Food
Like the rest of South India, Kerala food is spicy yet scrumptious. Kerala has its own distinctive cuisine using the ingredients locally available. The evolution of the culinary style of Kerala can be traced to the social structure and to the history of the state.
The local Kerala food includes a lot of coconut as that is grown aplenty in the coastal areas. Grated coconut is included in virtually every dish. Coconut milk is used to make the gravies and lends a sweet tinge to the cooking. The oil used for cooking also is mainly coconut or vegetable oil. Rice that grows well in this fertile soil is the staple food. Sea food such as fish, crabs, shellfish, lobsters are included in everyday cooking especially in the coastal regions. Sardines and Mackerel are the everyday fish.
The average Malayali is very liberal in his use of spices. The commonly used spices are green chilli, cumin, coriander, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, dried red chilly. Curry leaves and coriander leaves added fresh provide a subtle yet irresistible flavor. The food in Kerala is generally steamed and of light tempering. A great emphasis is laid on healthy cooking.
Tapioca and plantain cultivation is profuse in Kerala. Hence a great use of these vegetables is found in both main dishes and in snacks. The Kozhikodan Biriyani and the Prawn Masala are familiar favorites in a Malayali household.
Kerala Dishes
Breakfast in a Malayali household may consist of one or more of the following dishes:
A traditional festival meal, Sadya as it is called, is served on a plantain leaf with the narrow end of the leaf to the left. It necessarily includes the following dishes.
All in all, a travel through the different districts of Kerala shall indeed prove a gastronomic delight.