Food in Kottayam

The people of Kottayam love their food. There is a marked influence of the Muslim and Syrian-Christian culture on the food items as well as the ingredients used in preparation. For example Appam in one of the distinct dishes mainly associated with St. Thomas Christians.


The influence of Tamil food is visible in the popularity of Idli, Dosa, Uttappam and the multi-purpose Sambhar. The popularity of bakery items like cakes, cream horns, yeast-leavened bread shows the European influence in the cuisine of modern Kottayam. People of Kottayam love non-vegetarian food with a variety of fish, beef, pork and other meats. Some Hindus especially Brahmins do not eat meat altogether. They are prominently vegetarians. Fresh water fish is available in plenty in the lakes around Kottayam. It is also consumed in a variety of ways.

Famous Dishes of Kottayam

Churuttu is a syrupy podi covered in thin mandaka. A putto is the ground rice sprinkled with ghee, mashed banana and sugar. Appam especially Kallappam - a kind of pan cake and Vellappams-an edged item is made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk. Idli, Dosa and Uttappam are prepared from fermented rice flour. Sambhar the typical Tamilian curry is made from crushed pulses. Chouru is rice boiled with husk, Kanji or rice Congee is rice porridge, Tapioca called Kappa, bananas cut into round chips dried and fried or dipped in jaggery to make it sugary are some of the famous dishes of Kottayam. Karimeen Varuthathu or the fresh-water fried fish is very popular. Thoran is a dry dish prepared by mixing chopped vegetables. Meat is flavoured with mustard seeds. Avial is another vegetable dish served with coconut milk or yoghurt. Olan uses ash gourd, beans and coconut; Pachadi or kichadi is a kind of sauce prepared from different vegetables with ginger, cucumber, pineapple, bitter gourd and Okra. Pulisseri or Kaalan is a simple yoghurt based dish made from papaya.

Ingredients Used in Kottayam

Rice and Tapioca (cassava) are the main ingredients of the food of Kottayam. Side dishes are prepared with vegetables, fish and meat. Dishes from rice flour and cassava are made rich with hot spices like chilli, pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin seeds, turmeric, green chillies and cloves. The use of vegetables and fruits like Plantain, bitter gourd, yam, colocasia and ash gourd is unique to this area of Kerala. Injipuli, pulinji or sou ginger is a kind of chutney prepared from ripe mango, tamarind, jaggery and ginger. Potato, tomato and chilli peppers are also used but only sparingly.

Coconut kernel, its milk and coconut cream are used as thickening and flavouring agent in dishes. Banana is used in a variety of ways especially for snacks. Fish, crushed pulses and rice flour are other ingredients of Kottayam food preparation.

Famous Eateries at Kottayam

Karimpumkala Restaurant
MC Road
Pallom
Kottayam

Thali
Opposite Manorama office
Kumarakom
Kottayam

Arya Bhawan
Kumarakom
Kottayam

Hotel Kumarakom
Kumarakom
Kottayam

Bestotel
Main Road Kumarakom
Kottayam

White Gate Residency
Vaikom
Kottayam

Hotel Suryaas
TB Road
Near KSRTC Bus Stand
Kottayam

Tandoor Bakery
Main Central Road
Kottayam