CHENNAI: Shedding light on the significance of healthy cooking and eating, Dina Thanthi, in association with Indian Oil Corporation Limited, organised a cooking contest focusing on nutritious meals. The competition was exclusive for homemakers. The event took place at Velammal Hall in Mogappair on Sunday.
More than just cooking, the event highlighted the importance of healthy eating. The judging panel included Kathila Adinarayana, senior sales officer, Indian Oil, nutrition and wellness coach Anuradha Shamprasad, executive chef of Pharos Hotel Dinakar, and chef Lokesh. The judging was based on presentation, innovation, taste and also the nutritional value of the dishes.
One of the heartwarming moments of the competition was when the children helped and cheered their moms. After the felicitation, the judges headed to the tasting, where the participants explained the ingredients used, the cooking method, and the health benefits of the dishes.
Some of the traditional and innovative dishes include ellu kozhukattai, navathaniya adai, vettrilai lassi, panagam, ABC halwa, jackfruit and raw banana kola urundai, vettrilai payasam, nellikai mor, varagarisi pulao, thinai karuveppillai pongal, omam dosa, arugampul and tender coconut juice, and multicoloured sandwich with beetroot, carrot and spinach sauces, among others.
While talking to the participants, chef Dinakar said, “I feel elated to see so many innovative yet rooted dishes that feel like recalling the past. We, the chefs, are on a mission to revive the forgotten dishes of our state. It is extremely delightful to see many homemakers still sticking to these traditional dishes passed down for generations.” Next, Anuradha noted that not just using healthy ingredients like millets, but the proper method for cooking the food also matters.
Notably, a few elderly women also participated in the contest. Adinarayana highlighted this, saying, “Their curiosity at this age is quite encouraging and inspiring.” He also educated the crowd on gas-leak awareness and advised that, in such instances, the helpline 1906 should be contacted for immediate help.
Poorvika Appliances and Lalithaa Jewellery were the associate sponsors for the cookery contest. Coming to the prizes, Premier is the gifting partner. The winner, Poongothai, won the Premier compact wet grinder. The second prize was awarded to Vinodha from Mogappair. She took home a glass-top LPG gas stove. Next, in third place, Mohana Jagadeesan from Kottivakkam, was rewarded with a Premier mixer grinder. The consolation prize holders were feted with Nethra pressure cookers. And for the special prize winners, gift coupons from Poorvika, worth Rs 1,500, were also distributed. Moreover, prize kits from the Gold Winner were given to the participants by the jury.
Before the results, to keep the spirit high, the team organised a quiz segment, in which the audience enthusiastically participated.