Kerala cuisine dishes you must try

Take a culinary tour of the land of spices

Kerala's food is popular among travellers because it is delicious and varied. Each meal is an experience in itself, inspired by Arabian, Malabari, and French influences and enhanced with a touch of the state's unique culture and history. A variety of spices are used to enrich the flavours.

Anoop Joseph, the sous chef at Niraamaya Retreats Samroha, Athirappilly, says that much of Kerala's cuisine is based on the principles of Ayurveda.

"Kerala cuisine is intricately rooted in the culture of the state. We prepare the traditional cuisine by using Ayurvedic principles," said Joseph. "Ayurveda's six major tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. The six tastes, called rasas, should be present in each meal to prevent cravings and bring greater balance to the constitution. Dishes are categorised according to doshas."

Here are some traditional dishes from Kerala that you must try:

Koon kurumulaku with coin parotta

Koon kurumulaku, a spicy Kerala-style pepper mushroom first course, will have you drooling. In Kerala, koon and kurumulaku mean mushroom and pepper, respectively. Mushrooms are high in copper, minerals, selenium, and vitamins. The addition of coconut milk enhances the flavours of koon kurumulaku. It tastes fantastic with coin parotta, a ring-shaped, layered flaky flatbread.

Seafood thengapal soup

This is a spicy and nutrient-dense tomato soup from Kerala with spicy prawns. Made with grilled tomatoes, red peppers, coconut milk, and whole spices, it is rich with the bold flavours of garlic. It's served garnished with a generous amount of coriander.

Karimeen pollichathu

Karimeen pollichathu is a fish preparation that is well-loved by locals and tourists. Karimeen or Pearl Spot fish is cleaned and marinated in a spicy masala and cooked on a banana leaf in an earthenware dish. A shallot masala mixture is first spread over a banana leaf and topped with a half-fried Karimeen. The fish is then coated in a second layer of spicy masala, and the banana leaf is rolled into a bundle. After ten minutes of low-heat cooking, the fish is ready to eat. With every bite of Kerala Karimeen Pollichathu, you'll feel like you can never have enough.

Idiyappam chicken biryani

Idiyappam chicken biriyani is a delicious one-dish meal with papadam and raita. Even if preparing the dish takes some time, the final product is worth it. The Idiyappam (string hoppers) is cooked like a biriyani with spices and sautéed chicken. The hoppers and chicken are prepared separately and then slow-cooked together on dum to bring out the best taste. For additional flavour, coconut oil is used in the recipe.

Elaneer (tender coconut) payasam

Payasam is the traditional dessert of Kerala, served after every meal. Elaneer, or the tender coconut payasam, is simple to prepare, requires few ingredients, is served chilled, and tastes excellent. Tender coconut is rich in potassium and other minerals. The dessert is enriched by using soft coconut chunks and condensed coconut milk. Despite its richness, the dish is light on the stomach. A bowl of cool elaneer payasam tastes divine in the summer.

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