స్నేహితులారా కొన్ని ప్రదేశా లలో దొరికే ఆహారాలను గురించిన వ్యాసాలను సేకరించి బ్లాగులో ఇద్దామని చాలరోజులనుంచి అనుకొంటూ ఉన్నాను.దయచేసి వీటిని చదివి మీ దగ్గర ఉన్న వాటిని పంప గలరు
ఇవి కొన్ని వెబ్ సైట్స్ నుంచి న్యూస్ ఐటమ్స్ నుంచి కలెక్ట్' చెసినవి.
Reviewed 25 November 2013
he Thalappakatti Biriyani
The Thalappakatti Biriyani Hotel’s roots can be traced all the way
back to 1957 . Founded by Mr. Nagasamy Naidu under the name Anandha
Vilas Biriyani Hotel in Dindigul. He always wore a turban called THALAPA(a
traditional head dress), which over the years became synonymous with his brand
and cooking styles, leading him to earn the nick name “Thalappakatti Naidu
Virudhunagar Ennai Parotta
ఇవి కొన్ని వెబ్ సైట్స్ నుంచి న్యూస్ ఐటమ్స్ నుంచి కలెక్ట్' చెసినవి.
1)culinary trip to Coastal Andhra- Started by Srinivas Velidanda , Oct 07 2013 11:13 AM
దీన్లో ఎక్కువగా గోదావరి జిల్లాల నాన్ వెజ్ వంటకాలు ముఖ్యంగ వైజాగ్ రాజు గారి మెస్, కాకినాడ సుబ్బయ్య మెస్ గురించిన వ్యాసం ఉంది .
2) Sri
Bhakta Anjaneya Sweets – A holy place for Tapeswaram Kaja
Enroute to Draksharam from Rajahmundry, you
will pass through Tapeswaram, a small village that has given its name to the
famous sweet delicacy Tapeswaram Kaja. The Kaja is a sweet unique to this part
of Andhra Pradesh, there are different varieties of it, the Kakinada Kaja,
Tapeswaram Kaja and Malai Kaja down south in Nellore. You could say people on
this side of the state consider the Kaja, the Raja of sweets !
If
you worship food, then you must visit the sacred place for Tapeswaram Kaja, Sri
Bhakta Anjaneya Sweets. Located in the village of Tapeswaram, this sweet shop
has been in business for several decades and is synonymous with the sweet it
specializes in. The shop smells of Kaja, there are Kajas of various sizes,
starting from those as small as your little finger to as big as your fore-arm !
The Bhakta Anjaneya sweet shop is a family business, the shop itself is a part
of the ancestral home of the owners.
ఇది ఒక బ్లాగులో రాసిన వ్యాసం లో ఉంది
3) తిరునల్వేలి famous
'Iruttukadai' halwa in Tirunelveli. The Tirunelveli Halwa is famous for its
unique taste and long shelf life.
Following the whiff of ghee in Tirunelveli,
Olympia Shilpa Gerald discovers why you should never return without halwa.
Every evening, auto driver Ramachandran rushes to a sweet
stall close to the eastern banks of the copper-tinged Thamirabarani River. He
reaches out to pick up a sliver of reddish brown, slapped on a translucent
sheet of paper. Stepping away, he savours each morsel with a relish that
betrays no hint that Ramachandran has performed this twilight ritual everyday,
for the last 30 years.
In Tirunelveli, I learnt, the halwa is no indulgence
reserved for special occasions; here it amounts to staple food, as self-confessed
halwa addicts like Ramachandran will tell you. “I don’t think what I eat will
digest without the halwa.” But the halwa is hallowed in the world outside,
where the very mention of the city is almost always followed by its signature
sweet.
