Kerala's pothichoru finds a weekend home in Chicago

In a quiet corner of Chicago, the United States, far from Kerala’s coconut groves and monsoon-soaked roads, something deeply familiar is being unwrapped. A pothichoru packed with beef, fish, egg, aviyal, thoran, chammanthi, pulissery, and payasam has found its way into the local Malayali food scene.

Once the go-to meal for train journeys, school lunches, and a day’s work in the fields, pothichoru is now a weekend staple among Malayali-run restaurants and stores in the US. In Chicago, these banana leaf-wrapped meals are prepared with the same care and attention found in kitchens back home, often available only on weekends to keep up with demand and freshness.

Each component is carefully layered over a bed of rice. The beef is slow-roasted and rich with spices. The fish may be fried or curried, depending on the cook’s touch. The egg is usually in omelette form. Aviyal and thoran add body and colour, while chammanthi brings fire and sharpness. A ladle of pulissery balances the spice with its tang. The final flourish, a spoonful of payasam, turns the meal into a complete experience.

Wrapped in a banana leaf, pothichoru is more than a convenient packed lunch. The leaf itself lends a faint smokiness and helps seal in warmth and aroma. Long after the meal is done, the fragrance lingers as a gentle reminder of home.

For first-generation immigrants, it’s a powerful connection to the past. For younger Malayalis growing up abroad, it offers a sensory introduction to the food heritage they’ve heard about. In a city filled with global cuisines, pothichoru holds its own, not just for its flavour but for the emotion it carries.

What began as a practical meal for travel and fieldwork continues to find relevance today. Its form has stayed the same, but its journey now stretches across continents, proving that some tastes travel well without needing to change.