The spices of Kerala: black pepper, cardamom, curry leaves and coconut oil
For centuries, ships sailed to Kerala for one reason: spices. The Malabar Coast was the place to buy black pepper, cardamom, cloves and ginger, long before they were common in European kitchens. That history is still on every plate.
The flavours that define Kerala cooking
Black pepper
Pepper grows wild in the hills of the Western Ghats and has been called "black gold". In Kerala it is not just a table seasoning: it is the heat in dishes like beef roast and pepper chicken. This is a warm, lingering heat, different from chilli's sharp bite.
Cardamom
Grown in the Cardamom Hills, this fragrant pod flavours biryanis, desserts such as payasam, and the sweet milky tea that goes with a plate of porotta.
Curry leaves
Perhaps the most Kerala flavour of all. Fresh curry leaves are fried in hot oil until they crackle, giving dishes a nutty, citrusy aroma. You will taste them in nearly every curry, thoran and chutney.
Mustard seeds, dried chillies and shallots
Together with curry leaves, these form the tempering: a flavoured oil poured over a finished dish, or used as the first step in building a curry.
Coconut, in four forms
- Grated fresh coconut goes into thorans and onto steamed puttu.
- Coconut paste thickens curries such as avial.
- Coconut milk makes dishes like olan creamy.
- Coconut oil is the traditional cooking fat, with a distinct aroma that defines the cuisine.
Souring agents
Tamarind, raw mango and kudampuli (also called Malabar tamarind), a dried fruit with a smoky, sour taste, are used to balance richness, especially in fish curries.
How to taste them
You do not need a list of spices to notice these flavours. Try these three dishes in one meal:
- Beef roast: pepper, fennel and toasted coconut.
- A thoran: fresh coconut and curry leaves.
- Payasam or a cardamom chai: sweet, milky cardamom.
Then order a second round. You will start tasting the layers.
Spice and heat are different things
Kerala food is aromatic before it is hot. If you are worried about heat, ask us: we can point you to dishes where spice means fragrance, not fire. See the menu, our Kerala page, or come by at Petersburger Str. 39, 10249 Berlin. For a first visit, our order guide will help.