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If you’ve ever sat down at a Kerala restaurant and had a moment of complete confusion when reading through the menu, you’re not alone. Kerala cuisine is a feast for the senses from a state blessed with an abundance of natural resources that have shaped its unique cuisine. From the coconut groves that dot the coastline to the spice plantations that cover the hills, Kerala cuisine is a reflection of its diverse and bountiful landscape. But unfortunately, unless you’re familiar with Malayalam or have grown up with the cuisine, decoding what every dish is about can be a bit tricky.
At its core, Kerala cuisine is all about simplicity and balance. The use of fresh ingredients, traditional cooking techniques, and the right blend of spices creates dishes that are full of flavour and aroma. Whether it's the famous appam and stew, fish curry, or spicy meat-filled biryani, Kerala cuisine has something to offer for every palate.
This list rounds up some of the most common terms you’ll come across so you can order with confidence, but the world of Kerala cuisine is vast and there’s much more to explore. So get out there and dive into this world of fabulous food.
- Aiyla - mackerel
- Avoli - pomfret
- Ayakoora - Kingfish
- Chemmeen - shrimp/prawn
- Idiyappam - a type of rice noodle
- Kappa - Tapioca (similar to a potato)
- Karimeen - Pearl spot fish, a popular fish in Kerala cuisine.
- Kozhi - Chicken
- Netholi/Kozhuva – Indian Anchovy
- Kurumalak - a traditional Kerala-style chicken curry made with coconut milk, spices, and potatoes
- Meen - Fish
- Moilee - a Kerala-style fish or vegetable stew made with coconut milk, turmeric, and other spices.
- Mulakittathu - a red curry usually made with seafood and traditionally cooked in an earthen pot.
- Naadan - a term used to describe dishes that are made in a traditional or rustic style
- Olan - a mild coconut milk-based stew made with ash gourd, pumpkin, or other vegetables and cooked with black-eyed beans
- Pachadi - a yoghurt-based dish made with vegetables, coconut, mustard seeds, and green chillies
- Payasam - a sweet pudding made with milk, sugar, and various ingredients like rice, vermicelli, or lentils, often flavoured with cardamom, saffron, or other spices.
- Pazham - fruit, usually referring to bananas
- Pollichathu - a popular Kerala seafood dish made with fish or shrimp, marinated in a spicy masala, wrapped in banana leaves, and grilled or roasted.
- Potichoru (or Pothi Chor) - a traditional Kerala dish made by layering rice, vegetables, and meat or fish, along with spices and coconut milk, and then steaming the mixture in a banana leaf packet.
- Puttu - a cylindrical steamed rice cake that's often served with kadala (chickpea) curry
- Thoran - a dish made by stir-frying vegetables or grated coconut with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and other spices
- Ularthiyathu - a traditional Kerala dry roast dish that involves stir-frying ingredients like meat, fish, or vegetables with onions, ginger, garlic, and a variety of spices and is finished with curry leaves.
- Varattiyathu - a semi-dry preparation with roasted spice paste and pan-fried meat, seafood or vegetables.
- Varutharachathu - a traditional Kerala cooking technique in which spices are roasted and ground to a paste and then meat, vegetables or fish are added to make a curry.
