Garlic prawns and Kerala seafood: from the coast to your plate
Kerala has more than 500 kilometres of coast, rivers, lakes and the famous backwaters. It is no surprise that fish and prawns sit at the centre of the cuisine, from the fish markets of Kochi to the home kitchens of the south.
Seafood in Kerala cooking
Fish is eaten daily in much of Kerala. Typical preparations:
- Fish curry: often red and tangy, soured with kudampuli (a dried, smoky fruit also called Malabar tamarind). The Kottayam style is one of the best known.
- Fish fry: marinated in spices and fried until crisp, eaten with rice.
- Prawn curry and prawn roast: prawns (chemmeen) cooked in coconut-based gravies or roasted dry with onion and pepper.
- Fish with kappa: tapioca mash with a red fish curry, a classic of Kerala's toddy shops. Read about kappa.
Garlic prawns
Garlic prawns are a street-food style dish: prawns pan-fried until crisp with plenty of garlic, curry leaves and South Indian spices, finished with a squeeze of lime. It is quick, fragrant and made for sharing, a good starter or a side next to a curry and bread.
How to eat them: with your fingers, straight from the plate, while still hot, and with a wedge of lime.
What to order with them
Garlic prawns work as a starter before a main like porotta with beef roast or a biryani. If you like seafood, ask us what is on the menu that day: our menu changes with the kitchen. See today's menu.
Frequently asked questions
Do garlic prawns contain allergens? Yes. Prawns are crustaceans. If you have a shellfish allergy, please tell us when you order. We also cook with wheat, dairy and other allergens in the same kitchen.
Are they spicy? Fragrant, with some heat from the spices. Tell us how hot you like it.
Is there a vegetarian alternative? Yes: paneer chilli or Gobi Manchurian make good sharing plates. See Indo-Chinese street food in Kerala.
Visit
Petersburger Str. 39, 10249 Berlin-Friedrichshain, Tuesday to Sunday 12:00 to 22:00. Reserve a table.
