Eating in Kerala

The cuisine of Kerala is a combination of meats, vegetables and seafood, to an extent defined by the religious affinities of the communities that populate the state.  The Hindus have a wide variety of vegetarian dishes whereas Christians and Muslims who are predominantly non-vegetarian cook delicacies with sea food and meats.  Apart from the traditional cuisine hotels will also offer Mughlai, Chinese and fast food, though Continental food is mostly served only in the more expensive establishments and resorts for tourists. While traveling, you will find many places where the food is prepared in clean and hygienic surroundings.  Apart from the fast food joints, you can also find bars, pubs and coffee shops in most of the cities of Kerala.

Known as the "land of Spices", the cuisine of Kerala is known for its spicy yet subtly flavored food. Traditionally, in Kerala food is served on a banana leaf and almost every dish prepared has coconut and spices to flavour it, giving it a sharp pungency that is heightened with the use of tamarind, while coconut gives it a distinct flavor and absorbs some of the spices. Accompanying a meal, tender coconut water is served as a refreshing, nutritious thirst quencher. Fried, banana and jackfruit chips accompany a meal and are also eaten as snacks. A typical traditional Kerala feast called a ‘Sadhya’ is served on a banana leaf, is a sumptuous spread of rice and more than 14 vegetable dishes, and ends with a `payasam', a delicious sweet dessert cooked in milk.