5 coconut based dishes that you must have when in Kerala

Among all the food products available in the country, coconut is surely the king. Why? Well, because not a single part of this strange looking fruit is without benefits. The entire coconut tree can be used for a variety of purposes, from consuming the fruit to using its fibers for stuffing, to name just two uses. In Kerala, which is literally the land of a million coconut trees, this humble fruit is used to make several delectable dishes.

Scores of lip-smacking non-vegetarian and vegetarian recipes originate from Kerala, and most of them use coconut in either grated or in milk form as their base ingredient. From sweet treats to curries, and from rice to dips, the coconut is a multi-tasking ingredient in most Kerala dishes. On your next trip to Kerala, find a Kerala tour package that offers an authentic Kerala home food experience, because most of the State’s best coconut dishes originate from home kitchens!

Without further ado, we present the five best coconut based dishes you must eat in Kerala:

1. Puttu and Kadala curry: Puttus are rice and grated coconut cakes normally eaten for breakfast. They have a high nutritive value and are easily digested. Puttus are consumed with Kadala curry, which is made out of chickpeas, coconut milk, onions and garam masala. The cakes and curry are served with sliced bananas and sweetened milk.

2. Errissery: This is a curry made from sliced yams. To this are added boiled and cubed pumpkin pieces, grated coconut, a dash of coconut milk, green chillies, lentils, turmeric and garlic. Once the curry is thickened over a low flame, it is served hot over a bed of steamed rice or curd rice.

3. Chemmeen curry: This is a traditional prawn preparation popular all over the State. It is prepared using coconut milk, green chillies, black mustard seeds, fennel, methi, raw mango pieces and prawns marinated overnight. The tangy curry is then served with steamed rice or appams.

4. Moilee stew: A traditional fish preparation, this stew uses coconut milk, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, salt and green chillies. The fish is marinated for at least 30 minutes in oil, red chilly powder, salt, lemon juice and turmeric before being dunked in the stew and cooked till ready.

5. Payasam: No trip to Kerala can be complete without trying the famous Palada payasam, a dish so deceptively simple that you’d wonder how it can be so flavourful. It is made from rice ada, coconut milk, sugar and ghee, with all the ingredients brought to a boil on a low flame. It is garnished with chopped almonds and cashews before serving.