The world of phenomenal South Indian cuisine, Chettinad is a small
village in the southern, Tamil Nadu state of India. Chettinad
is known for its culinary delicacies and now is one of the many reasons why
people get to know Chettinad. The cuisine is essentially spicy, and meals
consist of cooked lentils, Avial, drumstick sambar and ghee for flavouring
rice.
Chettinad cuisine doesn't need much introduction… its
widely popular and known for its spice indulgence in any curry. Chettinad
cuisine, enjoys a special place among food lovers, let it be a normal veggie
dish or sizzling non-veg , they always include a radically distinctive
blend of spices covering up the key ingredient, which wakes up your taste
buds.
Many
a times, we have attended food festivals related to this cuisine but this was
one of the best which I visited a few days back at Crowne Plaza Today Gurgaon. The Chef was specially flown down from their Chennai property(Crowne Plaza, Chennai) for curating and cooking this wholesome spread from the Chettinad Region.
Chef SAMKUPAR WANKHAR or as we know him just SAM is a highly talented guy. Crowne
Plaza Today Gurgaon brought us the Chettinad Food Promotion to
showcase the best of South Indian Food. We were lucky enough to
explore the
true South Indian fare at the festival which ran for 10 days and
savored the aroma of southern spices. He
is currently working as Demi CDP in Dakshin restaurant at Crowne
Plaza Chennai Adyar Park. An award winning fine dining South Indian Restaurant,
an authority of south Indian food in the country, serving food from Tamilnadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Telengana , Kerala,
Karnataka and Pondicherry.
One
can start the meal with the special Aaraambam
menu (Starters & Soups) which offers Rassam, spinach and lentil patties, Sorrakai
pal koothu etc . We continued our journey into this territory by
savouring and tasting dishes like Chicken Chettinad to Kari chops
masalam karai.
My favourite was the Kozhi Sukka Varuval (boneless chicken tossed in red chilly
and shallots) and the Kari Kozhambu (lamb simmered in coconut and poppy seed
curry).
Not
to be missed was the traditional dessert “Payasam” served with banana and poppadum.
All the curries were served with the option of traditional steam rice/plain
rice/lemon rice or malabar parantha with south Indian chutney
and poppadums.
EVENT: Colors
of South
OUTLETS:
Café G
DATE: 11th
till 20th March
Coverage By : Vickrham.m@gmail.com
Email Id : vickrham.m@gmail.com