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Kerala

Kerala is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. Kerala is the 21st largest Indian state by area. It is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the Lakshadweep Sea to the west. With 33 million inhabitants as per the 2011 census, Kerala is the 13th-largest Indian state by population.

Featured Dishes from Kerala

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Peralan

Stir fried meat with spices, made with chicken, beef, mutton, fish, pork, serve with dal, rice, flatbread

Pesaha appam

Pesaha appam

Unleavened Passover rice cake, serve topped with pesaha paal, a sweet coconut syrup, common on Maundy Thursday

Pollichathu

Pollichathu

Fish marinated in spices and coconut milk, then cooked inside banana leaves, also made with chicken, prawns

Pork vindaloo

Pork vindaloo

Spicy pork curry with vinegar, chili peppers, ginger, garlic, cumin

Pulissery

Pulissery

Curd-based vegetable or fruit curry, made with ash gourd, cucumber, papaya, mango

Red lobster

Red lobster

Sadhya

Sadhya

A feast of 24-28 traditional vegetarian dishes or more served on banana leaves, common during the Onam festival

Sardine

Sardine

Seafood

Seafood

Shawarma

Shawarma

Spit-cooked meat such as lamb, beef, chicken, veal, layered in flatbread with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic sauce, tahini, pickled vegetables

Theeyal

Theeyal

Spiced coconut curry, made with breadfruit, onions, gourd, potatoes, okra, eggplant, prawns, serve with rice

Tiger prawn

Tiger prawn

Tiny prawn

Tiny prawn

Tuna

Tuna

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Ulli theeyal

Small red onions in roasted coconut curry

Uthappam

Uthappam

Thick pan-fried dosa topped with onions, chili peppers, vegetables, serve with podi, sambar, chutney

Vindaloo

Vindaloo

Pork vindaloo curry is traditional but vindaloo is also made with chicken, lamb, mutton, shrimp, fish, vindaloo comes from the Portuguese phrase vinho e alhos, which means wine and garlic

Adai

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Adai

Rice and lentil dosa, may be made with millet, coconut, jaggery, vegetables, many different types

Appam

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Appam

Pancakes made from fermented rice batter and coconut milk, serve with curry, chutney

Ari pathiri

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Ari pathiri

Rice flour flatbread or pancake

Avalose podi

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Avalose podi

Roasted rice flour and coconut snack

Banganapalli

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Banganapalli

A variety of mango

Bitter gourd pickle

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Bitter gourd pickle

Bitter gourd pickle

Bonda

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Bonda

Fritter, may be sweet or savory

Carrot chutney

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Carrot chutney

Carrot chutney with coconut and spices

Carrot paratha

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Carrot paratha

Flatbread made with carrots

Carrot thoran

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Carrot thoran

Carrot and coconut

Chammanthi

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Chammanthi

Chutney made with coriander/cilantro, mint, and/or green chili peppers with coconut, serve with biriyani

Chammanthi podi

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Chammanthi podi

Roasted coconut chutney powder, made with dried anchovies, coconut, red chilies, curry leavees, shallots, cumin, ginger, tamarind, coconut oil, salt, used with fish, vegetables

Chana masala

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Chana masala

Chickpea curry, serve with rice, flatbread

Chatti pathiri

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Chatti pathiri

Layered crepes with sweet or savory ingredients added between layers, for example, chicken, plantains, bananas, coconut, eggs, dried fruit, nuts

Cheera thoran

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Cheera thoran

Spinach and vegetable stir fry

Chutney powder

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Chutney powder

Spiced lentil powder, made with chili peppers, coconut, curry leaves, peanuts, jaggery, tamarind, flax seeds, used to season many dishes such as rice, chaklis, idli, dosa

Coconut chutney

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Coconut chutney

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Erissery

Curry made with coconut paste, made with pumpkin, bananas, plantains, yams, beans, papaya, jackfruit, serve with rice

Godhuma dosa

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Godhuma dosa

Wheat flour flatbread

Inji puli

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Inji puli

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Kallumakkaya achar

Kappa

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Kappa

Kothu parotta

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Kothu parotta

Shredded flatbread cooked with chili peppers, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, eggs, chicken, spices

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Kuzhalappam

Savory fried rice flour tubes with onion, garlic, sesame seeds and cumin

Masala idli

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Masala idli

Rice cakes, cut into pieces and stir fried with a gravy made with onions, tomatoes, chili peppers and spices

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mathanga erissery

Pumpkin in spiced coconut curry, serve with rice

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Mathapoo thoran

Pumpkin blossom stir fry

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Meen achar

Neer dosa

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Neer dosa

Rice flour crepe, serve with curries, chutney, saagu, sambar

Onion pakoda

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Onion pakoda

Paddu

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Paddu

Savory ball-shaped rice and lentil pancakes, pan-fried in an appe pan

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Para

Spicy vinegar paste, used to pickle dried fish, often mackerel

Parippu vada

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Parippu vada

Channa dal fritters, serve with tea

Parotta

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Parotta

Flaky wheat flour flatbread

Patrode

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Patrode

Colocasia leaves with a spiced rice mixture, may be rolled, mixed, similar to patra in Gujuart

Pineapple pachadi

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Pineapple pachadi

A sweet pineapple curry with coconut and spices, similar to a chutney

Puri bhaji

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Puri bhaji

Deep-fried flatbread served with potato curry

Rasam powder

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Rasam powder

Seasoning made with dal, curry, coriander seeds, red chilies, black peppercorns, cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, asafoetida, used with rasam soup

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Red coconut chutney

Spicy chutney made with red chili peppers, coconut, coconut oil, onions, garlic, ginger, gram dal, spices, serve with vada, idlis, dosai, uttapams, pakora, common at breakfast and with snacks

Sambar powder

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Sambar powder

Mix of spices that is used to add flavor to sambar dishes

Sandige

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Sandige

Dried snacks made with rice, wheat, lentils, sago, gourd

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Thakkali chutney

Spicy tomato chutney

Thattu dosa

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Thattu dosa

Flatbread made with urad dal and rice, serve with chutney, sambar

Thenkuzhal

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Thenkuzhal

Crunchy, deep-fried urad flour noodles

Thoran

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Thoran

Dry curry or stir fry of vegetables and/or meat, made with carrot, cabbage, pappadam thoran, parippu, pumpkin blossoms

Tomato dosa

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Tomato dosa

Flatbread made with tomato puree, rice, urad dal, chili peppers, spices

Unnakkaya

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Unnakkaya

Oblong-shaped banana/plantain fritters stuffed with a coconut, raisin and cashew filling, common during Ramadan

Uthappam

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Uthappam

Thick pan-fried dosa topped with onions, chili peppers, vegetables, serve with podi, sambar, chutney

Vada curry

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Vada curry

Spicy chickpea curry, serve with dosa, rice

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Vadi

Deep-fried stick-shaped wheat flour snacks, serve with black tea

Vattayappam

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Vattayappam

Steamed rice cake with coconut, dried fruit, nuts

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Vazhakka mezhukkupuratti

Stir fried raw bananas/plantains and spices