Once in Tirunelveli, I make a beeline to the city’s
arguably most popular place for halwa — the “Iruttukadai Halwa” (translated it
reads “dark shop”), a popular appellation given by customers for the shop opens
its doors only at night. Still, I am keen to get a peep at the making of the
much-talked about halwa. I am told the shop is right in the heart of the city,
where the ancient Nellaiappar temple stands majestically. The shutters are down
as expected, but someone directs me a few feet away to Visagam Sweets, which is
the only authorised outlet for those who want to taste the Iruttukadai Halwa
before dusk. “How will I find the place?” I ask him, when he tells me the halwa
is prepared in a house on the adjacent Amman Sannidhi Street. I needn’t have
asked, for all I had to do is follow the whiff of ghee that grows overwhelming
at a traditional style house, where open doors reveal a cloud of smoke in the
backyard. Supervisors who greet me at the threshold make it clear they are not
too happy about sharing secrets, though the owner, over the phone, extended a
welcome to the shop in the evening.
Turning back, close to the temple, I stumble upon Ganesh
Pasumpal Sweets, a non-descript store, an acquaintance had mentioned. Acceding
to my request, the proprietor leads me down the lane to a decrepit house with a
narrow staircase. On the landing, a grey-haired man stands over a vat with
sticky yellow substance, bubbling on a firewood oven. Paddling it with his long
oar-like ladle, he says it is a concoction of ghee, sugar and wheat. “It takes
a lot of patience to prepare the halwa, as we have to keep stirring it for over
an hour,” says Ram Shankar, who has been doing this for 30 years. The halwa is
wrapped up by noon and allowed to cool for six hours. Ganesh stall turns out a limited
quantity of halwa, which smells of unadulterated ghee, and has a regular
clientele besides those who miss out on the Iruttukadai Halwa.
That the halwa is Tirunelveli’s most acclaimed product is
a mixed blessing. While the sweetmeat is easily available, there are a
mind-boggling number of sweet shops to confuse the sweet-toothed, but
quality-conscious buyer. Entering the Old bus stand, I blink. Every second shop
in every direction bears the name “Santhi Sweets”, with minor additions in the
form of suffixes and prefixes like “new”, “Nellai” etc. Somehow every localite
seems to know the “original” Santhi. “You cannot miss it, madam, it is the shop
with the crowd,” a cab driver tells me. Little wonder that proprietor
Subramanian has no qualms about the name being borrowed by scores of shops, all
over the city. “Naturally a visitor wonders at the proliferation of shops and
asks after the original store, which people in the city are well aware of,” he
smiles. “Though production is mostly mechanised, the taste of the halwa depends
on the subtleties of proportions of ingredients used and techniques employed,
besides the weather and water,” he says, ruing the shortage of skilled labour.
Namasivayam, the supervisor, takes me on a tour. “Tread
carefully or you may slip,” he warns me, as I pick my way through water-soaked
floors scattered with grain. “The grains are samba wheat which must be soaked
overnight before grinding, as the smell of the halwa depends on it,” he says.
Women with hitched up skirts rinse and strain the wheat with buckets of water,
filling large steel containers with milk-like liquid, which is left to ferment.
Previously fermented frothy milk is mixed with sugar in large vats that churn
mechanically, while ghee is added manually. Here the men take over and the
atmosphere has something of the savage about it, given the black, burnt
cauldrons, six-ft-long iron ladles and steady fires. Beakers are dipped in to
fill large vessels when Namasivayam decides the jelly-like halwa is ready.
Rolling a morsel into a ball, he says, “When the halwa does not stick to the
fingers, we know we’ve got it right.” The plate of halwa he offers is searingly
hot with a gum-like texture and somehow pales in comparison to the accompanying
savouries.
