The Traditional Food of Kerala

Almost every traditional dish in Kerala revolves around three core ingredients:

1. Coconut: Grated coconut, coconut milk, and coconut oil are used generously in gravies to add a sweet, creamy richness.
2. Rice: Rice is the absolute staple diet. It is eaten boiled, or ground into batter to make flatbreads and snacks.
3. Spices: Fresh black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and curry leaves give Kerala food its intense, world-famous aroma.

Kerala has some of the healthiest and most unique breakfast items in India:

• Puttu and Kadala Curry: Cylindrical steamed rice cake layered with grated coconut, served with a spicy black chickpea curry.
• Appam with Stew: A bowl-shaped, incredibly soft, and fluffy pancake made from fermented rice batter and coconut milk, eaten with a mild vegetable or meat stew.
• Idiyappam: Steamed rice noodles (string hoppers).

The ultimate expression of Kerala's vegetarian cuisine is the Sadhya. It is a massive traditional feast served on a fresh green banana leaf, mostly during the festival of Onam or at weddings.

• A Sadhya consists of over 20 to 26 different dishes!
• It includes rice, Parippu (dal), Sambar, Avial (a thick mixture of 13 vegetables in coconut paste), Olan, Pachadi, and crispy banana chips.
• The meal always ends with Payasam, a rich, sweet, warm dessert made with jaggery and coconut milk.