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Low on fat, high on taste

Relish on the mouth-watering Kada meat

PHOTO: R.M. RAJARATHINAM

PALATABLE Tempting to eat.

For those who have to reduce the intake of fat but are still unable to resist the temptation for non-vegetarian dishes, the mouth-watering `kada' meat has come as a right alternative. The growing demand for kada (quail) has made a few restaurants in the city to include it in their menu. The growing demand can be gauged from the fact that the birds are brought from Namakkal daily to the city. "We purchase at least 100 birds on week-days and a little more during week-ends," says the Managing Director of Hotel Raja, M. Mustafa Kamal.

Renowned

The hotel is renowned for a variety of dishes prepared with kada meat, but the most sought after is 'kada 65.' First, the masala is prepared with a number of ingredients — chilly-powder, jeera powder, fennel seeds, turmeric, kasturi methi, ginger, salt, lime, orange colour powder, rice flour, Bengal gram powder, refined flour, corn flour and egg. "The kada, which is by then cleaned with a paste of ginger, garlic and vinegar, is brought and left to soak in the masala for about fifteen minutes," says A. Chinnappa Das, chef of Hotel Raja. The soaking allows the complete penetration of the flavour into the masala. It is fried for a while when the kada 65 is ready to be served. To suit the taste buds of children, the chilly powder can be either reduced or avoided altogether. "Some prefer fried green chillies too, to make it more spicy," Mr. Das explains.

Kada masala

The recipe for kada masala, another delicious dish, is almost the same as for kada 65. "We prepare the masala with chilly-powder, jeera powder, fennel, turmeric, kasturimethi, ginger and salt." Kada meat is dipped into it when the ingredients get thickened. "You can add water according to your need and taste," he says. While boiling it, a paste of cashewnut, kasa kasa and white gingelly is added. Another paste of ginger and garlic means more flavour. "Some of the customers include those afflicted with asthma, as kada meat has a healing effect to some extent," Mr. Das says. The hotel is also noted for boneless lemon chicken. "A paste of ginger, garlic, salt, white pepper, tasting powder, egg, maida and corn-flour is prepared. The neatly rolled-out chicken is later fried in oil. A mix of onion, curry-leaves, green chillies, ginger, garlic, red chilly powder, soya sauce and turmeric is added. (The ginger and garlic is ground into a paste). Water is sprinkled and fried chicken is added. A dash of lime is added to make it more tangy and delicious."

"We have recently introduced a new dish, mutton madra sukka, which is also picking up. It is so delicious that it requires at least an hour to prepare it," says Mr. Das. Mr. Kamal points out that apart from biriyani, the hotel is noted for a wide variety of dishes — mutton pepper fry, Chinese noodles, prawn masala, fish fry, fish tikka, egg 25 masala, tandoori chicken and kulcha, to name a few.

M. BALAGANESSIN

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