Just opposite Santhi Sweets, another buzz of activity is
Lakshmi Vilas, the oldest in town, started in 1882. Folks at Lakshmi Vilas Lala
Sweets claim the founder Jegan Singh is the father of Tirunelveli halwa, with
an interesting story of how the town’s favourite dessert owes its genesis to
creators from the desert. “The halwa was first prepared by Rajput cooks who
were hired by the zamindar of Chokkampatti (a village near Tirunelveli),” says
a spokesperson for the shop. The zamindar, enraptured by the sweets he tasted
at Kasi, insisted that Jegan Singh’s family prepare them in his palace. Later,
Singh moved to Tirunelveli where he opened Lakshmi Vilas, naming it after a
female relative who was incidentally the first to sell the halwa on the streets
of Tirunelveli. The tale is validated by old halwa masters like Pitchaiyah of
Chandra Sweets, whose ancestors, like many others, learnt the trade from the
Rajput cooks. While the yesteryear halwa, made of pure ghee was ambrosial,
Pitchaiyah acknowledges that the pressing need to keep prices competitive has
compelled many sweet-makers to mix Vanaspathi with ghee. Though the
Thamirabarani river water is said to contribute to the distinctive taste of the
halwa, many shops use borewell water. Yet the halwa has its legion of followers
as S.R. Subramanian at Sree Ram Lala Sweets, Palayamkottai, points out. “There
are 70 and 80-year-olds who walk up twice a day here, just to have a little
halwa.” While Subramanian’s father sold halwa in a pushcart, a common practice
50 years ago, today he has added a touch of the exotic, offering mixed fruits,
cucumber and dates halwa.
Still nothing beats the traditional Tirunelveli halwa,
Subramanian avows — proof of which I find as I return to the Nellaiappar
temple. While fervent pilgrims line up before the deity, outside the temple
there are devotees queuing outside a wooden shuttered structure with no name
above it, for a darshanof a
different kind. The doors open and clad in a pristine dhoti, Hari Singh and his
men ladle out theirprasadam in plantain leaves, that
the clamouring numbers clutch at avidly. “First have this,” he says, handing a
strip of plantain leaf, stalling any questions. Surprisingly, though warm, this
is not off-the-stove halwa, which I’ve been tasting all day. Not the cloying
kind, the Iruttukadai variety has a crumbly exterior. “If you eat it off the
stove, it is not halwa. Halwa should never be packed hot as the steam is
trapped inside,” Singh tells me. “What you’re eating now was prepared 24 hours
ago.” So, the secret behind Iruttukadai Halwa is it is actually yesterday’s
halwa? “The halwa is prepared over three days. We extract the wheat milk on day
one and let it ferment overnight, the halwa is prepared the next day and sold
on day three,” Singh informs me. But the aura of elusivity that the shop wears
and the highly coveted nature of the halwa are primarily because the successors
Hari and the late Bijili Singh have perpetuated a practice of convenience.
Originally Krishna Singh who opened the store spent the day preparing the sweet
and could find time to sell it at night, with the help of kerosene lamps, which
earned it the sobriquet “Iruttukadai”. Today a bulb burns.
“Still this halwa is ideal for taking home to friends and
relatives as it tastes fresh even after a week; just microwave it.” I took
Singh’s advice. For it is sacrilegious to return from Tirunelveli without a
packet of halwa. Did I say a packet? Well, you’re lucky if family and friends
let you off that easily!
“Go
for the melting Halwa”
Prema
Vilas sweet shop is very close to the Madurai Junction. Very famous for the
Halwa served hot on a dried leaf, in the evenings. The spoon size serving of
hot Halwa dripping ghee
he Thalappakatti Biriyani
Virudhunagar Ennai Parotta
Burma Kadai
(since 1969). A dish made of
super-refined white flour (maida) and deep-fried is not exactly health
food. But the first two crunchy bites snared me.
4)In search of
Kancheepuram idli
K. LAKSHMI
DEEPA H.
RAMAKRISHNAN
·
The famed Kanchipuram
Idlis with traditional accompaniments. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam
·
Sliced Kanchipuram Idlis.
Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam
·
The
Hindu
·
The
Hindu
TOPICS
Four recipes for this cousin of the idli.
