In short: Common ingredients: ഉപ്പ് (uppu) salt, മുളക് (mulaku) chilli, എണ്ണ (enna) oil, തേങ്ങ (thenga) coconut, അരി (ari) rice, മഞ്ഞൾ (manjal) turmeric, കുരുമുളക് (kurumulaku) black pepper, ഇഞ്ചി (inji) ginger.
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഉപ്പ് · മുളക് | Uppu · Mulaku | Salt · Chilli |
| എണ്ണ · തേങ്ങ | Enna · Thenga | Oil · Coconut |
| അരി · മഞ്ഞൾ | Ari · Manjal | Rice · Turmeric |
| കുരുമുളക് · ഇഞ്ചി | Kurumulaku · Inji | Black pepper · Ginger |
When & how to use it
Kerala cooking revolves around thenga (coconut) and spices like kurumulaku (pepper - Kerala's famous export). Masaala = spice mix.
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ഉപ്പ് കൂടുതലായോ? | Uppu kooduthalaayo? | Is there too much salt? |
| തേങ്ങ ചിരകി വെച്ചോ. | Thenga chiraki vecho. | Grate the coconut. |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 11 - At a Restaurant in the free Listen & Learn library — every line has a Malayalam, romanised and English transcript.
Practise speaking it for real
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Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
What are spice names in Malayalam?
Uppu (salt), mulaku (chilli), enna (oil), thenga (coconut), manjal (turmeric), kurumulaku (pepper), inji (ginger).
How do you say salt in Malayalam?
Salt is ഉപ്പ് (uppu).
How do you say coconut in Malayalam?
Coconut is തേങ്ങ (thenga).
How do you say chilli in Malayalam?
Chilli is മുളക് (mulaku).