The Cuisine of Kerala

Introduction
(Malayalam: കേരളീയ പാചകശൈലി) The cuisine of Kerala is linked in all its
richness to the history, geography, demography and culture of the land.
Since many of Kerala's Hindus are vegetarian by religion, and because
Kerala has large minorities of Muslims and Christians that are
predominantly non-vegetarians, Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both
vegetarian and dishes prepared using fish, poultry and meat.

For over 2000 years, Kerala has been visited by ocean-goers, including
traders from Greece, Rome, the eastern Mediterranean, Arab countries,
and Europe (see History of Kerala). Thus, Kerala cuisine is a blend of
indigenous dishes and foreign dishes adapted to Kerala tastes. Coconuts
grow in abundance in Kerala, and consequently, grated coconut and
coconut-milk are widely used in dishes and curries as a thickener and
flavouring ingredient. In fact, the literal meaning of Kerala is Land of
Coconuts Kerala's long coastline, numerous rivers and backwater
networks, and strong fishing industry have contributed to many sea- and
river-food based dishes. Rice is grown in abundance, and could be said,
along with tapioca (manioc/cassava), to be the main starch ingredient
used in Kerala food. In Kerala, Tapioca is known as the poor mans
starch. Having been a major production area of spices for thousands of
years, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon play a large
part in its food.

Spices in Kerala Cuisine

As with almost all Indian food, spices play an important part in Kerala
cuisine. The main spices used are cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, green
and red peppers, cloves, garlic, cumin seeds, coriander, turmeric, and so
on. Few fresh herbs are used, unlike in European cuisine, and mainly
consist of the commonly used curry leaf, and the occasional use of fresh
coriander and mint. Tamarind, Kodampuli

( botanical name: Garcinia Cambogia) from the Cocum family, and lime
are used to make gravies sour, as sour sauces are very popular in Kerala.
Sweet and sour dishes are however, rare, but exceptions like the ripe
mango version of the pulissery and tamarind-jaggery-ginger chutney
known as pulinji or injipuli are popular.
Historical and cultural influences

Pre-independence Kerala was split into the princely states of Travancore

and Kochi in the south, and the Malabar district in the north; the erstwhile
split is reflected in the recipes and cooking style of each area. Both
Travancore and Malabar cuisine consists of a variety of vegetarian dishes
using many vegetables and fruits that are not commonly used in curries
elsewhere in India including plantains, bitter gourd ('paavaykka'), taro
('chena'), Colocasia ('chembu'), Ash gourd ('kumbalanga'), etc. However,
their style of preparation and names of the dishes may vary. Malabar has
an array of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes such as pathiri (a sort
of rice-based pancake, at times paired with a meat curry), porotta (a
layered flatbread, said to come from South-East Asia), and the Kerala
variant of the popular biriyani, probably from Arab lands. Central
Travancore region boasts of a parade of dishes that is largely identified
with the Christians of the region.

In addition to historical diversity, the cultural influences, particularly the

large percentages of Muslims and Syrian Christians have also contributed
unique dishes and styles to Kerala cuisine, especially non-vegetarian
dishes. The meat eating habit of the people has been historically limited
by religious taboos. Brahmins eschew non vegetarian items. However,
most of modern day Hindus do not observe any dietary taboos, except a
few who belong to upper caste (Nambudiris, Nairs of Malabar). Muslims do
not eat pork and other items forbidden by Islamic law.

Based on the religions and topography, “Keraliya paachaka shailee” is

sub divided into three distinct but very overlapping categories. The
differences show up only in a few of the dishes which are a speciality that
are made on religious occasions. The three categories are Hindu cuisine,
Malabar and Syrian Christian cuisine; all three of which are discussed
upon in the following pages.

Hindu Cuisine
Being a Hindu state from the very beginning, almost everything that all
the other cuisines have is similar or slightly modified version of the
original Hindu cuisine in Kerala; all but with a few variations giving way to
the vast diversity to Keralite cuisine. To understand it furthermore we
shall discuss the other two cuisines.

