Like art and culture the evolution of the culinary style of a region or country can be traced to history, geography, demography and culture of the land. Since the Kerala society is a melting point of different cultural influences Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both vegetarian and non- vegetarian. Influence of the visitors to the state from ancient times is visible in the dishes.

Kerala has its own distinctive cuisine using the ingredients locally available. It is very hot and spicy. Coconut is a main ingredient in all the dishes. Kerala has a long coastline and a number of rivers and backwater networks and as a result a strong fishing industry. This has contributed to any sea- and river-food based dishes. Rice along with tapioca is the main starch ingredient used in Kerala food. Kerala is also famous for its spices and black pepper, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon play a big part in its food.

Rice is the staple food of Kerala, like most South-Indian states. Besides the boiled product eaten as a staple, there is a wide range of snacks and breakfast fare made of rice and rice flour. Tapioca is popular in central Kerala and in the highlands, and is frequently eaten with fish curry.

Traditional Kerala sadya is a vegetarian meal served in a plantain leaf especially during special occasions and festivals. It is served on plantain leaf, and is a formal-style meal with three or more courses of rice with a side-dish. The sadya includes rice, served with three or four side dishes (which are cooked in coconut gravy or coconut milk), pickles, pappadam and finished off with a dessert called payasam. Payasam can be made from rice, dal, banana and many such combinations.

 Kerala offers a number of delicious vegetarian dishes which include Puttu (a type of steam cake made of rice flour and grated coconut) and kadala (a curry made of black garbanzo beans); idli fluffy rice pancakes) and sambar; dosaand chutney; idiyappam (string hoppers – also known as oolputtu), Appam, a circular, fluffy, crisp-edged pancake made of rice flour fermented with a mall amount of toddy, etc. Idiyapam and Paalappam are accompanied by mutton, chicken, vegetable stew. Chips, made from raw and ripe bananas, are hugely popular in Kerala. They are taken as snacks or as part of a meal. It is a favourite among tourists too, who take back packets of these crispy crunchies.

Rice is usually consumed with one or more side dishes. Vegetarian dinners usually consist of multiple courses, each involving rice, one main dish (usually sambar, rasam, pulisserry), and one or more side-dishes.

The common non-vegetarian dishes are stew (using chicken, beef, lamb, or fish), traditional chicken curry, chicken fry, fish curry, fish fry, lobster fry, beef fry, etc. Biriyani, a Mughal dish consists of rice cooked along with meat, onions, chillies and other spices is also popular.

Popular sweets include Unniappam (a fried banana bread), pazharn-pori (ripe plantain slices dipped in sweetened flour paste and fried), A trip to the Malabar region of the state guarantees a gastronomical delight. The non-vegetarian specialties of this region take taste and flavor to a different level. Chicken and meat preparations are a treat to the taste-buds. The right mix of aromatic spices and some special ingredients, and cooked in the traditional way, gives you dishes that will have you coming back. The sweet lovers can gorge on divine delicacies like Unniappam, Unnakkaya, Pazhampori (made from banana), kozhukatta (rice balls filled with jiggery) Kerala is also famous for pickles and chutneys, crunchy pappadums, banana chips and jackfruit chips. Kozhalappam, achappam, cheeda, and churuttu are also popular snack items. A variety of what ‘herbal teas’ which are served during mealtimes is another specialty here. Cumin seeds, ginger or coriander seeds are boiled in water and served warm or at room temperature. In addition to the improved taste, the spices also have digestive and other medicinal properties. Sambharam, diluted buttermilk, often flavoured with ginger, lime or curry leaves and green chilli is also common, especially during traditional sadya. Coffee and tea are also common. Usually they are drunk black, or with milk and white sugar. Fresh lime juice is another popular drink. Fruit-based dishes also form a part of Kerala cuisine. [Jackfruit, pineapple, variety of mangoes and bananas are eaten raw or as prepared as dishes and serve as side dishes during meals.