Best fruits in Kerala

We have here pictures and short descriptions of the best fruits available in Kerala. The three most famous fruits of Kerala shown here are the Kerala Banana called 'Ethakka', the giant Jackfruit of Kerala called 'Chakka', which is the largest fruit in the world and the small sweet banana of Kerala called 'Pazham'.

How these fruits are eaten cooked is also described below with pictures.

Kerala Banana fruit shop

different types of Kerala bananas on display at a Kerala fruit vendor
Kerala Banana Shop

Bananas of Kerala: Banana and Plantains are known as 'Ethakka' and 'Pazham' in Malayalam, the language of Kerala. Kerala has many varieties of Bananas, different colours and different sizes. Most of the varieties of Bananas you will see in such shops are only grown in Kerala. You should not miss eating these wonderful fruits when in Kerala. In the picture here you see a way side shop full of these fruits. When asking for the small plantains make sure you mention that you need the 'Poovan Pazham', the best variety of the small plantain..

Ethakka, special Banana of Kerala

special variety of bananas are grown in Kerala
Kerala Ethakka Bananas

Bananas of Kerala called Ethakka: Ethakka, the Bananas of Kerala, are of a unique variety as you can see in the picture here. They are not the type of bananas you see in the rest of the world. Kerala bananas can be eaten raw, or it can be boiled or fried or batter dipped and fried or it can be thinly sliced to give the famous Kerala banana chips. Below each of these special way of cooking Kerala banana is described.

Jackfruit of Kerala, largest fruit in the world

Kerala Jackfruit is the largest fruit in the world
Giant Kerala Jackfruit

Jackfruit in Kerala: Kerala Jackfruits are something special. A picture is shown here and you can see how big it is, bigger ones can weigh about a 100 pounds (40Kg). These Jackfruit are difficult to cut open and take out the eatable fruit pods, but they just taste fantastic. Jackfruits are grown all over Kerala and it is a multipurpose food for the people of Kerala. Jackfruit, before they are ripe, are used for making curries and dishes. The raw Jackfruit is also used to make Jackfruit chips. Jackfruit seeds are also used to make delicious curries. The ripe Jackfruits are simply a superb fruit to eat. Jackfruits are much tastier than the famous Durian fruit of Malaysia and does not smell bad like the Durian fruit. Ripe jackfruits are also made into a Halwa like sweet with the addition of Jaggery or Molasses.

Small Kerala Bananas or Pazham

Small Kerala Bananas called Pazham
Kerala Pazham, small bananas

Pazham or small Kerala Banana: These small bananas called pazham in Kerala, are available in almost all the wayside shops in Kerala. They are a sweet and delicious fruit and can be eaten any time of the day. Most people in Kerala have the small banana pazham as a snack together with a hot tea in a tea stall. Defintaly a must try item on your visit to Kerala.

Banana steamed Kerala way

steamed kerala banana is a wholesome hot breakfast in Kerala
Steamed Kerala Banana

Boiled Kerala Banana: Steamed Kerala Bananas are shown on the picture here. It can be eaten just like that or it is a great accompaniment for Puttu and Idiyappam. In Malayalam it is called 'Ethakka puzhingiathu'. Kerala bananas when boiled makes a great hot dish which can be enjoyed with Kerala Puttu for breakfast. The boiling process is simple, it is just steamed. Now in many houses in Kerala, they simply put the banana in a closed dish with a little water inside the dish and microwave it for about 2 minutes to give a perfet Kerala boiled banana.

Kerala Banana Fritters or Pazham Pori

Kerala banana fritters
Kerala Pazham Pori

Kerala Pazham Pori or Banana fritters: These banana fritters have several names in Kerala like Pazham Pori short for Pazham Porichathu in Malayalam. These are batter fried banana slices and can be eaten as a snack at any time of the day. It is a common food in a Kerala Tea stall.

Kerala Fried Banana slices

sliced Kerala banana slices
Fried Banana slices

Fried Banana slices: This style of cooking the Kerala bananas is not very common in the tea shops of Kerala, but is very popular with kids, and usually made at home. Ripe Kerala bananas are thinly sliced and fried in Ghee (melted butter) and then served with a sprinkling of sugar on top.

Kerala Banana Chips

famous banana chips of Kerala
Banana chips of Kerala

Famous Kerala banana chips: The banana chips of Kerala are very famous, because it is a favourite snack of the people of Kerala. Kerala Banana Chips are made with thinly sliced Kerala bananas, salted and then deep fried. It is a great snack to be eaten at any time of the day. Many Keralites are staying overseas all over the world, from USA, UK, Middle East, singapore, Malayasia, etc. Most of them when they go back from their holidays in Kerala, is sure to carry a few packets of Kerala banana chips to distribute to their friends overseas.

Kerala Jackfruit pods

jackfruit chips called chakka chola varthathu
Jackfruit pods

The ripe Jackfruit inside pods: The ripe jackfruit pods are so sweet and is simply an excellent fruit to have. The problem is to find Jackfruits in Kerala, because many of the Jackfruit trees are being cut down, because to take down these fruits from the very tall Jackfruit tree, you need someone to climb up. The problem is to find such workers who will do this job in Kerala. Try your best to get a good variety of Jackfruit served to you like the pods you see in the picture here.

Kerala Jackfruit chips

jackfruit chips called chakka chola varthathu
Jackfruit chips

Jackfruit chips of Kerala: Jackfruit chips of Kerala are made from sliced raw jackfruit pods and is an excellent snack. It is not so easily available as the banana chips due to the lack of availability of the Jackfruits.

Best Hotels in Kerala

Here we are giving the links to some of the best hotels in Kerala in and around famous tourist spots in Kerala. Please make use of the direct links to get some of the best hotel deals in Kerala through the world's leading hotel booking site Booking.com

Compare Hotel prices in Kerala and book online

The map below from Booking.com is super helpful to compare Hotel rent in Kerala. These Hotel prices in Kerala are updated every hour by the world's No.1 hotel booking website www.Booking.Com and you can be assured of the best Kerala Hotel rates. The map is also very useful even if you just want to compare hotel prices in Kerala. Please make use of the Kerala Hotels map from Booking.com below.

Booking.com

Search tool for Hotels

You can use the following tool from Booking.com to search select and book hotels in Kerala or India or anywhere in the world

Booking.com