Pantaroma Mess original logoPantaroma MessAl KhobarOrder now
Pantaroma Mess original logoPantaroma MessAl Khobar

Kerala dishes & recipes

See what goes into each dish and how to cook it at home.

View weekly menu
Steamed puttu with kadala curry on a banana leaf

Breakfast

Puttu & kadala curry

പുട്ടും കടലക്കറിയും

Ingredients
  • 1 cup puttu rice flour
  • ½ cup grated coconut for layering
  • Water and salt
  • ½ cup dried black chickpeas (kadala)
  • 1 onion, 1 small tomato and 2 garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup grated coconut for the curry
  • 1 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp chilli powder and ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds, curry leaves and 1 tbsp coconut oil
How to prepare
  1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in the fridge. Drain and cook in fresh water until tender. Reserve some cooking liquid.
  2. Sprinkle salted water into the rice flour a little at a time. Rub it between your fingers until a squeezed handful holds together and breaks apart easily.
  3. Layer the damp flour and grated coconut loosely in a puttu maker. Steam until cooked through and steam rises steadily from the top.
  4. Toast the coconut for the curry until golden and blend with a splash of water. Splutter mustard seeds in coconut oil, then sauté the curry leaves, onion and garlic.
  5. Stir in the spices and tomato. Add the chickpeas, coconut paste and enough reserved liquid for gravy. Simmer until thickened and serve with the puttu.

Home cooking guide · Kerala Tourism reference

Lacy Kerala appam with egg curry

Breakfast

Appam & egg curry

അപ്പവും മുട്ടക്കറിയും

Ingredients
  • 2 cups fermented appam batter
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 onion, 1 tomato, 1 green chilli and a small piece of ginger
  • 1 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp chilli powder and ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ¾ cup coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil, curry leaves and salt
How to prepare
  1. Boil the eggs until the whites and yolks are firm. Cool, peel and set aside.
  2. Soften sliced onion, green chilli, ginger and curry leaves in coconut oil. Stir in the spices briefly, then cook the chopped tomato until soft.
  3. Add the coconut milk and salt. Slip the eggs into the gravy and simmer gently for a few minutes.
  4. Pour a small ladle of batter into a hot appam pan. Swirl once to coat the sides, cover and cook until the centre is set and the lacy edges release. Serve with the egg curry.

Home cooking guide · Kerala Tourism reference

Steamed idiyappam with fish curry

Breakfast

Idiyappam & Fish curry

ഇടിയപ്പവും മീൻ കറിയും

Ingredients
  • 1 cup roasted rice flour and about 1 cup hot water for idiyappam
  • ¼ cup grated coconut
  • 300 g fish pieces
  • 5 shallots, 2 garlic cloves and a small piece of ginger
  • 1½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 2 small pieces of kudampuli (Malabar tamarind)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil, curry leaves, water and salt
How to prepare
  1. Stir hot salted water into the rice flour a little at a time. When it is cool enough to handle, knead to a soft dough.
  2. Press the dough through an idiyappam maker into small nests on greased steamer trays. Sprinkle with coconut and steam until cooked through.
  3. Soak the kudampuli in warm water. Soften sliced shallots, garlic, ginger and curry leaves in coconut oil, then stir in the chilli powder and turmeric.
  4. Add the kudampuli, its soaking water, salt and enough water for the gravy. Bring to a simmer before adding the fish.
  5. Simmer gently until the thickest fish piece reaches 63°C.
  6. Serve the curry with the warm idiyappam.

Home cooking guide · Kerala Tourism reference

Kerala fish curry in an earthen pot

Lunch

Pathiri & fish curry

പത്തിരിയും മീൻകറിയും

Ingredients
  • 1 cup roasted rice flour and about 1 cup water for pathiri
  • 300 g fish pieces
  • 5 shallots, 2 garlic cloves and a small piece of ginger
  • 1½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 2 small pieces of kudampuli (Malabar tamarind)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil, curry leaves, water and salt
How to prepare
  1. Boil the pathiri water with a pinch of salt. Mix in the rice flour over low heat until it gathers into a dough. Knead once it is cool enough to handle.
  2. Divide into balls, roll into thin rounds and cook both sides on a hot dry griddle. Stack and cover with a clean cloth.
  3. Soak the kudampuli in warm water. Soften sliced shallots, garlic, ginger and curry leaves in coconut oil, then stir in the chilli powder and turmeric.
  4. Add the kudampuli, its soaking water, salt and enough water for the gravy. Bring to a simmer before adding the fish.
  5. Simmer gently until the thickest fish piece reaches 63°C.
  6. Serve with the warm pathiri.

Home cooking guide · Kerala Tourism reference

Dish images are illustrative. See the weekly menu for meal availability.