Savour Madras munchies, from Kasimedu yeral peratal to Saidapet vadacurry

CHENNAI: As we step into the much-awaited Madras Week, Southern Spice at Taj Coromandel has unveiled a festival that celebrates and highlights the nostalgic, diverse dishes of the ‘City of emotions’. Steeped in tradition and flavour, the cuisine of Madras is a sensory journey that tantalises the taste buds and transports you to a world of rich cultural heritage. From the crispy, golden dosas served with steaming sambar to the fragrant, slow-cooked curries of Chettinad, fried fish from Kasimedu, every dish tells a story of the city's history, geography, and people. In Madras, food is more than just sustenance - it's a way of life, a reflection of the city's warm hospitality, and a celebration of its vibrant cultural identity. Ravi Varma, area pastry chef, says, “The first thing people here ask while greeting someone is, ‘Saapteengala’. That shows how the city is rooted in tradition and culture, which is reflected in its food. After thorough research and getting authentic recipes from the residents of each neighbourhood, we have come up with a meticulously curated menu.”

Meanwhile, executive sous-chef Kannan Thanikasalam feels that Chennai always has a space for different cuisines yet is deeply-rooted when it comes to food. “Though we have Chinese, Japanese, continental and Korean growing popular, still we go back to idly and dosa or aatukkal paya and meen kulambu. This makes the city more hetero cultural,” he adds. He also shares that even with a surging market for cuisines from across the globe, there is always a happy space for regional dishes to thrive.

We begin our traditional feast on a banana leaf. To start with, the kozhi malli rasam is high on black pepper and spices. The vegetarians found the tulasi rasam unique. For starters, the chicken 65 is on par with the delicious street-style preparation, and the Marina meen varuval with lip-smacking masala is top-notch. As Marina Beach is an important landmark of Madras, the diner brings in the authentic bhaji and sundal. One dish that tops among the starters is the Kasimedu yeral peratal, with perfectly-cooked prawns and spicy yet flavourful masala.

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The subtle and delicious kozhi biriyani should be on your list of must-try. The veg kothu paratha is well-chopped and melts in the mouth apart from being uniform, it reflects the texture of cabbage thoran. Idiyappam with vadacurry and also kaikari vellai kurma is delicious. The oil floating on the surface of vadacurry teleports us to Saidapet. The Adyar kozhi tawa fry with succulent chicken pieces cooked with onion, tomato and an apt amount of spices, goes well with biriyani. Beans paruppu usili and Rayapuram fish curry don’t disappoint us.

No celebration ends without desserts they say. The javvarisi semiya payasam with a creamy texture and aromatic ghee wins hands down. However, the rava laddu’s texture could have been better. But the taste makes us look past the texture.

Rediscover the timeless flavours of Madras with this culinary trail at Southern Spice in Taj Coromandel, Nungambakkam, till August 31.