Date:27/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/27/stories/2006112715820200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

"Taste some spicy hot delicacies from Andhra"

T. Saravanan

It offers more than what one can expect from such festivals

FROM OUR NEIGHBOUR: Foreigners tasting some dishes at the food festival in the city on Sunday. — Photo: S.James.

MADURAI: For those who wish to taste some spicy hot delicacies, the Andhra Food Festival at the Taj Garden Retreat offers more than what one can expect from such food festivals.

With the scenic birds' eye view of the temple city atop Pasumalai hills and with a gentle breeze wafting through it is a pleasure to have some of finest traditional cuisines of Andhra Pradesh.

Think of Andhra cuisine what strikes one is the `Gongura' chutney and spicy biryani. But ask Nilesh Kumar, Chef (in-charge), Taj Garden Retreat, he has different things to say.

"Most often people tend to confuse Andhra cuisine with Hyderabadi food. Classifying food habits of people of Andhra Pradesh, there are four distinct traditional cuisines - Andhra, Rayalseema, Telengana and Hyderabadi. Of this, the Andhra cuisine comprises mostly traditional and conventional food varieties. More of spicy and flaming red in colour, some dishes really kindle your taste buds," he said.

Some of the varieties on offer are `Nellore Chapala Koora' (fish), `Kodi Miryalu Vepudu' (chicken), `Mullakada Mamsam Koora' (lamb), `Mamsam Biryani,' `omelette curry'.

"If you want some thing indigenous we too have `Ullava Charu' (horse gram), it is quite rare to find in these parts. `Kakarakai Bellam Pulusu' with a mix of bitter gourd and jaggery will be a favourite among the customers. `Artikaya Korma' (raw banana) is also not that common," Mr. Nilesh said.

Besides, the festival has scores of `powders' made of different millets.

"We know that if all dish varieties have to taste original they have to be spicy and hot but considering our customer base we have marginally reduced the spice element," he explained.

The hotel authorities have made genuine attempt to bring in that original taste. For this, they have flown in a special chef from Visakhapatnam and most of the ingredients from the places where they are more popular.

If this is not enough, the festival has a rich variety of desserts that included `Semiya Payasam', `Dry Fruit Pudding' and `Coffee Mousse Cake'.

"Much care has been taken to present the salads in a traditional way. The fresh vegetables don't have the star hotel mark and look much similar to what we would have in traditional households," Mr. Nilesh said.

The festival, hosted at the main restaurant, which started from November 23 will go on till November 29. The restaurant would be open from 7.30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

"Just to make things look different, we have arranged for LCD projection of old Hindi songs, which definitely attract our customers," said M. Arshad Sheriff, Deputy Sales Manager.