Seafood mainly dominates the cuisine of the Alleppey backwaters in Kerala. They also have basic South Indian cuisine as a part of their daily diet. The food here is spicy, just like in all other parts of South India. Being located in a coastal area, coconut plays a very important role in their dishes. The food served here is as amazing as the people in this region.
1.Puttu And Kadala
This dish mainly consists of a cylindrical-shaped steamed rice cake, Puttu, served with black bean curry, Kadala. The dish is complete when topped with coconut shavings. This dish is also known as Punjabi Kala Chana and Chaat. The dish is mainly served with Poori or Roti on the side.
2.Grilled Shrimp
This dish serves fresh shrimp well marinated with turmeric, chilli and garlic paste, tamarind, and all other flavorful spices and grilled in coconut oil. This is a perfect food option for seafood lovers. This is mainly found in the Floating Market of Alleppey.
3.Meen Kuzhambu
This is a Kerala-style fish curry. Mainly meaty fish are used in this dish. The spices like ginger, mustard seeds, garlic, turmeric, coriander, chilli paste, and tamarind bring in the dish’s heat, whereas the coconut milk gives it a rich and creamy texture.
4.Ela Ada
Ela Ada is a traditional Keralian sweet dish. A coconut and jaggery filling is layered with rice dough inside a banana leaf and steamed gently. The dish gets its name from Elayappam, which means Banana leaf, which gives this dish its beautiful aroma. It is served both as a breakfast and an evening snack.
5.Shappu Mutton Curry
This is a Kerala-style Mutton curry. Just like the fish curry, the use of coconut oil and curry leaves, along with the combination of fresh spices and tamarind pulp, gives this dish its unique taste. The mutton cooked slowly and patiently for a long period of time in the spice mix makes this dish a perfect one to be served along with rice, porotta, or puri.
6.Thalassery Biriyani
This dish is named after a town called Thalassery, located on the Malabar Coast in Kannur, Kerala. This biriyani is very popular in this region as well as in all of Kerala. This biriyani is a bit different from our traditional biriyani recipes. This dish is cooked like pulao using short-grained rice, unlike traditional basmati rice. The use of curry leaves and roasted cashews gives the biriyani its unique sweet and savoury flavours.
7.Kanji And Payar
This dish is the ultimate comfort food in Kerala. This dish is not only easy to prepare but also healthy. This is mainly a rice gruel soup served with Green gramme, thoran, and Papad. This dish is loaded with vitamins and is an amazing weight-loss recipe.
8.Karimeen Pollichathu
This is a very popular fish preparation in Kerala. Pearl spot fish, or Karimeen, is the most preferred fish variety for this dish. This spicy masala mix is layered with partially fried fish pieces in a banana leaf and steamed to finish the cooking process. The dish is usually enjoyed with rice or Porotta.
9.Malabar Porotta
This is the South Indian version of Lachha Paratha. But The only difference between the two is that unlike the traditional Lachha Paratha, which is made of whole wheat flour, this is made of all-purpose flour. As a result, this paratha is a bit flaky, crispy, and softer than its North Indian counterpart.
10.Illanur And Kallu
This is a popular summer drink in Kerala. It is made up of freshly tapped toddy mixed with coconut water. The frothy toddy sap gives the drink its slightly sour taste, and the coconut water adds a hint of freshness to the drink.
11.Mutton Paya Masala
Mutton Paya Masala is a famous dish in South India. Paya in Hindi means feet. The dish gets its name from its main ingredient, which is goat trotters. It is slowly cooked with spices, turning it into a delicious soupy dish. This is mostly served to the guests.
12.Palada Pradhaman
Palada Pradhaman is a famous kheer from Kerala. Palada means rice wafers, and Pradhaman means kheer. This is a sweet, creamy dish prepared by cooking rice in milk. The dish gets its colour from caramelised sugar. This is a dish prepared during Kerala Sadya.
13.Kozhi Curry
Kozhi Curry is an authentic Kerala chicken curry. The dish is prepared by cooking the chicken in coconut milk along with freshly ground spices. Tempering the dish with curry leaves gives it a unique taste. The dish is served with ghee-fried rice or paratha.
14.Cheera Parippu Thoran
Cheera Parippu Thoran is a South Indian stir-fry dish. In it, lentils are stir-fried with spinach and nuts and tempered with curry leaves and dried chilies. The dish is usually enjoyed with rice and rasam. This is not just tasty but also a highly nutritious dish.
15.Naranga Curry
Naranga curry is a South Indian version of lemon pickle. The dish is made using a wild type of lemon called Vadukapuli Naranga, which is much bigger, sour, and flavorful than the usual lemon. The use of ginger and jaggery, along with curry leaves, gives this pickle a unique sweet flavour. This pickle can be stored for 2-3 weeks in the fridge once it’s cooled down.
16.Pulissery
Pulissery, or Moru Curry, is a South Indian curry that has a buttermilk base. Moru means buttermilk in Malayalam. This dish is a part of Onam Sadya in Kerala. This is prepared using spicy green chilli along with cumin and ground coconut and cooked in freshly prepared buttermilk with any choice of vegetables, like ash gourd or cucumber.
17.Semiya Payasam
This dish is prepared all over India and is one of the easiest sweet dish recipes. Vermicelli, or Semiya, is cooked with ghee, cardamom, and jaggery in milk, forming this creamy kheer. The addition of dry fruits enhances the taste of this dish.
18.Kootu Curry
This is a vegetarian curry that is very popular during Kerala Sadya. The dish is a lightly sweet, non-spiky coconut milk-based curry that is cooked using coconut oil. The choice of vegetables added to it varies from place to place. The main highlight of this dish is the fried coconut that is used as a topping, along with the usual curry leaves and dried chilies.
19.Sardine Fish Curry
Mathi Mulakittathu, or Kerala-style Sardine fish curry, is a spicy fish curry preparation. Lightly marinated sardines are cooked in a spicy coconut curry. The dish, like all other South Indian preparations, is tempered with curry leaves. The curry is best enjoyed with rice.
20. Banana Kalan
This is a Kerala-based curry prepared with raw bananas in yogurt sauce. The dish is almost the same as that of Pulissery. Raw bananas and yams are cooked in a spicy and tangy yogurt sauce, which adds freshness to the menu.
