Aromas from down south waft through JW Kitchen as the star hotel’s all-day dining stop hosts Taste of Madras, a week-long food festival. From fish to prawn and mutton, lots of vegetarian dishes and not-to-be-missed desserts, the buffet will have a different spread each day.
Pocket pinch: Lunch Rs 1,250 (all days except Saturday and Sunday)
Dinner Rs 1,625 (all days)
Brunch Rs 1,500 (Saturday, includes beer and sangria), Rs 2,500 (Saturday, including premium spirits), Rs 1,850 (Sunday, includes beer and sangria)
A glimpse of what our meal looked like. From Kai Kari Mandi (mixed vegetables in a tamarind-based gravy) to Kodi Gazala (chicken cooked with spicy Guntur chillies), Malabar Parota and Semiya Payasam (vermicelli pudding), the maha virundh (grand feast) had it all. The menu during the festival, however, will be served buffet style.
Miriyalu Mamasam Vepudu: A dry preparation, this is essentially mutton pieces cooked with pepper, tomatoes, onions, coriander, cumin, green chillies and curry leaves. Slow-cooking makes the mutton absorb all the spices while staying succulent.
Artikaya Vepadu: Green plantain is cut into thin slices, and then coated in masalas and rice flour, and then deep-fried. It is traditionally served as an appetiser.
Kothimiri Chappakura: “We’ve used bekti in the city, but down south, red snapper is the preferred fish. The dish has a lot of coriander and coconut paste which create a fine balance of fresh and creamy,” said Alok Anand, executive chef, JW Marriott Kolkata.
Malabar Parota: Crispy yet soft, dense and flaky, the Malabar Parota goes really well with all the curries.
Thayir Sadam: Curd rice is mixed with fried mustard seeds and lentils and topped with some curry leaves and pomegranate. This is the dish that concludes every south Indian meal, post-dessert.
Neer Mor: Spiced buttermilk with curry leaves and fried lentils was the drink we began our meal with, a good cooler and digestive.
CHEF SPEAK: “Mostly south Indian food gets shadowed by the presumption that it is all about idli and dosa. With this festival we want to try and change that notion and bring to light the variety that south Indian cuisine is blessed with,” said executive chef Alok Anand (left) with Chandramani Tarai, speciality chef, Courtyard by Marriott, Chennai, who has flown in to curate the festival menu.
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