Malabar Cuisine

Malabar forming the northern Kerala is a mix of cultures. Malabar cuisine

is noted for its variety of pancakes and steamed rice cakes made from
pounded rice. Malabar food is generally mildly flavoured and gently
cooked.
The mutton is cooked tender, the rice flaky and delicately spiced with the
right portions of condiments, to leave the taste lingering for long. That is
the special brand of Malabari Moppila biriyani. Biriyani - whether mutton,
chicken, fish or prawn - is the USP of Malabar cuisine.

Syrian Christian (Suriani)

The cuisine of the state of Kerala, India, is influenced by its

large Christian minority. A favourite dish of Kerala Syrian Christians
is stew: chicken, potatoes and onions simmered gently in a creamy white
sauce flavoured with black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, green chillies, lime
juice, shallots and coconut milk. They also prepare stews with chicken,
lamb, and duck.

Other dishes include piralen (chicken stir-fries), meat thoran (dry curry
with shredded coconut), fiery vindaloos, sardine and duck curries,
and meen molee (spicy stewed fish). This is eaten with appam. Appams,
kallappams, or vellayappams are rice flour pancakes which have soft,
thick white spongy centres and crisp, lace-like edges. Meen vevichathu
(fish in fiery red chilli sauce) is another favourite item.

In addition to chicken and fish, Syrian Christians also eat red meat. For
example, erachi orlarthiathu is a beef or mutton dish cooked with spices.

Traditional Kerala Cooking Equipments

Traditional Kerala cooking involved the use of some quaint equipment and
primitive fires. These equipment depended on human effort (instead of
electric power) to pound, grind, blend and cook. This was available in
sufficient quantities in the predominantly rural and agricultural Kerala
households.

The equipment and practices are becoming almost extinct and we thought
it would be a good idea to record these before the specimens disappear
completely.

The hand pounder pictured right was used to de-husk paddy and to
powder grains and other foodstuff. The paddy or other material
was put in the largish cup in the middle, and the long pole was
used to pound it (just right) to produce rice or powder.

The ammi pictured left was used to make

pastes. For example, coconut gratings might be put at
one end, water added in small quantities and the
round stone was rolled over the material to turn them
into a paste. When spices like chillies and ginger were
added to the coconut, the resulting paste would be
chutney.

The wet grinder (pic right) was used to make different

kinds of pastes. A typical use was for making iddali or
dosa paste. Rice and water were put in the cup and the
heavy stone worked round and round by hand to convert
it into a liquid paste. Next urad dal and water were
converted into paste similarly. The two pastes were
mixed and fermented overnight to make the mixture that was the raw
material for iddali and dosa.

The hand mill pictured left seems to be one item that is

yet to have a modern version. It is used to split dals like
black gram and green gram. After splitting and soaking,
it becomes quite easy to remove the husk and process
the dals. Split and soaked black gram is ground into a
liquid batter for iddali and dosa. Split green gram is
used as an ingredient in curries. The hand mill could
also be used to granulate grains.

Cooking was done in mud pots over an open fire (see

pic left). Three stones placed at three corners
supported the pot above the fire. In these days, open
fires have been replaced by "smokeless" wood-burners
which draw the smoke away through pipes.
Burning firewood is still practiced in rural areas, even where gas and
electricity are available. In a typical rural household, there would be a
plentiful supply of combustible materials - dry branches and twigs, dry
leaves and so on. It would be wasteful to let these rot and use more
modern (and far more expensive) fuel.

In practice, few Kerala households use even one of these traditional

methods now. At best, there might be a smokeless wood-burner. Mostly
however, it is electric grinders, gas or electric stoves and stainless steel
utensils that you would find in today's kitchen.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENTS:

 Chembu: It is a vessel made out of copper or brass used for

steaming or boiling food. Now aluminium is more frequently used.

 Puttu kuti: It is used for steaming rice flour paste called puttu. It
has a round base pot in which water is boiled, and a tall cylindrical
tube above this base in which rice flour and coconut are layered and
steamed.

 Cheena chatti: Literally meaning “Chinese pot”, this is a round-

bottomed vessel with two handles similar to a wok. The round
bottom spreads the heat evenly through the base and into the food;
which makes it ideal for sautéing and deep frying.

 Appam chatti: This is a heavy round bottomed vessel made of iron

with a lid similar to the cheena chatti. It is used to prepared stews.

