Seafood Delicacies in Kerala

 

Coming for a visit in Kerala?? Don't miss to spice up your taste buds with the 'nadan'(local) seafood.

First things first.

Meeting up with friends during the short stays at home during holidays is a chance to eat at the local food joints. So before onto our venture into the streets of Fort Kochi, we had a pitstop at 'Shaapu curry' at TD Road, Ernakulam for lunch. The restaurant has been on my foods to try list for a long time.

Toddy shops

Toddy shops in Kerala are famous for spicy traditional seafood delicacies. Its called 'kallu shaapu' in Malayalam. By the way, toddy or 'kallu' is an alcoholic beverage obtained naturally from coconut or palm trees. So 'Shaapu' in general is toddy shop. This restaurant is furnished with wooden table and chairs, and walls made of bamboo with less lighting, trying to recreate the toddy shop ambience. Along with the ambience they serve the authentic Kerala style spicy food as you get in toddy shops, but without toddy.

Shaapu curry

There was a wide variety of fish food available, like crabs, prawns, pearl spot(Karimeen), seer fish(Neymeen), pomfret(Avoli), clams(Kakkayirachi), anchovy(Kozhuva). But all foods are subjected to availability. There is no fixed menu. In addition to the seafood, you can also try chicken curry or beef roast.

Price

You can fill your tummy, with fingerlickingly yummy homely meals which include rice, main curry and 4 side dishes which you can get at Rs.60. Special fish fry and fish curries come at separate prices. We ordered the pearl spot which cost Rs.300 and Seer fish fry which was Rs.180. Rates will vary depending on the availability of the fish. 

Seer Fish fry we ordered

If someone asks me what I miss the most staying outside Kerala, I would say its the fresh seafood. Here I could taste the real Kerala style meals with curries served in banana leaf, flavoured with pepper and spices.

 

Pearl spot fish(Karimeen) Varuth Pollichathu. Fish is fried and marinated with rich spicy masala and baked in a banana leaf

Red hot steaming fish curry..

Timings

Please note this shop serves only from 11 AM to 3.30 PM. And in case if you arrive late, the specials for the day may be sold out. We reached by 1'O'clock and the tables were getting filled being a working day. 

Location

It's at T D Road, Ernakulam, Right behind the Maharajas College. See the map for accurate location.

 

Have you tasted Kerala meals and yummy seafood yet?? 
Would love to hear about your favourite food and restaurants.. 
 

Stay tuned for more Cochin posts..

Also read:

Of boats and backwaters : Ferrying through the backwaters of Cochin