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| Karaikudi comes calling Jun 3, 11 |
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Chef Sivappa dishes out the best of Chettinad cuisine at the Tharavadu, Hotel Casino
Chettinad saris are popular with Keralites now and so is Chettinad cuisine, a very authentic and different type of cuisine from the ones we are accustomed to. Shivappa from Kanadukathan village in Karaikudi is spearheading the Karaikudi Feast beginning today at the Tharavadu Restaurant, Casino Hotel. Yes, he is a Chettiar and the 26 year old is a chef too. But what he loves to cook are the authentic dishes that his mother prepares at home, in true Chettinadan style. And what's that?
“Our masalas are different and we use mainly gingelly oil and ghee. There is something called kalpasi, that we get from trees. It's dried and used in most of our masalas. Even the chilly that we use is quite different. We sun dry and powder it ourselves,” says Sivappa.
In most Chettinad homes, there is an array of dishes every day. Non-vegetarian fare is quite unlike what we see in other cuisines. Mutton, chicken, fish and crab are common while beef and pork are out of bounds for Chettinad folks, says Sivappa.
The non-vegetarian dishes like Mutton Uppu Varuval has a history. “In the olden days, thieves ran away to the forest and on the rocks, they made huge bonfires and when the rock got really heated up, they cleaned the embers and ash and roasted mutton pieces on it. Mutton Uppu Varuval is that, but we do add spices, shallots and some oil to it now. Even with idly and dosa, Chettinadites prefer chicken or mutton, says Sivappa with a laugh. Not that there are no vegetarian dishes. The vazhapoo vadai is a favourite as also Kaaikari piratal and Vendaikai Masala.
No broiler chicken for them either. “We don't have broiler chicken for this feast, either. It's the country chicken,” adds sous chef Saiju Thomas. “I have brought most of my masalas from home,” butts in Sivappa. Kochi rasam is the soup with lots of pepper, bay leaf and of course the rudimentary kalpasi.
Sauteed goat brain
Mutton is a lot more than just curry and fried in Chettinad cuisine. “The goat brain is a delicacy. Back in the village, it's held over a fire and when half done, it's cracked open and the brain meat is sautéed along with chillies, shallots and masala,” Sivappa gives away the secret. Yes, it's available at the Tharavadu during the festival.
Two desserts that are closely linked with the community's rituals are Aadikumayam and Ukra.
Aadikumayam is made as part of the festivities when a girl reaches puberty. Lentils. moong dal and raw rice are powdered. One kilo of ghee is added to just 100 gms of this powder for this dessert. “The women are supposed to make it secretly without the men seeing it, as is the custom,” says Sivappa. But at Tharavadu, Sivappa will make it in full view of everybody at the kitchen!
Ukra is made when there is a housewarming. Together with moong dal, channa and raw rice powder, ghee in large quantities, cashew and raisins are added. A dash of edible camphor is added for flavour and aroma.
Check out this welcome drink, that Sivappa is getting ready for the feast: Add to one litre of water, 30 gms of tamarind, the juice of two lemons, and 200 gms of jaggery, in cleaned watery form. Mix it thoroughly and keep it in an earthen pot (kooja). Add a pinch of pepper if you like it. Crazy cool!
The feast with lots more biriyanis and dishes that will take you to an age of yore, await you at the festival. |
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