Common sea Fish available at Fish shops in Trivandrum

 

Navara Fish

Ayila

Avoili ( Pomfret)

sear fish ( Ney meen)

common sea fish found in Trivandrum and coastal Kerala:

 1. Mathi / Sardine

A true Kerala favourite! Mathi (sardine) is loved for its rich flavour and is often prepared as spicy fish curry, fry, or mathi peera. Affordable, tasty and packed with flavour, it is a regular on many Kerala dining tables.

 2. Ayala / Indian Mackerel

Ayala (mackerel) is one of the most popular fish in Kerala. Its slightly oily, flavourful flesh makes it perfect for Kerala-style fish curry, masala fry or a simple pan fry with spices.

3. Neymeen / Kingfish

Known as Neymeen in Kerala, kingfish is prized for its firm, meaty texture and fewer small bones. It is excellent for grilling, frying and the classic Kerala red fish curry.

 4. Avoli / Pomfret

Avoli (pomfret) is a popular choice when you want a delicate, mild-flavoured fish. It can be fried with Kerala spices, grilled or cooked in a coconut-based curry.

 5. Choora / Tuna

Choora (tuna) is widely available along Kerala's coast. Its firm meat works beautifully in spicy Kerala preparations, including tuna curry and choora thoran.

 6. Karimeen / Pearl Spot

Although Karimeen is mainly a backwater/brackish-water fish rather than a true sea fish, it deserves a place in any Kerala fish list. Famous as Karimeen Pollichathu, it is one of Kerala's iconic fish dishes.

7. Chala / Oil Sardine

Chala, often referring to oil sardine, is another everyday favourite. It is particularly good with Kerala's fiery red chilli-based preparations and pairs wonderfully with rice and kappa.

8. Vatta / Queenfish

Vatta is a popular local fish with firm flesh and a pleasant flavour. It is commonly prepared as a spicy fry or Kerala-style curry and is a good choice for those who enjoy meaty fish.

 9. Kallumakkaya / Mussels

Not a fish, but an important part of Kerala's coastal seafood culture. Kallumakkaya is used in curries, stir-fries and the famous kallumakkaya nirachathu (stuffed mussels).

 10. Netholi / Anchovy

Small but full of flavour, Netholi (anchovy) is especially popular fried until crisp or cooked with coconut in a traditional Kerala preparation. It's one of those humble fish that can make a simple meal memorable.

Kerala's seafood culture is wonderfully diverse: from everyday mathi and ayala to prized neymeen and avoli, the local fish market offers something for almost every taste and budget.

Indian Cooking Lessons - Beginner and Intermediate Level

Indian Cooking lessons

      Indian Cooking Class Segments

Class Theme 4–5 Dishes Quick Dish

1 North Indian Favorites Butter Chicken, Jeera Rice, Garlic Naan, Cucumber Raita, Onion Salad Onion Salad

2 Punjabi Vegetarian Classics Palak Paneer, Chana Masala, Aloo Gobi, Jeera Rice, Roti Jeera Rice

3 Indian Street Food Vegetable Samosa, Pav Bhaji, Aloo Tikki, Mint-Coriander Chutney, Masala Chai Chutney

4 Indian Breads & Curries Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Naan, Aloo Paratha, Dal Tadka, Cucumber Raita Raita

5 Royal North Indian Kitchen Chicken Korma, Shahi Paneer, Dal Makhani, Vegetable Pulao, Laccha Paratha Vegetable Pulao

6 Indian Biryani Workshop Chicken Biryani, Vegetable Raita, Chicken Seekh Kebab, Mint Chutney, Gulab Jamun Mint Chutney

7 Everyday Indian Vegetarian Cooking Dal Tadka, Aloo Matar, Baingan Bharta, Chapati, Tomato-Onion Salad Tomato-Onion Salad

8 Tandoori & Mughlai Favorites Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Dal Makhani, Garlic Naan, Mint Raita Mint Raita

9 South Indian Breakfast Masala Dosa, Sambar, Coconut Chutney, Vegetable Upma, Medu Vada Coconut Chutney

10 South Indian Vegetarian Meal Vegetable Sambar, Lemon Rice, Vegetable Poriyal, Rasam, Coconut Chutney Coconut Chutney

11 Kerala Coastal Cooking Kerala Fish Curry, Vegetable Thoran, Appam, Coconut Rice, Cucumber Pachadi Cucumber Pachadi

12 Indian Comfort Food Rajma Masala, Aloo Paratha, Kadhi, Jeera Rice, Mango

-------------------------

Level 1 – Beginner

Class 1: North Indian Favorites

Class 2: Punjabi Vegetarian Classics

Class 3: Indian Street Food

Class 7: Everyday Vegetarian Cooking

Level 2 – Intermediate

Class 4: Breads & Curries

Class 5: Royal North Indian Kitchen

Class 6: Biryani Workshop

Class 8: Tandoori & Mughlai

Level 3 – Regional Indian

Class 9: South Indian Breakfast

Class 10: South Indian Vegetarian Meal

Class 11: Kerala Coastal Cooking

Class 12: Indian Comfort Food

Tuna Curry - Trivandrum household Recipe

 

Tuna at GoFish

Tuna Curry 

Kerala-Style Tuna Curry — A Trivandrum Home Favourite

In many homes around Trivandrum, tuna is cooked in a simple, fiery Kerala-style gravy that lets the flavour of the fish shine through.

