COASTAL CIRCUIT
Kochi
QUEEN OF THE ARABIAN SEA, Kochi, is the ideal destination for a beach vacation. Be it sunbathing at Cherai beach or enjoying lush greenery at Fort Kochi beach, the city has much to offer beach lovers. One of these offerings is its coastal cuisine that will have you coming back for more. From prawns and lobsters to local favourites like karimeen (pearl spot), ayala (mackerel), and mathi (sardines)—Kochi serves up a wide variety of seafood. Karimeen pollichathu is one of the star dishes, where marinated pearl spot fish is wrapped in banana leaf and grilled to perfection. The Grand Pavilion (grandhotelkerala.com) located at MG Road, Ernakulam is famous for its authentic Kerala cuisine, especially the pearl spot preparations. In fish molly, the catch of the day is cooked in a coconut milk-based gravy. Mary’s Kitchen located at KB Jacob Rd, Fort Kochi, serves the best fish molly in the city. Apart from enjoying the delicacy, visitors can also enrol for Mary’s cooking classes, and learn to make some authentic Kerala dishes. Don’t forget to sample a plate of fish peera, where sardines are cooked in grated coconut.