It was on a new moon day that we went to Kancheepuram to
taste the famed “Koil idli”. We headed straight to Sri Varadarajaperumal Temple
as all enquiries about the idli directed us there. As preparations were on for
the monthly utsavam,
themadapalli chefs had made their regular quota of idlis encased in
driedmandharai leaves, and the idlis had reached the sales counter. “It
is here that this idli was first made. And the tradition has continued for
long. It is one healthy, wholesome and easily digestible meal,” said Varadan,
who introduced us to the chefs.
At first sight, the “foot-long” Kancheepuram Idli was
different from anything we had seen. After tasting it, we decided that it was
different from all other varieties of idli we had tasted (there are at least 40
versions of the regular kind of idlis). It had just the right amount of all
ingredients from which the taste could be derived.
“Even if there is a small deviation from this tested recipe, the taste will
change. The dried mandharaileaves in which the idlis are
cooked add to the taste. If you refrigerate it, the idli will stay for more
than a week,” said “Pathukadai” S. Balaji, who has been in the temple’s service
for more than 35 years, and had taken over from his father Villur Gomatam R.
Srinivasaraghavan
5 . iconic dishes
Food lovers ANURAG MALLICK and PRIYA GANAPATHY scour the
length and breadth of the country in search of signature dishes that have
firmly put those places on the culinary and railway map of India
Whenever
a train stops at a particular station, passengers rush down to buy Nagpur’s
oranges, Ratnagiri’s mangoes, Nashik’s grapes, Allahabad’s guavas or Hajipur’s chiniya kela (small bananas). Be it Agre
ka Petha, Bikaneri Bhujiya, Jodhpuri mawa kachori or Kakori kebab, some
regional specialties have transcended all barriers
into the realm of immortality. Products specific to a region are even protected
by a GI (Geographical Indication) tag, preventing others from using the name.
From
mangoes, rice, curries to sweets, it’s a wide assortment. A dish like biryani,
which originated in Persia, is interpreted differently across India as
Hyderabadi biryani (cooked on dum), Lucknowi biryani (Awadhi style), Calcutta
biryani (with potato), Dindigul biryani (served with dalcha) and the delicate
Malabar or Thalassery biryani (where meat and rice are cooked
separately). With a slight change in masalas or preparation, a simple
chicken can become Chicken Kolhapuri in Maharashtra, Guntur Chicken in Andhra
Pradesh or Chicken Chettinad in Tamil Nadu.
The
humble dosa can present itself as a Davangere benne dosa (with white butter) or
a Mysore Masala Dosa. Some cities are prolific in their culinary
contribution – the City of Sandalwood and Silks also gives us the Mysore Bonda
and the eponymous Mysore Pak while Mangalore’s buns, goli bajjis & kozhi
roti are equally legendary. So sit back, enjoy a cup of Coorg coffee (or tea
from Assam, Darjeeling or Nilgiris) as you make these stops on a gastronomic
journey across India.
Amritsari Kulcha/Chhole/Machhi
The sacred city is the birthplace of iconic dishes like Amritsari machhi, Amritsari chhole, Amritsari naan/kulcha and papad-warian. The first eateries sprouted around the Golden Temple and the city itself is named after the Pond of Nectar (amrit-sar) surrounding the shrine. Locals ascribe the taste to the blessings of Wah-e-Guru and the city’s ambrosial water, which is sweet and light. Even when they are called to other cities for catering orders, the city’s cooks make sure to pack the key ingredient – water! ‘It can digest the heaviest of meals’, explained Surjit Singh at Surjit Food Plaza ‘The Most Famous Eating Joint in Punjab, Recommended by Lonely Planet’. ‘If the water is heavy, the kulchas won’t stick to the tandoor and fall down’, said another.
