Rice, rice flour, gram-flour, chillies and different spices are extensively used in main meals as well as in the preparation of savouries such as Murukku, Omapodi etc. Coconut is an important ingredient in most of Kerala cuisine, Coconut is used along with bananas, both raw and ripe, Kozhikode is a popular centre for banana chips of several kinds.
Kerala’s non-vegetarian food is prepared in a masala (ground with coconut as a predominant ingredient). Since fish and other sea foods are available in plenty Kerala’s non-vegetarian cuisine consists of many fish preparations. Rice and fish curry constitute a typical meal. Fish moilli, fish curry, min varathiyathu, masala fried fish, min vattichathu, min mulagittathu, min pollichathu are some of the popular dishes made of fish. A special kind of tamarind called, kodampuli is used in some of the fish preparations to add taste. In Thrissur region, pork curry and duck preparations are popular. ‘Puttu’ prepared from rice flour by a steaming process is a breakfast dish. Tapioca and fish are common man’s food.
