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Staples
Rice, or rather unpolished rice, is the main food of the
Keralite. Aside from the boiled product eaten as a staple, there
is also a wide range of snacks and breakfast fare made of the
cereal. Pounded into flour, it gives shape to the bamboo formed
puttu, the round spongy vattayappam, the lacy edged palappam,
the pancake-like kallappam, the sweet uniappam, the idiappam
that looks like fine noodles, and the stuffed ball called
kozhikotta. And then, there is the pathiri, chapatti-like bread
that can be made into a plain thin one called vatipathiri, a box
type pettipathiri and a sweet cake - Chattipathiri. Pathiris are
also stuffed with beef, chicken or mutton and fried, or steamed
when filled with fish.
From time immemorial, the coconut tree has been an integral part
of life for the people of Kerala and nowhere is this more
visible than in their food. These people put to good use
whatever the land offers and the result is a marvelous cuisine
that is simple yet palate tickling.
Except for the Nambudiris who are strict vegetarians, Hindus of
other castes eat both meat and fish as a matter of course.
However, they do not serve non-vegetarian food on important
days, though for the other communities no festive occasion is
complete without it. It is the influence of the foreigners that,
unlike most of the other parts of the country, beef is quite
popular in the state.
The high ranges of the state boast of vast plantations of
cardamom, pepper, nutmeg, tea and coffee while in its lower
elevations there are clove, ginger and turmeric. The midlands
have paddy fields, tapioca, all sorts of hardy vegetables such
as yam, narrow, gourd, drumstick, etc. and a huge collection of
tropical fruits-banana, jackfruit, mango, pineapple and cashew.
In the lowlands, cultivation is mainly that of coconut trees and
paddy.
Methods
Like most South Indian cuisine, be it seafood or rice and other
cereal dishes, the emphasis is on 'healthy food', less use of
oil, sugar, and artificial additives, and more use of natural
herbs, spices flavorings, and coconut. Spices that flavor the
local cuisine give it a sharp pungency that is heightened with
the use of tamarind.
In the Kerala kitchens, be it of any of the various communities
living there, simple methods and the locally available foodstuff
are used to dish out mouthwatering delicacies. Even the ordinary
tapioca root, for example, becomes a main course when boiled and
sautéed with coconut and spices, a snack when sliced fine,
salted and fried, and a sweet dish when steamed with coconut and
jaggery.
Specialties
Kerala is noted for its variety of pancakes and steamed rice
cakes made from pounded rice. Though the same ingredients are
used all over the state, each of the communities has its own
specialties.
For the Muslims, the lightly flavored biryani - made of mutton,
chicken, egg or fish-takes pride of place. In seafood, mussels
are a favorite. A concoction of mussel and rice flour, cooked in
the shell is called arikadaka. The Arab influence on the local
cuisine is very visible in the rich meat curries and desserts. A
community of Muslims who live in an area called Kuttichara, have
a special dish - a whole roasted goat stuffed with chickens
inside which are eggs.
For the Christians, who can be seen in large concentration in
areas like Kottayam and Pala, ishtew (a derivation of the
European stew), with appam is a must for every marriage
reception. There would also be beef cutlets with sallas (a salad
made of finely cut onions, green chilies and vinegar), chicken
roast, olathan erachi (fried mutton, beef or pork), meen moilee
(a yellow fish curry), meen mulligattathu (a fiery red fish
curry), and peera pattichathu (a dry fish dish of grated
coconut). Another interesting feature is the abundant use of
coconut oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and coconut milk.
Kerala also has it's own fermented beverages -the famous kallu
or (toddy) and patta charayam (arrack). Arrack is extremely
intoxicating and is usually consumed with spicy pickles and
boiled eggs (patta and mutta).
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The land and the food are rich with coconut, though one can't imagine Kerala food without chilies, curry leaf, mustard seed, tamarind and asafoetida. 
