Kerala's cuisine is not just about food; it is a celebration of culture, tradition, and the state's natural bounty. Each dish tells a story of its own, making Kerala amust-visit destination for food enthusiasts worldwide. Because of its rich trading heritage, over time, various indigenous Kerala dishes have been blended with foreign dishes to adapt them to local tastes.
Kerala cuisine offers a multitude of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using fish, poultry and red meat with rice as a typical accompaniment. Chillies, curry leaves, coconut, mustard seeds, turmeric, tamarind, asafoetida and other spices are also used in the preparation. Coconuts grow in abundance in Kerala, so grated coconut and coconut milk are commonly used for thickening and flavouring.
Kerala's long coastline and numerous rivers have led to astrong fishing industry in the region, making seafood a common part ofmeals. Kerala is home to numerouslip-smacking dishes prepared out of seafood, some of which include mussels,crab, tiger prawns, king prawns, tiny prawns, oysters, sardines, mackerel, tunaand gorgeous red lobsters. One just cannot stop salivating when walking thestreets of Kerala. Unlike its neighbours, Kerala takes a lot of pride in itslong list of non-vegetarian food that the state has to offer to its perpetuallyhungry tourists!
The vast majority of Kerala's Hindus, except certain communities and ovo-lacto vegetarians, eatfish, red meat (beef, carabeef, and lamb) and chicken.One of the traditional Kerala dishes is vegetarian and is called the Kerala sadya. A full-course sadya, consists of rice with about 20 different accompaniments and desserts, and is the ceremonial meal of Kerala eaten usually on celebratory occasions including weddings, Onam and Vishu. It is served on a plantain leaf.
Christians of Kerala, especially Nasranis (Saint Thomas Christians), have their own cuisine which is a blend of Indian, Middle Eastern, Syrian, Jewish and Western styles and flavours of cooking.
Muslim cuisine or Mappila cuisine is a blend of traditional Kerala, Persian, Arab, Portuguese and Western food culture. This confluence of culinary cultures is best seen in the preparation of most dishes.The characteristic use of spices is the hallmark of Mappila cuisine—black pepper, cardamom, and clove are used profusely.
The cuisine of Kerala is characterized by a harmonious blend of flavors, spices, and cooking techniques that have evolved over centuries, influenced by its geography, climate, and history.