CHENNAI: A seven-course meal at Sangamithirai’s Marudham – Inspired by the Land begins with a journey through Tamil Nadu’s fertile landscapes. Rather than presenting a menu from one particular region, Executive Chef Narayana Murthi says, “We are celebrating the five lands,” describing Marudham, the land of fertile fields and farming, as the third in the series.
For him, the focus on Marudham is also a recognition of the people who make that landscape possible. “Without farmers, we are not,” he says.
The chef says the menu is the result of research across nearly 100 villages, where the team documented what people ate for breakfast, main meals, evening snacks, festivals and temple offerings before sorting the dishes into menus.
The result is organised around rivers, including Vaigai, Bhavani, Siruvani and Pennai. The idea, Murthi explains, is not to represent one town per menu but to bring together food from different parts of the same river-fed region. “All the places are covered,” he says.
As the menu does not repeat and there is a curated seven-course meal every day, we got to taste the Vaigai menu. The Vallarai Keerai Saaru was deeply comforting, while the Naatu Chola Paniyaram was hands down the best savoury dish, soft, with ghee generously poured over it. Paired with the tomato and coriander chutney, it was the star of the show.
The Kumbakonam Kadapa paired beautifully with the Kambu Dosa. The dosa itself was a standout, offering the earthy character of the native grain without overwhelming the meal. Elsewhere, Arasapattu Poricha Kuzhambu, Murungai Keerai Poriyal, Karunai Kizhangu Masiyal, and a crisp Vazhakkai Varuval completed the spread. The Katharikai Parangikai Kootu brought a burst of flavour, with coconut coming through generously, while the Veppampoo Rasam offered its natural bitterness.
The meal also placed native rice varieties in focus. Thooyamalli and Mapillai Samba were among them, with Murthi explaining that Mapillai Samba, associated with the ‘new groom’, was traditionally prepared when the groom’s family visited the bride’s home.
The chef’s research extends beyond this. He recalls learning from people in villages and from Chef Premavathi, who shared dishes from her native region during their travels through the Thanjavur-Mannargudi belt. The research eventually took the team through villages including Andikadu, Arasampattu and Madhukur, among others.
Dessert brought the most familiar note for me. The Kaarthigai Appam was the best of the lot, tasting exactly like the festive appam made during celebrations at home. The Vethalai Payasam, meanwhile, was more unusual, with betel leaf infused into semiya and Javvarasi payasam, giving the dessert a gentle contrast between sweetness and spice. Murthi describes the same interplay in the dish.
Some of the research stories behind the menu are particularly fascinating. Chef Murthi speaks of Poricha Kari, a mutton preparation cooked in ghee, which the team connects to the period of Karikala Cholan. He says the team researched the measurements associated with the dish and recreated it as Karikala Virundu, incorporating it into the menu.
He talked about the research process and the people who inspired it. Among those he encountered was Mala, whose work and knowledge around a medicinal curry became one of the inspirations during the research.
Marudham also offers a non-vegetarian menu. Murthi says the aim is to preserve the food traditions of both while staying connected to the eating practices of the regions researched.