Binge with thattu kadas in Kerala

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Thiruvananthapuram: Mumbai has its pav-bhajis and Kolkata has its puchkkas and Kerala? Well, in Kerala to enjoy street food, thattu kadas is the best option.

Thattu kadas are basically fast food joints that serve just about everything in cheap rates. From thatu dosas to rasam vadas, beef curry to Kozhi Vazhattu, it's a menu that will not disappoint anyone.

Ask any traveller and he will tell you that the essence of a city is in the street food. So, what should you bite into if you are in God's own country next time?

"Porotha, dosa, iddiappam, chicken curry, chicken fry, kadala, puri, green-peas, egg roast," street food vendor, Ezhumala says.

Another favorite with the locals is the pazhampuri, which is sliced banana in sweet batter and to go with it is chaya (tea).

So, add this to your list of what an ideal life should be - eating out in the beach with the cool sea breeze ruffling your hair.

"Street food is good everywhere and something near the beach is always good and refreshing," a resident of Thiruvanthapuram, Vinayak Ram Mohan says.

The food here is also cosmopolitan. Many joints offer Arabic dishes, what with most Malayalees making a dash to the Gulf.

And one of the best dishes to try in theses restaurants is shawarma, a Lebanese dish, which is minced chicken and an oil spill, stuffed in bread or roti. Well, this is guaranteed to scare your dietician away.

"Most of the food here is tasty and cheap. I like it very much," a regular at the Arabian joints, Renjith Ramaverma says.

But more than being just cheap and tasty, these joints are a way of life for many. For the cooks as well as the people who eat it. And if you ask any expatriate Malayalee about thattu kadas you will be sure to see a big smile.

(With inputs from Abhirr VP in New Delhi)

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