Metro Plus
Chennai
Hyderabad
Introduction
I LOVE the food from God's Own Country, Kerala. I love all the three varieties of cuisine here — Syrian Christian, Maplah Muslim and Hindu fare. Each one is distinct, though they all have abundant spices, coconut, rice and seafood.
When in Kerala, I never miss breakfast because all Keralites have appams or uppama (a semolina and vegetable dish) or my favourite puttu. Appams-kallappams or vellayappams are rice flour pancakes with a soft, spongy centre and thin, lacy edges. The addition of toddy as a fermenting agent and the thinning of the rice flour with coconut milk give it that special lift. "Ishtew" or stew, conjured up with chicken and potatoes, simmered gently in a creamy white sauce (flavoured with black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, green chillies, coconut milk and shallots), pairs beautifully with appams. I still remember the elaborate multi-course, vegetarian Hindu `Sadya' feast and the Maplah Muslim lightly flavoured lamb or chicken biriyani. My passion is the Karimeen fish, which is flat with black and gold stripes and a white spotted body. And I keep going back to Kerala just like the Phoenicians, Syrians, Romans and others did in ancient times. We share a passion for the flavours of the black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. They did it for reasons of trade and commerce, but I do it to add spice to my life.
So you can imagine how delighted I am to discover home style Kerala food of appam, stew and biriyanis, right here in Chennai, made by Mariya Joseph. She makes appam and ishtew, beef fry, biriyanis, grape wine, desserts and needs a 24-hour notice. She also makes cakes (chocolate cake Rs. 250, plum cake Rs. 350). Biriyanis cost Rs. 600 per kg for mutton, Rs. 500 per kg for chicken and chicken roast costs Rs. 250. Mariya home-delivers within 5 km radius from her home, located at 9A, Bloom Nest, Vengeeswara Nagar, 2nd Main Road, Vadapalani, ph: 24838684/ 24819014/ 98402-74813.
Dial 28365010 or e-mail gfl@rashmiudaysingh.com or mail us at Good Food Line, Metro Plus, The Hindu, Kasturi Buildings, 859/860 Anna Salai, Chennai- 600002.
By Rashmi Uday Singh
(Rashmi Uday Singh is a food reporter, critic and author for 21 years. Food and health are her passions. )
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