Vegetables names in Malayalam and English
Vegetables names in Malayalam and English: kumbalanga, padavalanga, chena, chembu, muringakka and 35 more Kerala vegetables, with Malayalam script.
A Kerala vegetable stall has a lot of things that English menus rarely name: several gourds that look alike, two or three kinds of yam, banana flower and stem, and greens such as cheera (amaranth). Many of them are central to everyday Kerala meals and to the Onam feast, so it helps to know what each one is called in both languages.
Two patterns make the names easier to remember. Many vegetables end in -nga or -kka, which marks a fruit or pod: kumbalanga (ash gourd), vendakka (okra), muringakka (drumstick). Tubers often end in kizhangu, meaning root or tuber: urulakizhangu (potato, the 'round tuber') and madhurakizhangu (sweet potato, the 'sweet tuber'). Newer vegetables such as carrot, beetroot and cabbage simply use their English names, written in Malayalam script.
No match on this page. Try the search across all names.
| English | Malayalam | Say it | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ash gourd | കുമ്പളങ്ങ | kumbalanga | Large pale gourd with a waxy coating; keeps for weeks. |
| Pumpkin | മത്തങ്ങ | mathanga | Yellow or red pumpkin; a staple of Onam dishes. |
| Bitter gourd | പാവയ്ക്ക | paavakka | Ridged, bitter green gourd. |
| Snake gourd | പടവലങ്ങ | padavalanga | Long, thin, often twisting gourd. |
| Ridge gourd | പീച്ചിങ്ങ | peechinga | Gourd with sharp lengthwise ridges. |
| Bottle gourd | ചുരയ്ക്ക | churakka | Pale green, smooth gourd, also called lauki or doodhi. |
| Ivy gourd | കോവയ്ക്ക | kovakka | Small, finger-sized green gourd, also called tindora. |
| Cucumber (Kerala yellow) | വെള്ളരിക്ക | vellarikka | The golden cucumber placed in the Vishu kani is kani vellari. |
| Drumstick | മുരിങ്ങക്കായ | muringakka | Long pods of the moringa tree. |
| Drumstick leaves | മുരിങ്ങയില | muringayila | Small leaves of the moringa tree, cooked as greens. |
| Raw plantain | പച്ചക്കായ | pachakkaya | Green cooking banana; raw nendran is ethakka. |
| Banana flower | വാഴക്കൂമ്പ് | vazhakkoombu | The purple flower bud of the banana plant. |
| Banana stem | വാഴപ്പിണ്ടി | vazhappindi | The tender inner core of the banana plant's stem. |
| Elephant foot yam | ചേന | chena | Large, rough-skinned corm; wear gloves when peeling, it can itch. |
| Colocasia (taro) | ചേമ്പ് | chembu | Small hairy corms; the leaves are also eaten. |
| Tapioca (cassava) | കപ്പ | kappa | Also maracheeni. Starchy root; cook thoroughly before eating. |
| Sweet potato | മധുരക്കിഴങ്ങ് | madhurakizhangu | Literally 'sweet tuber'. |
| Potato | ഉരുളക്കിഴങ്ങ് | urulakizhangu | Literally 'round tuber'. |
| Onion | സവാള | savaala | The large onion; 'ulli' can mean onion in general. |
| Shallots (small onions) | ചെറിയ ഉള്ളി | cheriya ulli | Also kunjulli. Small red onions used in most Kerala curries. |
| Tomato | തക്കാളി | thakkaali | |
| Brinjal (eggplant) | വഴുതനങ്ങ | vazhuthananga | Comes in green, white and purple kinds. |
| Okra (lady's finger) | വെണ്ടയ്ക്ക | vendakka | |
| Yardlong beans | അച്ചിങ്ങപ്പയർ | achinga payar | Also just payar. Long, thin green beans. |
| Cluster beans | കൊത്തമര | kothamara | Flat, small beans that grow in clusters, also called gawar. |
| Flat beans (broad beans) | അമരയ്ക്ക | amarakka | Flat, wide pods; also called avarakka. |
| Green beans | ബീൻസ് | beans | The English name is used. |
| Carrot | കാരറ്റ് | carrot | The English name is used. |
| Beetroot | ബീറ്റ്റൂട്ട് | beetroot | The English name is used. |
| Cabbage | കാബേജ് | cabbage | The English name is used. |
| Radish | മുള്ളങ്കി | mullanki | |
| Raw mango | പച്ചമാങ്ങ | pacha manga | Unripe mango, used for pickles and curries. |
| Tender jackfruit | ഇടിച്ചക്ക | idichakka | Very young jackfruit, cooked as a vegetable. |
| Breadfruit | ശീമച്ചക്ക | sheemachakka | Also kadachakka. Round green fruit cooked as a vegetable. |
| Amaranth leaves | ചീര | cheera | Red and green kinds; one of the most common Kerala greens. |
| Coriander leaves | മല്ലിയില | malliyila | |
| Mint leaves | പുതിന | puthina | |
| Lemon (lime) | ചെറുനാരങ്ങ | cheru naranga | The small sour citrus usually called lemon in India. |
| Mushroom | കൂൺ | koon | |
| Capsicum | കാപ്സിക്കം | capsicum | Also called bell pepper; the English name is used. |
Want these on a shopping list? Tick them in the grocery list maker and copy or share the list in English, Malayalam or both.
Gourds and yams: telling them apart
Kerala markets sell at least seven gourds. Ash gourd (kumbalanga) is large and pale with a chalky coating; pumpkin (mathanga) is orange inside. Snake gourd (padavalanga) is long and thin, ridge gourd (peechinga) has sharp ridges, bottle gourd (churakka) is smooth and pale green, bitter gourd (paavakka) is warty, and ivy gourd (kovakka) is the size of a finger.
Among the starchy roots, elephant foot yam (chena) is the big, rough corm cut into pieces at the stall, colocasia (chembu) is small and hairy, and tapioca (kappa) is the long brown root. Tapioca must be peeled and cooked thoroughly; it is not eaten raw.
Banana plants give three different vegetables: raw plantain (pachakkaya), the flower (vazhakkoombu) and the tender stem core (vazhappindi). Read more in our guide to Kerala banana varieties, and check the season calendar to see what is plentiful this month.
References
Names were checked against these references and against everyday market usage in Ernakulam. Spellings in Malayalam script follow the dictionary form; transliterations are simple spellings to help you say the word, not a formal scheme.
- Olam English–Malayalam dictionary
- Kerala Agricultural University
- Department of Agriculture Development and Farmers Welfare, Kerala
Frequently asked questions
What is ash gourd called in Malayalam?
Ash gourd is kumbalanga (കുമ്പളങ്ങ) in Malayalam.
What is drumstick called in Malayalam?
Drumstick pods are muringakka (മുരിങ്ങക്കായ); the leaves are muringayila.
What is elephant foot yam called in Malayalam?
Elephant foot yam is chena (ചേന). Colocasia, a smaller corm, is chembu (ചേമ്പ്).
What is tapioca called in Malayalam?
Tapioca or cassava is kappa (കപ്പ), also called maracheeni (മരച്ചീനി).
What is the difference between ulli and cheriya ulli?
Savaala is the large onion, while cheriya ulli (small onion) means shallots. Ulli on its own can mean either, so be specific when shopping.