The sacred city is the birthplace of iconic dishes like Amritsari machhi, Amritsari chhole, Amritsari naan/kulcha and papad-warian. The first eateries sprouted around the Golden Temple and the city itself is named after the Pond of Nectar (amrit-sar) surrounding the shrine. Locals ascribe the taste to the blessings of Wah-e-Guru and the city’s ambrosial water, which is sweet and light. Even when they are called to other cities for catering orders, the city’s cooks make sure to pack the key ingredient – water! ‘It can digest the heaviest of meals’, explained Surjit Singh at Surjit Food Plaza ‘The Most Famous Eating Joint in Punjab, Recommended by Lonely Planet’. ‘If the water is heavy, the kulchas won’t stick to the tandoor and fall down’, said another.
Suchha
da kulcha on Maqbool Road is a human assembly line of sorts. Backroom operators
peel boiled potatos, chop onions, scrape ginger and garlic while in the
frontline a boy plucks round balls from rolls of dough stacked between layers
of ghee. Another flattens them out and stuffs them with masala aloo. An
apprentice expertly spreads them between his palms and tosses them to a chap
manning the tandoor. He dabs the kulchas with Amritsari water and sticks them into
the earthen oven. Baked brown to perfection, another man slathers butter and
the kulcha is served with bowls of chana, longi (watery chutney made of
potato, onion, tamarind and mint) and a bowl of butter, as if all the butter
used already wasn’t enough! Ashok da Kulcha (Ranjit Avenue, A Block Market) and
Darshan Kulcha wala (Near Jamadar ki Haveli, Guru Bazaar) are also popular with
locals. For Amritsari chhole, try Kesar ka Dhaba (Chowk Pasiyan), Bhaiyon da
Dhaba and Bharawan da Dhaba (Town Hall).
Banaras ka Lal Peda
The city of gallis and ghats is not only famous for its banarasi sari and banarasi paan, but also the lal peda. Like most pedas, it is made from reduced milk, except here it’s allowed to brown, giving the peda its reddish appearance. Loaded with ghee, the peda is shaped by hand and dusted with semolina and pistachios as a finishing touch. Head straight to Rajbandhu in Kachori gali or shops around Sankatmochan Temple for a cholesterol kick! Kashi halwa however, does not come from Kashi; the name is derived from kashiphal (pumpkin) instead.
The city of gallis and ghats is not only famous for its banarasi sari and banarasi paan, but also the lal peda. Like most pedas, it is made from reduced milk, except here it’s allowed to brown, giving the peda its reddish appearance. Loaded with ghee, the peda is shaped by hand and dusted with semolina and pistachios as a finishing touch. Head straight to Rajbandhu in Kachori gali or shops around Sankatmochan Temple for a cholesterol kick! Kashi halwa however, does not come from Kashi; the name is derived from kashiphal (pumpkin) instead.
Belgaum Kunda
Anyone visiting Belgaum is usually asked to carry back at least one packet of the city’s signature sweet – the Belgaum kunda, a sinfully chewy delight made from milk, sugar and khowa. The sweet was introduced by purohits (Rajasthani cooks) who had migrated here from Marwar decades ago! The discovery was quite by accident. Once Gajanan Mithaiwala (locally called Jakku Marwadi) was boiling some milk in his kitchen but forgot to switch off the stove. By the time he returned, the milk had coagulated to form a sweet, to which he added khoa to create Belgaum Kunda. Besides his old shop in Vitthal Dev Galli, also check out Camp Purohit on High Street, Atul Purohit on College Road and Kalyani Sweets in Camp.
Anyone visiting Belgaum is usually asked to carry back at least one packet of the city’s signature sweet – the Belgaum kunda, a sinfully chewy delight made from milk, sugar and khowa. The sweet was introduced by purohits (Rajasthani cooks) who had migrated here from Marwar decades ago! The discovery was quite by accident. Once Gajanan Mithaiwala (locally called Jakku Marwadi) was boiling some milk in his kitchen but forgot to switch off the stove. By the time he returned, the milk had coagulated to form a sweet, to which he added khoa to create Belgaum Kunda. Besides his old shop in Vitthal Dev Galli, also check out Camp Purohit on High Street, Atul Purohit on College Road and Kalyani Sweets in Camp.