 Kalam: It is a large rice vessel in which water, tapioca or rice is

boiled.

 Urali: This is a wide mouthed squat vessel made of bell metal

which gradually warms up and retains heat for a long time. It is
multipurpose: it is used to fry and roast meat, to cook halwas and to
dry roast rice flour.

 Meen chatti: It is a round bottomed earthen pot used to prepare

fish curries.

INSIGHT INTO A TRADITIONAL KITCHEN:

In the traditional homes of Kerala called tharavads, the cooking centres
around the hearth, that has four to six stoves called adupus. Chopping
and food preparation is accomplished on the kitchen table, using little
wood handled knives for vegetables and a large cleaver for meat and
seafood. Equally important is the little stone mortar and pestle in which
small amounts of spices or chillies are crushed or pounded.

The kitchen countertop holds the grinding stone on which most of the
daily spices are crushed or ground. It also contains several large blocks of
wood on which meat and fish are chopped. A deep stone sink for pot wash
can be found in a smaller room adjoining the kitchen.

A storeroom, adjacent to the kitchen is where large reserves of staples

and farm produce are kept. Larger homes have separate rooms for
various tasks. For e.g., the granary or nellu ara is a large wooden room
within the kitchen where the food grains are stored, or the ora pera, which
is a large room in which large amounts of rice flour, halwa and snacks
called palaharam are prepared.

Many traditional kitchens function in the above manner even today with a
smaller modern kitchen close to the main kitchen, housing conveniences
like gas stoves, electric grinders, microwave ovens and coffee makers.

A Typical Day
Breakfast

Kerala cuisine offers many delicious vegetarian breakfast dishes that are
often relatively unknown outside the state. These include Puttu (made of
rice powder and grated coconut, steamed in a metal or bamboo holder)
and kadala (a curry made of black garbanzo beans (chana), iddali (fluffy
rice pancakes), sambar, dosa and chutney, pidiyan, Idiyappam (string
hoppers - also known as Noolputtu and Nool-Appam), Paal-Appam, a
circular, fluffy, crisp-edged pancake made of rice flour fermented with a
small amount of toddy or wine, etc. Idiyapam and Paalappam are
accompanied by mutton, chicken or vegetable stew or a curry of beef or
fish moilee (the most common dish is fish in a coconut based sauce).
Lunch and dinner

The staple food of Kerala, like most South-Indian states, is rice. Unlike
other states, however, many people in Kerala prefer parboiled rice
(Choru) (rice made nutritious by boiling it with rice husk). Kanji (rice
congee), a kind of rice porridge, is also popular. Tapioca, called kappa in
Kerala, is popular in central Kerala and in the highlands, and is frequently
eaten with fish curry

Rice is usually consumed with one or more curries. Accompaniments with

rice may include upperis (dry braised or sautéed vegetables), rasam,
chips, and/or buttermilk (called moru). Vegetarian dinners usually consist
of multiple courses, each involving rice, one main dish (usually sambar,
rasam, puli-sherry), and one or more side-dishes. Kerala cooking uses
coconut oil almost exclusively, although health concerns and cost have
led to coconut oil being replaced to some extent by palm oil and
vegetable oil.

Popular vegetarian dishes include sambar, aviyal, Kaalan, theeyal,

thoran (dry curry), pulisherry (morozhichathu in Cochin and the
Malabar region), olan, erisherry, pulinji, payaru (mung bean), kappa
(tapioca), etc. Vegetarian dishes often consist of fresh spices that are
liquefied and crushed to make a paste-like texture to dampen rice.

Common non-vegetarian dishes include stew (using chicken, beef, lamb,

or fish), traditional or chicken curry (Nadan Kozhi Curry), chicken fry
(Kozhi Porichathu/Varuthathu), fish/chicken/mutton molly(fish or meat in
light gravy), fish curry (Meen Curry), fish fry (Karimeen
Porichathu/Varuthathu), lobster fry (Konchu Varuthathu), Spicy Beef
Fry (Beef Ularthiyathu), Spicy Steamed Fish (Meen Pollichathu) etc.
Biriyani, a Mughal dish consists of rice cooked along with meat, onions,
chillies and other spices.

