Archive · 30 Nov 2025
Arabic Food Takes Over Kerala's Cuisine
Arabic food has become very popular in Kerala, India.
Dishes like Shawarma, Mandi, and desserts like B.Laban and Kunafa are now common.
Many people in Kerala have worked in the Gulf countries and brought back these foods.
The food is affordable and tasty, so it has become a big part of Kerala's food culture.
Even though some dishes are not originally from the Middle East, like adding mayonnaise to Mandi, people in Kerala love them.
There are now many restaurants serving these foods, and they are very popular.
Arabic food has become a major culinary category in Kerala, with dishes like Shawarma, Mandi, and Kuzhimanthi gaining popularity.
The trend started around a decade ago and was supercharged by the pandemic, with nearly 25,000 Arabian food restaurants opening during that period.
Gulf migrants returning to Kerala brought back these foods, which are now a significant part of the state's food culture.
Desserts like B.Laban and Kunafa have also become popular, with many outlets offering their own variants.
The affordability and familiarity of Arabic food have made it a favorite among Malayalees, with dishes like Shawarma and Mandi being widely consumed.
- Who
- Malayalees in Kerala, influenced by Gulf migrants and Arabic cuisine.
- What
- The rise of Arabic food in Kerala, including Shawarma, Mandi, and desserts like B.Laban and Kunafa.
- When
- The trend started around a decade ago and gained significant momentum during the pandemic in 2020.
- Where
- Kerala, India, particularly in cities like Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Malappuram.
- Why
- The familiarity and affordability of Arabic food, along with the influence of Gulf migrants returning to Kerala, have driven this culinary shift.
- Shawarma
- Thin slices of meat roasted on a vertical spit, wrapped in pita bread.
- Shawayya
- Marinated chicken roasted on a gas-fired rotisserie spit.
- Al-Faham
- Marinated chicken finished on a grill.
- Mandi
- Yemeni rice-and-meat dish cooked in a cylindrical underground pit.
- Kuzhimanthi
- Kerala's variant of Mandi, cooked in a charcoal-fueled pit.
- B.Laban
- Egyptian dessert chain with milk-and-cream desserts.
- Kunafa
- Cheese-based, semolina-crusted dessert drenched in sugar syrup.