12 Indian dishes among the 100 Best Rated Coconut Dishes in the World

Coconut is not just a nourishing tropical delight, it is also an integral part of Indian cultural identity. Rich in healthy fats, dietary fibre, and essential minerals, it provides sustained energy and supports digestion and metabolism. Coconut and its by-products are valued for their benefits. Taste Atlas recently did a survey and compiled a list of 100 Best Rated Dishes with Coconut in which 12 desi Indian dishes were mentioned. For the “100 Best Rated Dishes with Coconut” list until January 24, 2026, 940,958 ratings were recorded, of which 610,190 were recognized by the system as legitimate, the official website states. How many of these Indian dishes have you tried?

It is a popular South Indian condiment or side dish, consisting of a coconut stew that is combined with shallots, tamarind, ginger, chiles, and curry leaves. It is a specialty of the North Malabar region, where it is prepared in two versions - solid and liquid.

It is a dish of Kerala and refers to a bowl-shaped pancake made from a batter of rice and coconut milk. It is best served with coconut stew.

It refers to South Indian rice flour dumplings filled with jaggery and coconut. The dumplings are steamed and then usually served for breakfast, or consumed as a snack, when they are accompanied by tea on the side.

This dish is native to Hyderabad and is made by simmering fried mild green chilis in a piquant mixture of peanuts, coconut, fried onions, sesame seeds, ginger and garlic paste, and a variety of spices. The curry is usually enhanced with a variety of spices and tamarind or lemon juice for an extra kick of tanginess.

This dish is native to Kerala region and is also popular in Tamil Nadu and Udupi. It consists of a combination of vegetables, coconut, and curry leaves. Avial is an integral part of the Indian vegetarian feast called Sadhya.

It is also native to Kerala and is a pancake made with a combination of raw and cooked rice, coconut milk, grated coconut, yeast, shallots, sugar, salt, and cumin seeds.

Also known as Thengai Sadam, it is a dish that consists of rice and grated coconut, and it's then seasoned with a variety of ingredients such as cumin, mustard seeds, hot peppers, ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves, salt, oil, and cashews.

It is a traditional curry originating from Karnataka and is made with a combination of chopped pineapple, hot chili peppers, mustard seeds, curry leaves, coconut, white urad dal (split black gram), jaggery, salt, oil, and tamarind.

This Indian dish is made with cucumber, grated coconut, cumin seeds, red chili peppers, gram dal, jaggery, coriander leaves, gram dal, mustard, oil, curry leaves, and salt.

This dish is native to Konkan area in Maharashtra and is made with a combination of chicken pieces, lots of coconut, and a slew of herbs, spices and vegetables such as ginger-garlic paste, green chili peppers, coriander leaves, sesame and poppy seeds, dry red chili peppers, onions, fennel, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, mace, cardamom, black pepper, star anise, and bay leaves.

For this Kerala dish, you need a combination of vegetables, legumes, and coconut. This mild curry contains yellow pumpkin, black-eyed peas or cowpeas, onions, grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chili peppers, turmeric powder, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and dry red chili peppers. (Image: Instagram/the_girl_next_door_diaries)

To make this traditional curry of Karnataka, you need chopped okra, grated coconut, roasted lentils, hot chili peppers, tamarind, mustard seeds, curry leaves, oil, jaggery, and salt.