Calicut/Kozhikode Halwa
You cannot leave Calicut without buying its famous banana chips (from Kumari’s) and the legendary Kozhikode halwa. Like Bombay Halwa or Karachi halwa this soft glutinous delicacy is made of flour, molasses and oil. SM Street is lined with shops selling large multi-hued stacks of halwa with the shopkeeper deftly cutting up slices for customers to sample. Flavours range from pista, badam, anjeer, date, watermelon and other fruits, with prices ranging from Rs.100-150 for a kilo. Sankaran Bakery, Oriental Bakery and Malabar Bakery are good places to buy. Make sure to try somedweep unde from Lakshadweep, made from coconut and jaggery and wrapped in leaf.
You cannot leave Calicut without buying its famous banana chips (from Kumari’s) and the legendary Kozhikode halwa. Like Bombay Halwa or Karachi halwa this soft glutinous delicacy is made of flour, molasses and oil. SM Street is lined with shops selling large multi-hued stacks of halwa with the shopkeeper deftly cutting up slices for customers to sample. Flavours range from pista, badam, anjeer, date, watermelon and other fruits, with prices ranging from Rs.100-150 for a kilo. Sankaran Bakery, Oriental Bakery and Malabar Bakery are good places to buy. Make sure to try somedweep unde from Lakshadweep, made from coconut and jaggery and wrapped in leaf.
Dharwad Peda
Mathura’s pedas are legendary but not many know that they inspired their equally famous cousins south of the Vindhyas. When Uttar Pradesh was under the grips of a deadly plague in early 19th century a few Thakur family migrated from Unnao to Dharwad. Shri Ram Ratan Singh Thakur started making pedhas to make ends meet while his grandson Babu Singh Thakur elevated the humble sweet to a sensation. The pedas sold at Babu Singh’s shop in Line Bazaar soon became famous as Dharwad Pedas. For a sweet made of milk and sugar, it seems absurdly simple to make but unlike its flat versions in the north, the Dharwad peda is an irregular round with a grainy texture and a veneer of semolina. Yet, its magical taste is so elusive that only a visit to the culture-rich city of Dharwad can offer the genuine flavour. Outside Dharwad, you can buy the sweets at Kamath Sweets or Mishras Dharwad Peda shop.
Mathura’s pedas are legendary but not many know that they inspired their equally famous cousins south of the Vindhyas. When Uttar Pradesh was under the grips of a deadly plague in early 19th century a few Thakur family migrated from Unnao to Dharwad. Shri Ram Ratan Singh Thakur started making pedhas to make ends meet while his grandson Babu Singh Thakur elevated the humble sweet to a sensation. The pedas sold at Babu Singh’s shop in Line Bazaar soon became famous as Dharwad Pedas. For a sweet made of milk and sugar, it seems absurdly simple to make but unlike its flat versions in the north, the Dharwad peda is an irregular round with a grainy texture and a veneer of semolina. Yet, its magical taste is so elusive that only a visit to the culture-rich city of Dharwad can offer the genuine flavour. Outside Dharwad, you can buy the sweets at Kamath Sweets or Mishras Dharwad Peda shop.
Goan sausage
For their 450 year long presence in India, the Portuguese have a lot more to show than just churches and The Inquisition. They gave to the Indian palate batata (potato), ananas (pineapple) and hapoos (a Marathi corruption of Alphonso) and people still refer to them by their Portuguese appellations. They also introduced the sausage to Goa, where it was flavoured with local spices, salted and mixed with stone-ground Peri Peri masala, stuffed into sausage casing, cured and dried. The century old tradition of preserving meats without refrigeration gives these sausages a long shelf life of nearly 8 months. When sudden guests arrive, Goan sausages can be made on short notice without much fuss or any extra ingredients. Besides dishes like rocheido, xacutti and sorpotel, the Goan sausage is a standard on all menus.
