Kerala’s culinary capital Kozhikode beckons

The city’s gastronomic culture has been shaped by the blending of Arab traditions and ties with the Middle East, writes Ashwin Rajagopalan

The Mishkal mosque in Kozhikode with its charming aquamarine walls dates back to the 14th century and features local architectural elements of the time. It predates Vasco da Gama’s arrival in India by over a century. It’s the same for Kozhikode’s culinary scene that began to evolve even before Vasco da Gama set foot here in 1498. Calicut was a key dot in the legendary spice route as European powers jostled for their share of black gold (Kerala’s fabled black pepper).

Having spent quite a few days recently exploring the food scene in Kerala’s biggest cities, I found Thiruvananthapuram in the southern end of the state, packing a lot of surprises as it has a lot to offer for a city that is often underrated for its culinary potential. And then there’s Kochi, the state’s commercial capital that is a brilliant blend of the old and the new, it’s where local flavours combine with a strong café culture and international dining trends. But for me, it’s Kozhikode that still wins the battle for Kerala’s culinary capital. Everyone’s a foodie here and a clutch of tightly run, family-owned restaurants continue to set the tone in a city full of authentic flavours and culinary experiences.

A local institution

To call Paragon Hotel Kozhikode’s best-known restaurant is not an exaggeration. This is the home of the Kozhikodan biryani and has spawned a chain of restaurants across Kerala. The Paragon story began in Kozhikode and it’s never easy to score a table here. The restaurant continues to retain the same flavours despite the expansion. Golden fried shallots and jeeraksala (a fragrant small-grain rice) add to the unique flavour profile of this subtly-spiced biryani. It’s served with the traditional accompaniments of a Malabari biryani including a raitha (that locals call a salad) and a date pickle.

One for the road

There’s more than one drink for the road in Kozhikode. There’s the Sulaimani, the region’s famous black tea with a hint of spices, lemon and jaggery. Locals will tell you that the key ingredient is ‘mohabbat’, the love with which this tea is crafted. And you can taste this love across the city and restaurants like Paragon. I’d also suggest a pit stop at the Nannari Sarbath stall (this shop has no name or signage) for a refreshing glass of sarsaparilla (Nannari) sarbath that also comes in a version infused with milk. Kozhikode’s ‘Gulf’ connection comes to the fore at EPK Fruit Centre. The owners claim to have invented the ‘Sharjah Shake’ here, this drink has made its way to juice centres across the state and ironically even in Sharjah. I’ve asked for the recipe each time I’ve visited and am still waiting for the unlikely reveal of the secret formula that probably contains ‘Boost’ and banana.

Each time I’m in Kozhikode, I enjoy watching the team at Kumari Banana Chips (across the road from Paragon Hotel) in action. It’s a live advert for their crunchy banana chips that are now on most visitors’ shopping list. The team slices raw bananas with consummate ease and tosses these slices into a vat of fragrant hot coconut oil where they are transformed into crunchy, golden delights. The other popular food export from Kozhikode is their trademark halwa crafted with flour, jaggery and coconut oil that you can buy at popular sweet shops like Maharaja Sweets. Tea is a ritual in Kozhikode, just like most of Kerala. Bombay Hotel has been around since 1949 and is best known for its wide range of snacks that are available round the clock and are complemented by its famous black tea (Kattan Chaya).

Malabari delights

If I have to pick my favourite restaurant in Kozhikode, it would be Zain’s that serves authentic Mappila cuisine. Zainabi Noor, one of Kozhikode’s first woman restauranteurs fronts this restaurant. I usually time my visit around teatime, as that’s when they make their signature Arikadduka — mussels stuffed with mildly spiced rice, steamed in its shell and then fried. The other must-try dish here is the Mutta Mala (egg garland), a dessert that is typically offered as a welcome dish for a new bridegroom. The other restaurant that’s high on my list is Sagar, that is best known for its pathiri (a rice flour bread, similar to the akki roti in Karnataka) and fish curry. Of all the cities I have explored for food, Kozhikode holds a special place in my heart. I keep discovering new spots each time I’m in town and yet the old guard continues to hold sway. Most of these restaurants still stick to their roots and authentic flavours at a time when fickle Instagram trends make or break restaurants.