Chettinad delights from The Bangala kitchen in town

The heritage stay is run by cookbook author Meenakshi Meyyappan, ably assisted by her team of chefs. Inside, the tiled-roof dining hall, one can relish the signature lunch on banana leaves as the veshti -clad waiters place the items, starting from the pickle to the kootus, poriyals, pachadis and curries and finish the spread with an appalam and a fried snack. 

The authentic Chettinad cuisine served at the property along with a special dose of love by the octogenarian is a huge draw. The flavours from The Bangala table will now be a part of the festival Kitch ens of India – Unique Tastes: Chettinad Samayal at ITC Grand Chola. The menu is Chettinad delights from The Bangala kitchen in town curated by Meenakshi Meyyappan and two of her chefs from The Bangala, chef Kashi and chef Rajendran will be working along with chefs of the five-star property to create it. 

“The Chettinad cuisine can be characterised as a delightful blend of aromatic spices in varying proportions depending upon the dish being cooked. Most curries are served with rice-based dishes such as appams, idlies, idiappams and dosas,” informs Meenakshi Meyyappan. Among the other dishes that will be served from The Bangala for the festival are kozhi rasam, pal kootu, mango and jaggery pachadi, green chilli and shallots mandi, kothavarangai vada, pepper chicken, soya bean pulao, meen kozhambu, paal paniyaram and badam halwa. 

“Chettinad food is all about variety. The vegetarian kootu, poriyal are standard while the meat preparations vary,” she adds. 

The Bangala food uses a very modern approach to food. “Besides having traditional dishes on the menu they also have adapted to the changing need of our times. It has dishes like soya bean biryani , bread pudding and caramel custard on its menu. The food is tasty and served with a lot of warmth,” says chef Ajit Bangera of ITC Grand Chola and co-curator of the festival. 

The festival is on till August 21 at the Madras Pavilion.