Tempting Kerala Seafood Dishes

Besides bewitching backwaters, Onam celebration, boat races and scenic locations, Kerala cuisine is also a major factor that attracts tourists to the state. Well, Kerala cuisine is not just about Onam sadya. A lion’s share of Kerala cuisine consists of seafood dishes. A perfect blend of traditional spices, coconut, and seafood can allure any foodies. Kerala seafood dishes largely include preparations with squid, shrimp, oil sardines, prawn, rays, crabs, mussels or tuna. The green chromide, kingfish, pomfret and clams have top spots too. Coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut grated, turmeric, tamarind, brindle berry, curry leaves are a few of the commonly used ingredients for Kerala seafood dishes. Interestingly, it is a dauting task to list out the best of Kerala seafood dishes. The list could be endless still a few would argue something or other is missing. Anyway, I have presented a few which are surely must-try items.

Prawns Fry and Roast

Kerala seafood dishes and prawns preparations are interconnected. Be it a beachside restaurant or a roadside hotel, if they offer seafood, prawns dishes invariably appear on your table. With all the coastal lines, lakes and freshwater sources, much like the availability of crabs, prawns remain abundant. So, what is stopping you from indulging in tempting prawns fries or roast? It is one of the delicious starters you can enjoy. Added with generous amount of spices and garnished with coconut bits, tomatoes and wedges of lemon, it is a pure delight.

Crab Roast

A personal favourite of mine among the Kerala seafood dishes is the crab roast. Not everyone takes a liking towards this seafood dish. However, once you enjoy its taste, you are going to crave for it every time you think of seafood. Kerala style crab roast is a hassle-free preparation. Cleaned and neatly cut crabs are set aside until the masala blend is prepared. To keep the flavours traditional, earthen pot is used to cook. Shallot, green chilli, black pepper, brindle berry, ginger and garlic account for the major chunk of the spices-mix. It is usually a dry or semi dry dish. Cooked in coconut oil, the tasty dish will arouse your taste buds with its enticing aroma.

Mussel Fry

Mussels fry or roast is another sought after Kerala seafood dish especially if you are in northern part of the state. Only the neatly cleaned flesh without shells goes into the wok. Spices like onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, green chillies, and curry leaves spruce up the preparation. By garnishing with coconut slices, it becomes all the more appetizing. More than a side dish, you would enjoy this slow-fried, spicy dish as a starter.

Squid Roast

If you are used to having frozen squids, it is recommended to try a fresh squid roast on any coastal villages in Kerala. Usually, it is prepared cut in small rings. These tender rings perfectly marinated in a delightful mix of spices are kept aside for a while before the pan is heated. Slow cooked in the pan using coconut oil, you can enjoy it as a dry delicacy or opt for the semi-gravy one. Either way, it will satisfy you to the core. Although spicy, with flavours of coconut milk and brindle berry, it becomes irresistible. With rice, chapati or roti, it is a must try.

Karimeen (green chromide) Pollichathu 

To prepare a special fish item, a special fish is normally used. Karimeen or green chromide is the state fish of Kerala. It is one of those Kerala fish delicacies, you should not miss while travelling around Kerala. Unlike the traditional method of frying or cooking, the grilled preparation style provides an authentic taste to Karimeen. When you look forward to savouring Kerala seafood dishes, Karimeen Pollichathushould top your list. Marinated with a perfect blend of spices before being wrapped in banana leaf, the fish is then neatly grilled until ready. Besides the aromatic flavours of spices, a special tang infused by the banana leaf makes the dish an unavoidable delight. Even the way it is cooked, presented and then enjoyed with rice is a delectable experience.

Fish Curry

Like the wine varieties in Italy, the fish dishes in Kerala will keep your taste buds ever craving for more. It is as though there are as many varieties of fish preparations in Kerala as there are towns. Even depending on the kind of fish, the flavour, aroma and blend of masala would be different. Kerala fish curry mostly is a spicy dish with generous amount of chilli powder, ginger and garlic. Of course, spices like turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, curry leaves add more zing to the failover. Other ingredients like onion, shallot, black pepper, brindle berry, tamarind, coconut milk, mango, drumstick are used depending on the location and flavour you need. Mostly fishes like mackerel, sardines, tilapia, pomfret, red snapper, green chromide, tuna or shark are used to prepare curry.

Fish Fry

Without a fish fry as a side dish, your platter of Kerala seafood dishes is incomplete. Which fish fry would you choose? That’s a million-dollar question for sure. Usually, mackerel, sardines or anchovies top the list. However, the list is partial without pearl spots, kingfish, pomfret, seer, mullet, pink perch and a few others. To marinate the cleaned and cut fish, usually chilli powder, turmeric powder and black pepper powder are used. While frying, as per your taste you could add ginger-garlic paste, sliced tomatoes and curry leaves. Garnish it with sliced onions and lime and serve it hot.

There is more to the list of Kerala seafood delicacies. Meen Peera which is usually prepared with anchovies and plenty of grated coconut. Fish pickle is a common side dish so is dried fish. Have you tried fish cutlet? Try prawns chutney, prawns masala, prawns biriyani, fish biriyani. Crunchy, tasty, Stuffed mussels is a common sight in Malabar region of Kerala. Don’t miss the rich fish mappas and fish moilee too.