In fact, the stranger the combination, the more the social media algorithm rewards it. Some pairings endure, while many combust after their viral high, only to be relegated to the hashtag graveyard.
But before Instagram and TikTok, a small cafe in Kochi, Kerala began serving an eyebrow-raising pairing that’s lasted for over three decades: pazhamporiyum beefum, or sweet banana fritters with spicy beef roast. And it came to be at an unassuming roadside eatery, Sree Muruga Cafe, in the quiet locality of Poonithura.
Here is the breakdown: ripe Kerala nendran bananas are sliced lengthwise, dipped in a batter of water, all-purpose flour, rice flour, sugar, turmeric, and cardamom powder, and deep-fried. The rice flour makes the fritters extra crispy, while the turmeric and cardamom are optional, for that bright yellow hue and added flavour. This is served with a quarter plate of spicy beef roast that has just enough gravy to complement the sweet fritters, garnished with sliced raw onions to cut through the grease.
When I first heard about the combination as a child, I shuddered. They are both widely loved Kerala staples individually, but putting them together? Pass, I thought. For one, who would want to eat bananas with beef? If pineapple and ham on pizza is considered a sin, this one felt like a bigger one. I was sceptical about how it would feel texture-wise — jammy bananas, stringy beef, and ample coconut oil imparting a cloying richness.
But it is one of the most popular dishes at the cafe, has been on their menu since the late 1980s, and online reviews range from “heaven” to “smash hit” and “unmissable.” So whose idea was it? Legend has it that it’s a happy accident: a regular asked for both pazhampori and beef roast and simply decided to eat the two together.
