The unique cultural heritage of Kerala is reflected in its cuisine. Typically, Kerala food is hot and spicy, fresh, aromatic and flavoured. The use of coconut, either chopped or grated, or coconut milk, is characteristic of the cuisine and is used to thicken gravies. Coconut oil is used for cooking. Various locally available vegetables such as tapioca, cassava and yam also form part of the cuisine.
According to Anirudhya Roy, executive chef, Taj Lands End, “Kerala cuisine is quite diverse. The diversity is best classified on the basis of the various communities. Irrespective of the variety in the cuisines of the different communities, all dishes have coconut. Seafood is very popular in the coastal regions. Vegetarian dishes are olan, paalpradaman, nendarangai chips, aviyal, erucherri, sambar, rasam, kalan.
Kerala cuisine is typically served as a sadhya on green banana leaves. Dishes such as idli, payasam, pulisherry, puttucuddla, puzhukku, rasam, and sambar are typical.”
Pavan Kumar Chennam, junior sous chef, Dakshin, ITC Maratha, opines, “Kerala cuisine is different from other south Indian states in many ways. It has a repertoire of a vast number of seafood specialties like the Alleppey fish curry, Chameen manga charu and Meen moilee.”
Unlike other south Indian cuisines, Kerala cuisine is milder and less spicy. Chef Pavan says, “The most common spices used are cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns.”
Breakfast specialties in Kerala are usually ground rice and pulses that are steamed or fried in different ways. Puttu, a dish of steamed rice powder, is popular at breakfast. It is garnished with coconut and eaten with stew, curry, or bananas. Various snacks like banana chips, murku (fried rings made from a batter of rice, pulses and spices), shakaruperi (banana chunks coated with jaggery and ginger) form a part of the cuisine.
During the Onam festival, a grand lunch called the traditional sadhya is served on a banana leaf. Rice is served with a variety of side dishes like pickles, thoran and aviyal. Upperi, sarkara upperi and papad comprise the snacks. Parippu curry, sambar, kaalan and rasam are served in that order.
The meal ends with curd and rice. The most attractive part of the menu is the payasam, a sweet dish.
Dakshin offers the best known dishes from Kerala like avial, Meen moilee, nadang kozhi curry, Chameen manga charu and thoran. Masala Bay is known for its Allepey Fish Curry, Malabari paratha, Malabari aloo. Other restaurants in Mumbai serving authentic Kerala cuisine are Vindhyas at The Orchid, Rice Boat and Culture Curry.
Chef Roy feels, “Mumbaikars like Kerala food since it is milder and tastes fresh.”