For their 450 year long presence in India, the Portuguese have a lot more to show than just churches and The Inquisition. They gave to the Indian palate batata (potato), ananas (pineapple) and hapoos (a Marathi corruption of Alphonso) and people still refer to them by their Portuguese appellations. They also introduced the sausage to Goa, where it was flavoured with local spices, salted and mixed with stone-ground Peri Peri masala, stuffed into sausage casing, cured and dried. The century old tradition of preserving meats without refrigeration gives these sausages a long shelf life of nearly 8 months. When sudden guests arrive, Goan sausages can be made on short notice without much fuss or any extra ingredients. Besides dishes like rocheido, xacutti and sorpotel, the Goan sausage is a standard on all menus.
Kanchipuram Idli
Be it Ambalapuzha’s famous palapayasam or the Krishna temple in Udupi where the masala dosa was allegedly created (and spawned the concept of the Udupi café), many shrines are known for their typical prasad or naivedyam(ritual offering). One such specimen is the Kanchipuram idli. This large coarse idli, spiced up with peppercorns, is steamed in the shape of a large cylinder wrapped in leaves. It is available in limited quantities on prior request at the Varadaraja Perumal Temple. If grappling with temple authorities seems tough, hop across to GRT Regency whose helpful chefs can help procure the elusive idli. And you thought the city was only famous for its Kanjivaram saris!
Be it Ambalapuzha’s famous palapayasam or the Krishna temple in Udupi where the masala dosa was allegedly created (and spawned the concept of the Udupi café), many shrines are known for their typical prasad or naivedyam(ritual offering). One such specimen is the Kanchipuram idli. This large coarse idli, spiced up with peppercorns, is steamed in the shape of a large cylinder wrapped in leaves. It is available in limited quantities on prior request at the Varadaraja Perumal Temple. If grappling with temple authorities seems tough, hop across to GRT Regency whose helpful chefs can help procure the elusive idli. And you thought the city was only famous for its Kanjivaram saris!
Kundapur Chicken
Kundapur koli saaru or Kundapur chicken is a specialty of Dakshina Kannada. Its unique flavour is not easily attainable anywhere outside this coastal town as locals ascribe the taste to the air, the soil and the Byadgi chilli, essential to its preparation. The chilli is fried in homemade ghee and the fiery red colour of the Kundapur paste is toned down by shredded coconut or coconut milk, which mellows the smooth gravy into the distinctive rich orange. It goes well withneer dosa and goonda (a steamed ball like an idli).
Kundapur koli saaru or Kundapur chicken is a specialty of Dakshina Kannada. Its unique flavour is not easily attainable anywhere outside this coastal town as locals ascribe the taste to the air, the soil and the Byadgi chilli, essential to its preparation. The chilli is fried in homemade ghee and the fiery red colour of the Kundapur paste is toned down by shredded coconut or coconut milk, which mellows the smooth gravy into the distinctive rich orange. It goes well withneer dosa and goonda (a steamed ball like an idli).
Lonavala chikki
Whether you’re driving down from Mumbai to Pune or taking a train, it won’t be long before someone pesters you to buy some Lonavala chikki. An irresistible hard candy prepared from groundnuts and jaggery syrup, the protein-rich slabs are deliciously crunchy. It is believed Shri Maganlal Agarwal introduced the sweet nearly 150 years ago for labourers laying the Khandala–Pune railway line for the Great Indian Peninsula Railway between 1849-62. In those days, the nutritious snack of jaggery and groundnuts was called gur-dana and sold out of sacks next to the railway line. The tradition caught on and became famous as Lonavala chikki. With ingredients like sesame, puffed rice, Bengal gram and assorted nuts over 30 types of chikkis are available today. Maganlal is still the best place to buy, though National and A-1 are also quite popular.