Although rice and tapioca may be considered the original Kerala starch
staples, wheat, in the form of chappatis or parathas (known as porottas in
Kerala), is now very commonly eaten, especially at dinner time. Numerous
little streetside vendors offer an oily parathas (akin to the croissant in its
flakiness and oiliness) with meat, egg, or vegetable curry for dinner.
Grains such as ragi and millet, although common in the arid parts of South
India, have not gained a foothold in Kerala

Sweets and Desserts

Due to limited influence of Central Asian food on Kerala, the use of sweets
is not as widespread as in North India. Kerala does not have any
indigenous cold desserts, but hot/warm desserts are popular. The most
popular example is undoubtedly the payasam: a preparation of milk,
coconut extract, sugar, cashews, dry grapes, etc. Payasam can be made
with many base constituents, including Paal payasam (made from rice),
Ada payasam (with Ada, a flat form of rice), Paripu payasam (made from
dal), Pazham pradhamam (made from banana), Gothambu payasam
(made from wheat). Ada payasam is especially popular during the
festival of Onam. Most payasams can also be consumed chilled. Jaggery or
molasses is a common sweetening ingredient, although white sugar is
gaining ground. Fruit, especially the small yellow bananas, are often eaten
after a meal or at any time of the day. Plantains, uncooked or steamed,
are popularly eaten for breakfast or tea.

Other popular sweets include Unniappam (a fried banana bread),

pazham-pori (plantain slices covered with a fried crust made of
sweetened flour), and kozhukkatta (rice dumplings stuffed with a sweet
mixture of molasses, coconut etc.). Cakes, ice-creams, cookies and
puddings are equally common. Generally, except for payasam, most
sweets are not eaten as dessert but as a tea-time snack.

Pickles and other side-dishes

Kerala cuisine also has a variety of pickles and chutneys, and crunchy
pappadums, banana chips, jackfruit chips, kozhalappam, achappam,
cheeda, and churuttu.

Beverages

Being mostly a hot and humid area, Keralites have developed a variety of
drinks to cope with thirst. A variety of what might be called herbal teas is
served during mealtimes. Cumin seeds, ginger or coriander seeds are
boiled in water and served warm or at room temperature. In addition to
the improved taste, the spices also have digestive and other medicinal
properties. Sambharam, a diluted buttermilk often flavoured with ginger,
lime leaves, green chilli peppers etc. was very commonly drunk, although
it has been replaced to some extent by soda pop. Coffee and tea (both
hot) drunk black, or with milk and white sugar or unrefined palm sugar
(karippatti), are commonly drunk. Numerous small shops dotted around
the land sell fresh lime juice (called naranga vellam, or bonji sarbat in
Malayalam), and many now offer milk shakes and other fruit juices.
Best Dishes : Meen Moilee, Mutton Biryani, Theeyal, Duck Roast
with Malabar Porotta, Chilly Fried Crabs, Lacy
Idiappam, Crisp Meen Porichathu, Appam with Mena
Curry, Fresh Toddy, Parippu Kari, Kuttanad Fish
Curry, Chemmeen Coconut Fry, Fish Korma.

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 Sadyavattams, Aviyal, Olan, Kootu Curry, Puli-inji,

Occasions : Kaalam, Koova.

Famous Drinks : Drinks - Kattan Kapi, Black Coffee, Chooku-Kapi

(Dried Ginger Brew).

Not To Be Dishes like Crisp Appam, Parakka Kerdatam,

Missed : Parippu Vada with Coconut Chutney, Vada
Sambhar.

Frying Spree : Alathur Chips, Nendrankai, Chakkara Varattina

Varuval – (Thick Chip cut in Halves or
Quarters), Jackfruit (Chakka) Chips.

Mouth Murukkan (Betel Leaves and Nuts), Chewing

Fresheners: Tobacco.

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 Erachi Olathiyathu (Fried Mutton, beef or
Central Kerala : Pork), Meen Mullgattathu (red fish Curry), Meen
Pollichathu (Fish Roasted in plaintain leaf), Prawn
Mappas, Peera Pattichattu (fish dish with grated
Coconut), Duck Roast and Kozhi Piralen (a fried
Chicken).

