Spices of Kannur
A northern Malabar town and old port, linked to the pepper and cinnamon trade and to the cuisine of Malabar's Muslim community.
Traded and grown here
Best time: November to February.
Kannur, once called Cannanore, is a coastal town in northern Kerala. It was an important port on the Malabar coast and the Portuguese built St Angelo Fort here in the sixteenth century. The hinterland grows pepper, cardamom, cashew and coconut.
Spices and trade
Pepper, cinnamon and cardamom have moved through the area for centuries, and traders still deal in pepper, ginger and other spices. The hills inland produce much of what reaches the coast.
The place and its people
Northern Malabar has a distinct food culture shared by Muslim families, with biryani, seafood and sweets that use cardamom, clove and cinnamon. Theyyam ritual performance is another strong tradition of the region.
Visiting
St Angelo Fort and the town's beaches are the main sights, and the markets sell spices, cashew and dried fish. Theyyam seasons run in the cooler months.
A trail idea for Kannur
- St Angelo Fort See the laterite fort over the sea.
- The town market Buy whole spices by weight.
- A Malabar biryani Eat the local style, fragrant with cardamom and clove.
- Inland hills Drive up to see pepper vines on trees.
Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Kannur" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
Nothing matches those filters yet. Take one off, or check back: new spices are written every day.