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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
07/01/2026
The basics of the kitchen for the Syrian Christians of Kerala are the appams and the various coconut-based stews that are served with them on Sunday mornings and for special occasions. This blend of rich, creamy flavours together with subtle spicing exemplifies the nature of Kerala cuisine, as well as indicating a cuisine that is made up of locally grown products combined with influences brought from Middle Eastern, European, and Indigenous Kerala.
The cuisine of the Syrian Christians of Kerala illustrates how food is shaped by historical, geographical, and cultural elements. From staple foods (appam with stew), we can see the method of fermenting, the use of certain spices, the unique combinations of light and heavy foods (from lacy rice pancakes to rich and creamy meat or vegetable curries), and how family traditions and religious beliefs have elevated a meal from everyday to a ritual that reflects the shared heritage and faith of the family.
At the heart of every Syrian Christian meal is the appam, a fermented rice pancake that has a very distinct texture. The pancake has a crispy, lacey edge and a soft, spongy centre. Made from rice flour, with or without coconut milk, the fermentation gives the appam a subtle sweetness and digestive qualities, making it an excellent breakfast or celebratory dish. Traditionally, the appam is cooked in a curved frying pan (appachatti), allowing the batter to spread evenly across the pan and rise up in the middle while remaining flat around the edges.
The traditional Sunday breakfast in Syria is appam served with a regional stew (more accurately described as a curry). The sweetness of coconut, along with the spices used when cooking, lends a distinctive sweet and fragrant aroma to the stew. Unlike most other curries found across South India, the stew has less spice heat, and therefore much of its depth comes from the way that whole spices (black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves) blend with the ingredients used, including a variety of potatoes, vegetables, and meats, including chicken, lamb, and even duck. The use of this technique allows the stew to develop a subtle creaminess and a depth of flavour.
The tradition of gathering for breakfast after going to church (Sunday) remains strong in Syrian Christian homes. Traditionally, a family would come together after church for breakfast on Sunday; appam and stew would typically be served along with side dishes, which included either cutlets of beef (or chicken), or salads. The same meal is often served during Christmas and at festive brunch times (though, rather than cutlets, meat roasts may be served) in order to reflect a tradition that combined religious observance and communal meals. Many homes in Kerala also follow a similar practice of serving Pesaha appam (a ceremonial rice bread) during Holy Week to commemorate the Last Supper.
The geography of Kerala, with its lush rice, coconuts, spices, and freshwater products, has had an influence on the Christian food of this area. The use of coconut milk is prevalent in the cooking methods in Kerala, as it adds a creamy and rich flavour to both gravies and batters. Whole spices as a cooking ingredient continue the heritage of spice in this region, while the inclusion of animal proteins, particularly beef and lamb, was influenced by the different dietary practices in this community, as compared to the neighbouring Hindu community. This combination of influences creates a cuisine that is unique to the region of Kerala, yet is also open to outside influences from around the world, such as the Portuguese, British, and the slow-cooked styles from the Middle East.
Many people are familiar with appam and stew, but many other culinary creations are cooked in the Syrian Christian kitchen. Numerous types of dishes can be found in this kitchen, including dry meat dishes (piralen), several types of fish dishes, and meat roasts that have a coconut flavour. These dishes contribute to the everyday and festive meals, as they provide a variety of textures and spices, while also incorporating coconut and locally-available produce.
Kerala’s Syrian Christian kitchen reflects a living tradition sharing a rich history, faith and the bounty of its environment to create traditional meals that have evolved cumulatively over time to reflect the unique identity of the region. For example, Appam with Stew combines all the elements representative of traditional cooking: fermentation, creamy coconut, spices, and the ceremonial versus everyday meal preparation traditions. Therefore, during both leisurely Sunday mornings and festive family gatherings, these meals provide insight into the lives of the people who create them, reflect the intermingling of numerous cultures that exist in this region, and display the warmth and hospitality characteristic of living in God’s Own Country.
