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Sweets From Thiruvananthapuram

As final year approached, my friends and I were planning on a trip! The very first place that struck all our minds was "Thiruvananthapuram". Yes, almost everyone dreams of visiting Trivandrum, God's Own land loaded with rich traditions and culture. So, we finalized Thiruvanathapuram and started our journey on a Monday morning! As enthusiastic tourists, we wanted to enjoy the city's rich colors, royal history and startling boutiques. However, none of us thought of food! To everyone's awe & wonder, sweets in Thiruvananthapuram evolved to the biggest highlight and sweetest memory in our trip.

Neyyappam in Thiruvananthapuram


Every evening me and my friends used to buy a sweet called Neyyappam. The yummy sweet had a crispy outer covering and spongy inner filling. Mostly, the filling was palm jaggery (locally known as Karipetti). This is a rice based sweet made of sweet rice fitters that are fried in butter alias Ghee. Though Neyyappam is served in many other states, the dish from Kerala is different and extremely tasty. In cities other than Thiruvananthapuram, Neyyappam is made with different batters. So, the taste of Neyyappam filled with Palm Jaggery in Thiruvananthapuram was divine and unforgettable.

a famous sweet in Trivandrum


Black Halwa of Thiruvananthapuram


Even today when I think of halwa, I remember the Kozhikkode Black Halwa. The amazing sweet was sold in every bakery, sweet shop and supermarket. The halwa was sealed behind a glass counter, a black mass with glistening amounts of ghee and a mouth watering smell. Locals told us that foreigners called the Kozhikkode Black Halwa as "Sweet Meat". We stayed in SM street, and the place was filled with shops that sold this specialty. Trust me, once tasted you will be hooked onto the sensational sweet for a very long time. The scrumptious sweet is made of coconut oil, maida, palm jaggery and sugar. Though the Halwa comes in different colors, Black was the best!

special Halwa of Thiruvananthapuram


Boli from Thiruvananthapuram


For lunch, we chose Boli and Palpayasam. The sugary treat was exceptionally filling! However, the irresistible combination was too good to be true. Bolis are extremely famous in Thiruvananthapuram than anywhere else in the state. The soft, smooth and delicious pancake is served during special occasions! The thin, yellow sweet has a very long history. And, we have never tasted bolis as sweet or scrumptious as what we did in Thiruvananthapuram.


Common food for lunch in Trivandrum

Payasam in Thiruvananthapuram


Payasam is one of the most famous sweets in Thiruvananthapuram. Being Chennaites, we have tasted a wide range of payasams; however, the warm dessert was different and much more special in Kerala. Undoubtedly, we enjoyed the city's paal payasam. The sweet was made of milk, dry fruits, coconut extracts, sugar and plenty of cashew nuts. Moving on, we loved Thirvananthapuram's Sarkkara payasam. The sweet has a mix of jaggery and rice. Another interesting type of payasam was the Ada Payasam. The dish has broken strips of freshly baked starch! Few other payasam specials offered in Thiruvananthapuram would be:
  • Parippu Payasam - Made of new dhal and milk.
  • Pazham Payasam - A very unique and rare dessert served in rich hotels. The pasayam is made of bananas and jaggery.
  • Gothambu Payasam - The healthy dish comprises of wheat and dry fruits like raisins.
  • Semia Payasam - As suggested by its name, the dish has milk and semia strips.

a popular sweet in Thiruvananthapuram

As shared by our freelance writer Divya Dev

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