kerala.

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Chatti Pathiri

Similar to Italian lasagne in texture and appearance, Chatti Pathiri is a famous dish from the Malabar region of Kerala. It is a pancake or a flatbread made out of eggs, flour, water and oil. The best part of the dish is filling. Chatti Pathiri is filled with raisins and nuts, and beaten eggs, seasoned with cardamom. One bite of this delicious Kerala sweet dish will surely make you forget the Western version of pastries and pancakes.

Gain a memorable culinary experience on your trip to God’s Own Country, Kerala! Our Kerala tour packages ensure that you see the mesmerizing coastal towns and indulge in a gastronomic affair that won’t let you leave.

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