Established in 2022 by Anukhul V.S and Natasha Yadav, Malabar Se began as an effort to showcase Kerala-inspired small-batch snacks made with locally sourced, chemical-free produce using age-old techniques.
The idea stemmed from a desire to feel closer to nature and the soil while spending time at Anukhul’s ancestral farm in Palakkad, Kerala, during the COVID-19 lockdown. Today, Malabar Se’s products include chips made from Nendran banana—a variety native to Kerala—along with tapioca and jackfruit in flavours such as masala, salted, and chilli. They also retail rice murukkus flavoured with whole vegetables and herbs like beetroot, onion, and curry leaf, and fried snack mixtures made with rice and ragi.
Using locally sourced coconut oil for frying, they cook their products on a traditional wood-fired chulha that burns coconut husks and sawdust from a local wood mill. They also use a cast iron kadhai for frying.
The Locavore Bite
TL Bite offers a glimpse into how a partner producer runs their operations, and reflects their core principles and values. The idea is to provide insights into their practices and highlight their positive efforts descriptively. We have identified seven key areas of assessment – origin and source of ingredients, composition and integrity of the products, workforce policies, production practices, community-related initiatives, approach towards preserving or celebrating traditional knowledge and the materials used in packaging. While this assessment may not be entirely comprehensive, we hope it helps you make an informed decision about why you might want to support them, and the ways in which to do so.
The information below offers you a snapshot of where Malabar Se stands on these parameters. We have put this together based on several rounds of conversations with Natasha. Click on a piece of the pie below to find out more.
Why We Love Malabar Se
Focusing on small-batch products: As Malabar Se does not add any preservatives to their products, they have a relatively shorter shelf life. To optimise for quality and consistency, they focus on limiting each batch size to no more than 15 kilograms.
Ingredient-focused approach to flavourings: Natasha noticed that flavourings added as powders introduced a considerable amount of salt and sugar into the products. To circumvent this, Malabar Se incorporates aromatics and vegetables like curry leaves, onion, and beetroot within the dough while making the snacks. This lends both colour and flavour, thereby reducing the need for added salt and sugar.
Traditional cooking methods: All their products are prepared on a traditional wood-fired chulha using a cast iron kadhai and an uruli, a wide, flat cooking vessel intrinsic to Kerala. While bananas are sliced through a machine to ease manual work and ensure freshness, all other ingredients are processed by hand.
Why is small-batch processing important to Malabar Se?
Small-batch processing is at the heart of what we do because it lets us protect both quality and authenticity. It keeps our chips fresh, crisp, and true to how they were always meant to be made—with real ingredients and patience. Small-batch isn’t about being fancy; it’s simply the best way to make sure every packet tastes just right.
—Natasha Yadav, the co-founder of Malabar Se
Products We Recommend
How to Buy
If you would like to learn more about Malabar Se, or try their products, check out their website. If you’re interested in supporting them in other ways, please contact us at connect@thelocavore.in.
This is a paid partnership with Malabar Se. At The Locavore, we strive to keep the practices of a producer transparent and honest across all forms of partnerships.
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