Grand Fiesta with Sadya is Traditional Big Feast. An improperly laid

Sadhya : 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.

ONASADHYA
Onam heralds the harvest festival and is also according to folklore the
time of the year when the king Mahabali, the legendary ruler of an ancient
golden era in Kerala, returns from the depths of the nether world to visit
his beloved subjects.

Onasadhya is the most delicious part of the grand festival called Onam. It
is considered to be the most elaborate and grand meal prepared by any
civilisation or cultures in the world. It's a feast which if enjoyed once is
relished for years.

Onasadhya is prepared on the last day of Onam, called Thiruonam. People

of Kerala wish to depict that they are happy and prosperous to their
dear King Mahabali whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of
Onam.

Rice is the essential ingredient of this Nine Course Strictly Vegetarian

Meals. All together there are 11 essential dishes which have to be
prepared for Onasadhya. Number of dishes may at times also go up to 13.
Onasadhya is so elaborate a meal that it is called meals, even though it is
consumed in one sitting. Onasadhya is consumed with hands; there is no
concept of spoon or forks.

Traditional Onasadhya meal comprises of different varieties of curries,

upperies - things fried in oil, pappadams which are round crisp flour paste
cakes of peculiar make, uppilittathu - pickles of various kinds,
chammanthi - the chutney, payasams and prathamans or puddings of
various descriptions. Fruits and digestives are also part of the meal.
The food has to be served on a tender Banana
leaf, laid with the end to the left. The meal is
traditionally served on a mat laid on the floor.
A strict order of serving the dishes one after
the another is obeyed. Besides, there are
clear directions as to what will be served in
which part of the banana leaf.

These days Onasadhya has toned down a little due to the urban and
hectic living style. Earlier, Onasadhya used to be even more elaborate.
There were about 64 mandatory dishes - eight varieties each of the eight
dishes. At that time three banana leaves were served one under the other
to accommodate all the dishes. How exactly they were accommodated in
the tummy...Is a food for thought!

INGREDIENTS AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET:

 Ash gourd : Kumbalanga

 Asafetida: Kaayam

 Banana : Pazham, Ethapazham

 Bengal gram : Mani Kadala

 Bitter gourd : Kaipakka (Pavakka)

 Black pepper : Kurumulaku

 Cabbage : Mottakkoosu

 Cardamom : Elakkaya

 Cashew nut : Kasuvandipparippu

 Cinnamon : Karuvapatta

 Clove : Karayampoo

 Coconut oil : Velichenna

 Coconut : Nalikeram, Thenga

 Colocasia : Chembu

 Coriander : Malli or Kothamalli

 Cucumber : Vellarikka

 Cumin : Jeerakam

 Drumstick : Muringakkaya
 Egg plant : Vazhuthananga, brinjal

 Fennel : Perumjeerakam

 Fenugreek : Uluva or Vengayam

 Garlic : Veluthulli

 Ginger : Inji

 Gooseberry : Nellikka

 Green Chili : Pacha mulaku

 Green gram : Cherupayar

 Guava : Perakka, Poyyakka, Koyyakka

 Jack fruit : Chakka

 Jaggery : Sarkara (bellam or vellam)

 Milk : Paal

 Mustard seeds : Kaduku

 Nutmeg : Jathikka

 Okra / Lady's finger: Vendakka

 Onion : Ulli, Savala, Sabola

 Papaya : Karmosa, Omakaya, Koppakaya, Papakaya, Pappali ,

Kappalanga

 Pea : Payar
 Groundnut : Kappalandi or Nilakkadala

 Red gram : Van Payar

 Plantain : Nendrakkaya, Etheka

 Potato : Urulakkizhangu

 Pumpkin : Matthanga

 Raisin : Unakka munthiri, kismis

 Salt : Uppu

 Shallot : Chuvannulli or Cheriyulli

 Snake gourd : Padavalanga

 Sugar : Panjasara
  Tamarind : Puli

 Tapioca : Kolli, Kappa, Marichini, Poolakizhaghu

 Taro : Cheambu

 Tomato : Thakkali

 Black gram : Uzhunnu

Vernon Coelho

Ihm Mumbai

2010-2011