A taste of exotica

LAST MONDAY in the afternoon, I was wondering through the narrow gullies of Aminabad, Lucknow, and at night in my own native coastal village listening to a sound I often hear with my heart than my ears, of the sea teasing the shore. When the food goes beyond the stomach it becomes an exciting journey, to explore, discover and feel the thrill and joy.

Actually, with chef Kader Khan I barely tasted the food, a few hurried mouthfuls of chicken biriyani, which was so hot that my taste buds went on strike for the next two hours. The Corporate Executive Chef of Bombay Brasserie, Mumbai, is here at Planet Yumm, Anna Nagar, till August 6, for the "Biriyani Bash". But here I left the cosy comfort of the a/c restaurant, crossed the iron curtain to the action front, the kitchen.

The chef had told me about his earlier years with big names like The Mumbai Taj, Bukhara and Dum Pukht, Imtiaz Quereshi and Delhi Maurya Sheraton. It all became more real in the heat from the stove. For a specialist in Awadhi cuisine there couldn't be a better CV. But he doesn't add any frills to it. He chose cooking at the age of 15 not because he knew it was his calling. It was the only thing he could do after his angry father threw him out of home. But the flair had been there always. He had assisted a cook from the age of eight.

Banished from home, the boy went to his mausi in Mumbai and learnt more traditional cooking from her. As his uncle worked at The Taj, when an opening came up, Kader Khan joined the hotel kitchen. From then on, each step took him further.

Back in the kitchen, the pace quickened at the chef's rapid-fire orders. The floor was mopped, empty vessels kept away. A tava materialised on the fire and Kader Khan gave me an economic display of how to make dum biriyani. The handi (cooking pot) was sealed in less than 10 minutes.

In between all the stirring and explaining, the chef made me smell and taste the ayurvedic powders he uses. Hakims have always had a say in drawing up recipes in Nawabi kitchens. Spices and other ingredients are chosen not only to please the sense, but also to help digestion and other sundry body functions, besides maximising the flavour of the food. While on flavours, the two sauce bottles filled with white and reddish liquid had intrigued me. A liberal sprinkling of rose and saffron water added to the aroma. Another classic tradition of the royal kitchens.

Meanwhile, I watched orders coming in for paneer makhani and two take-away biriyanis and how quickly and dexterously they were made ready. On another burner, broth for the biriyani was being made. I had to clear a doubt that nagged me, why the coloured rice for biriyani? Kader Khan admitted that the original Awadhi biriyani was white and that colour was added only to please the local crowd.

The cashew and curd mix on fire started to bubble up and splash all around. Time for me to retreat.

So we went back to the restaurant and discussed some finer points of the dastarkhwan (the low table used in Nawabi house household) eating. No other cuisine has touched such heights of refinement and hedonism as the Awadhi style.

Delights from the coast

The descent from the royal kitchen to the fisherman's hut was thoroughly delightful and very personal. The occasion was the "Craze of the coast fest" at the Southern Spice, Taj.

The very first dish, the starter squids and mussels karuvepilai itself lifted the floodgates. No other dish on the menu captured the flavour of the soil more than this toddy shop speciality.

Supplied with a steady stream of prawns, lobsters and fish dishes, I was like a kid in a toy store. It was so hard to choose between viral meen khzhambu, nethali fry, gonguru royyalu, royyalu vengaya igguru and lobster neeruli, that in the end I decided I liked them all equally. Then may be not, the neeruli had coconut oil seasoning.

The chef Bhat's sea faring tales added to the charm of the meal. Not to leave the mamsam out, the chef sent us mirapakaya mamsam vepudu that tasted extremely familiar to me. The mystery was later explained. It is only the types of vengayams used that separate the Telugu vepudu from the Malayali ularthiyathu.

The vegetarian selection matched the non-veg one. The traditional urulai podimas was sublime while vendakkai pal curry was perfection itself. Guthi vonkaya koora, small brinjal in thick sour gravy and Kai korma were very good. I had petal soft idiappams to mop up the gravy.

The Southern Spice's all time favourites are also available during the festival that is on till August 6. Among the desserts, my choice continued to be the old favourite, elaneer payasams.

The prices for these epicurean delights naturally come with five star rating and with taxes as applicable.

So even those critters, nethali, costs Rs. 210. But if you can afford it, this is a miss-not opportunity to pull out the plugs and pig out.

MARIEN MATHEW

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : Silent yet spirited
Next     : Surfing ethnic flavours