Khana- Indian Recipes, Ingredients and Indian Food Guide

The cuisine of Kerala is linked in all its richness to the history, geography, demography and culture of the land. Because many of Kerala’s Hindus are vegetarian by religion, and because Kerala has large minorities of Muslims and Christians that are predominantly non – vegetarian, Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both vegetarian and non – vegetarian dishes.

Like other South – Indian cuisines, Kerala cuisine is predominantly spicy. Coconuts grow in abundance in Kerala, and consequently, grated coconut and coconut milk are widely used in dishes and curries. Kerala’s long coastline and strong fishing industry has contributed to many fish – based delicacies, particularly among the Christian community.

Spices in Kerala Cuisine

The main spices used are cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, green and red peppers, cloves, garlic, cumin seeds, coriander, turmeric, etc.

Pickles and other side – dishes

Kerala cuisine also has a variety of pickles and chutneys, and crunchy pappadums, banana chips, jackfruit chips, kozhalappam, achappam, cheeda, and churuttu. Also, shown in the picture is a banana leaf. People in Kerala use banana leaves as plates. North India uses metal trays as plates, which is much different from the way the people of Kerala eat.