Nidhi Porotta at KH: Thiruvananthapuram’s latest food obsession

Porotta is an inseparable part of the Malayali food menu. Earlier, the term referred simply to flaky, layered, flatbreads. Now, it comes in countless shapes, flavours and versions born from cross-regional influences and endless culinary experiments. One such creation is the Nidhi porotta of Kerala Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Kerala Hotel, popularly known as KH, located opposite Lulu Mall in Thiruvananthapuram, is famous for its unique dishes. Among them, Nidhi porotta holds a special place. Though Nidhi porotta is available in many places across Kannur, KH’s version is in a class of its own. In Kannur, the dish is prepared in a plantain leaf, but at KH, it arrives in an earthen bowl.

Those who have tasted it agree  that it truly is a Nidhi (treasure) served in a bowl. Preparing one set of Nidhi Porotta requires five porottas. The first step is to place a boiled egg and chicken roast on two porottas. Another porotta is layered on top and filled with minced chicken. Then comes another porotta, topped with chicken fry. The final porotta crowns the dish, garnished with fried onions and French fries and topped with two cherries. The creation is then adorned with sauce and mayonnaise, covered with a plantain leaf, and wrapped in foil. This is the Nidhi porotta of Kerala Hotel, which now has a huge fan base.

For takeaways, the earthen bowl is included too. A regular Nidhi porotta is priced at Rs 240. KH also offers several variations such as Nidhi, Nidhi 1, Nidhi 2 and so on.

Kerala Hotel’s menu also extends beyond its porotta varieties. Diners can choose from a wide selection of seafood, chicken, and beef dishes. Chattichor (meals served in a clay pot) and Pothichor (meals wrapped in a banana leaf) are among the other favourites here.