Traditional Kerala Food

Kerala cuisine mainly consists of coconut based foods. Since, Kerala is the chief exporter of coconut, it  is used liberally over here. Kerala is a place well known for its beautiful backwaters and thus, this place is a paradise for seafood lovers. There is an abundance of seafood specialties.

Rice is the staple food in Kerala. Closeness to the sea ensures easy availability of the choicest seafood. Kerala state are known for their exotic dishes and a delicious spread consisting of mouthwatering biriyanis, pathiri ( a pancake made out of rice flour), fish moilee(fish cooked the traditional way in coconut milk), meen pollichattu(fish cooked in a banana leaf) and other delicacies vegetable dishes .

Weddings and other auspicious occasions are not complete without an elaborate Sadhya.

With coconut being available in plenty, coconut oil is the main medium of cooking. However, there has been a significant shift in preferences in the recent times. With the health aspect gaining prominence, many Keralites are shifting to low fat cooking oils. However, the flavor and taste of a dish cooked purely in coconut oil still remains unmatched.

Popular Vegetarian Food: Aviyal, olan
Popular Non-vegetarian Food: Shrimp coconut curry, fish poriyal

Some of the popular Kerala dishes and recipes are:

Best Dishes	Meen Moilee, Mutton Biryani, Theeyal, Duck Roast with Malabar Porotta, Chilly Fried Crabs, Lacy Idiappam, Crisp Meen Prichathu, Appam with Mena Curry, Fresh Toddy, Parpu Kari, Kuttanad Fish Curry, Chemmeen Coconut Fry, Fish Korma, Chamundi Dish.
Cuisine Exotica	Puttu, Vattayappam, Kallappam, Idiappam.
Non Veg Dishes	Fishes like Pomfret, Sardines, snapper, crustaceans, Karimeen, Egg and Poultry, Mutton, Beef and Pork.
Veg Dishes	Mix Vegetable Avial, Stew with Coconut Milk, Cheena Molagu (local Cuisine), Puzhukku- Root Vegetables.
Feasts for all Occasions	Sadyavattams, Aviyal, Olan, Kootu Curry, Puli-inji, Kaalam, Koova.
Famous Drinks	Kattan Kapi, Black Coffee, Chooku-Kapi (Dried Ginger Brew).
Not To Be Missed	Dishes like Crisp Appam, Parakka Kerdatam, Parippu Vada with Cocunut Chutney, Vada Sambhar.
Frying Spree	Alathur Chips, Nendrankai, Chakkara Varattina Varuval – (Thick Chip cut in Halves or Quarters), Jackfruit (Chakka) Chips.
Festival Dishes	Sambar/Kuzhambu Varieties, Rasam Varieties, Kootu/Curry Varieties, Payasam Varieties, Keerai Varieties, Podi Varieties, Rice Delights.
Sweet Dishes	Mango Pachadi, Kheema Pulao, Payasam, Sweet Sauce, Milk Rice, Coconut Rice, Vermicelli sweetened with Jaggery, Avalose.
Traditions of Central Kerala	Erachi Olathiyathu (Fried Mutton, beef or Pork), Meen Mullgattathu ( red fish Curry), Meen Pollichathu ( Fish Roasted in plaintain leaf), Prawn Mappas, Peera Pattichattu (fish dish with grated Coconut), Ducjk Roast and Kozhi Piralen ( a fried Chicken).
Grand Fiest with Sadya	Sadya is Traditional Big Feast. An improperly laid Ela (plantain Leaf) is an indicator. The leaf is laden with Lime Curry, Mango Pickle, Puli-Inji, Lime Pickle. Remaining area is studded with Thoran, Vegetable Strew or Olan, Avail ( thick Mixture of Vegetables), Pachadi (Raw Mango and Curd Mixture), Elisseri (Vegetable like Pumpkin or Green Banana). Rice served at the bottom and Rasam( Fiery Pepper Soup) is served throughout the course of the meal.

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