Unlike creamy coconut-based fish curries, this version gets its character from red chilli, tamarind and spices. The chilli-based gravy is cooked until the raw spice aroma disappears, and then pieces of tuna are gently added and simmered until they absorb the flavours.

Typical ingredients include:

• Kashmiri or regular red chilli powder
• Ginger and garlic
• Shallots or small onions
• Curry leaves
• Fenugreek and mustard seeds
• Kudampuli (Malabar tamarind) for the characteristic sourness ( We typically use the other tamarind, which is commonly used in Trivandrum households
• Coconut oil
• Fresh tuna pieces

The beauty of this curry is its bold, slightly tangy and spicy gravy without coconut milk or ground coconut. The curry is often even better after resting for a few hours, as the tuna absorbs the spices and tamarind.

Serve it with steamed rice, tapioca (kappa) or Kerala-style kanji, and you have a wonderfully comforting Trivandrum-style home meal.

Simple ingredients, bold flavours and a very Kerala way of cooking fish.

Give Your Café a Dessert Menu People Come Back For

Batter to Beautiful Cakes

 For a café, the dessert menu should ideally combine familiar favourites, visually appealing items, and a few higher-value signature desserts. Here are strong options:

1. Chocolate Lava Cake 

A café classic with a strong visual “wow” factor.

Works especially well with vanilla ice cream.

Can become a signature dessert and support a premium price.

2. Cheesecake ( Always popular)

Popular across different age groups.

Can be offered in flavours such as New York, blueberry, chocolate or mango.

Excellent for display counters because it looks premium.

3. Brownies 

Relatively simple to produce and easy to portion.

Can be served warm with ice cream or sold as takeaway pieces.

Offers good opportunities for variations such as walnut, chocolate-chip or salted caramel.

4. Red Velvet Cake

Visually distinctive and highly recognisable.

Works well for both individual slices and celebrations.

Attractive for social-media photography.

5. Tiramisu ( Here's the recipe)

Gives a café menu a more sophisticated dessert option.

Naturally complements coffee, making it ideal for a café environment.

Can encourage customers to add a dessert to their coffee order.

6. Carrot Cake ( Here's the recipe)

Appeals to customers looking for something different from chocolate desserts.

Cream-cheese frosting adds richness and premium appeal.

A good option for a varied dessert selection.

7. Chocolate Truffle Cake 

A dependable choice for serious chocolate lovers.

Easy to sell by the slice.

Also creates opportunities for birthday and celebration orders.

8. Banana Cake/Bread 

Works particularly well with coffee and tea.

Can be positioned as a lighter, everyday café treat.

Useful for customers who don't necessarily want a heavily frosted dessert.

9. Cupcakes 

Convenient single-serving format.

Easy to display and offer in multiple flavours.

Good for takeaway, impulse purchases and children's orders.

10. Muffins 

Excellent breakfast or coffee-pairing product.

Easy to portion and grab-and-go.

Flavours such as blueberry, chocolate and banana give variety.

11. Cookies 

Low-commitment purchase compared with a slice of cake.

Perfect alongside coffee.

Easy to package for takeaway and repeat purchases.

12. Cinnamon Rolls 

Particularly attractive as a warm café item.

The aroma itself can help create an appetite and attract attention.

Can become a distinctive signature product.

Why should a café have a good cake & dessert selection?

• Increase average bill value: Customers coming for coffee may add a ₹150–₹300 dessert.
• Create pairing opportunities: Coffee + cake, tea + brownie, or lava cake + ice cream.
• Drive repeat visits: Customers may return specifically for a favourite dessert.
• Create visual marketing: Attractive desserts are highly shareable on Instagram and Facebook.
• Offer different price points: Cookies and muffins for casual purchases; cheesecake and lava cake for premium purchases.
• Build a signature: One exceptional dessert can become something the café is known for.

1. Capture celebrations: Cakes can generate larger orders beyond regular café visits.
2. Reduce dependence on beverages: A strong food/dessert offering gives customers another reason to visit.

What should a cafe owner do? 

The key isn't having 20 desserts. For a small café, I'd start with perhaps 6–8 carefully selected items: 2 chocolate-based, 1 cheesecake, 1 coffee-based, 1 fruit/light option, 1 breakfast-style bake, plus 1–2 signature desserts. That gives variety without making the kitchen unnecessarily complicated.


Learn the Recipes. Build Your Café Menu.

If you're a café owner looking to introduce or refresh your dessert menu, you can learn 4–5 selected café-friendly cake and dessert recipes in a single day.
The class can be customised around the recipes you want to add to your menu—whether that's lava cake, cheesecake, brownies, tiramisu, red velvet, carrot cake, cinnamon rolls or other popular café desserts.

One day's personalised menu-development class, starts at  ₹7,400

Come with your menu ideas, and we'll focus the day on learning the recipes and techniques that make sense for your café.

 For details and bookings, WhatsApp 9379398865.for lessons around these cakes and dessert menu. I'm based in Trivandrum.

Steamed Puttu in my Kitchen

Puttu Making in my kitchen

 Puttu — A Simple Kerala Classic

There’s something special about the familiar sound of a puttu vessel steaming on the gas stove. Layer by layer, rice flour and freshly grated coconut come together, and a few minutes of steaming turns them into soft, fluffy puttu.

And what makes it even better? The classic Kerala combination — payaru (green gram), pappadom and a little banana on the side. 

Simple ingredients. Traditional technique. Pure Kerala comfort foo