Whether you’re driving down from Mumbai to Pune or taking a train, it won’t be long before someone pesters you to buy some Lonavala chikki. An irresistible hard candy prepared from groundnuts and jaggery syrup, the protein-rich slabs are deliciously crunchy. It is believed Shri Maganlal Agarwal introduced the sweet nearly 150 years ago for labourers laying the Khandala–Pune railway line for the Great Indian Peninsula Railway between 1849-62. In those days, the nutritious snack of jaggery and groundnuts was called gur-dana and sold out of sacks next to the railway line. The tradition caught on and became famous as Lonavala chikki. With ingredients like sesame, puffed rice, Bengal gram and assorted nuts over 30 types of chikkis are available today. Maganlal is still the best place to buy, though National and A-1 are also quite popular.
Maddur vada
Legend has it that such is the popularity of the Maddur vada that by the time a train pulls out of Maddur railway station, the vendors run out of stock. So what propelled a nondescript town between Bangalore and Mysore to such heights of culinary excellence? Just some Bengal gram, shredded coconut, a dash of onion and curry leaves, fashioned into a crisp vada as big as a tea saucer. Over the years, the size of the vada has progressively diminished to cope with rising prices. But the taste is still the same. No road journey on this stretch is complete without the ritualistic stop at Maddur Tiffany’s for hot Maddur vadas and coconut chutney.
Legend has it that such is the popularity of the Maddur vada that by the time a train pulls out of Maddur railway station, the vendors run out of stock. So what propelled a nondescript town between Bangalore and Mysore to such heights of culinary excellence? Just some Bengal gram, shredded coconut, a dash of onion and curry leaves, fashioned into a crisp vada as big as a tea saucer. Over the years, the size of the vada has progressively diminished to cope with rising prices. But the taste is still the same. No road journey on this stretch is complete without the ritualistic stop at Maddur Tiffany’s for hot Maddur vadas and coconut chutney.
Ramassery Idli
Unlike ordinary idlis, the Ramassery Idli is round, flat and about as big as a set dosa, named after a little town 10 km from Palakkad where they originated. The idlis are so soft that two have to be sandwiched together so that they can be lifted without breaking! The idli’s unique attribute is its staying power and can be stored for several days. Though made of rice and split pea lentils, the proportion of the ingredients and the consistency of the batter are a trade secret; the recipe passed down from generation to generation. It all started about 100 years ago when Unni’s great grandfather Mr. Ramaswamy came from Tamil Nadu. Traditional weavers who had fallen on bad times, the women of the house began making idlis while the men sold them in bamboo baskets lined with banana leaves. Since demand was little, to avoid spoilage of unsold idlis, they tweaked the ingredients to make them last longer. Back then, the idlis could last for over ten days! As popularity soared, a tea stall was set up and as the family grew larger, more eateries mushroomed. Of the 10 stalls earlier, only two remain. Unni at Saraswathy Tea Stall confided that they sell over a thousand idlis a day, though demand skyrockets during wedding season and other fuctions.
Unlike ordinary idlis, the Ramassery Idli is round, flat and about as big as a set dosa, named after a little town 10 km from Palakkad where they originated. The idlis are so soft that two have to be sandwiched together so that they can be lifted without breaking! The idli’s unique attribute is its staying power and can be stored for several days. Though made of rice and split pea lentils, the proportion of the ingredients and the consistency of the batter are a trade secret; the recipe passed down from generation to generation. It all started about 100 years ago when Unni’s great grandfather Mr. Ramaswamy came from Tamil Nadu. Traditional weavers who had fallen on bad times, the women of the house began making idlis while the men sold them in bamboo baskets lined with banana leaves. Since demand was little, to avoid spoilage of unsold idlis, they tweaked the ingredients to make them last longer. Back then, the idlis could last for over ten days! As popularity soared, a tea stall was set up and as the family grew larger, more eateries mushroomed. Of the 10 stalls earlier, only two remain. Unni at Saraswathy Tea Stall confided that they sell over a thousand idlis a day, though demand skyrockets during wedding season and other fuctions.
Satara kandi peda
Satara’s main contribution to the world of sweets is the kandi peda, a round smooth-textured sweet that comes in plain and kesar flavours. Modi sweets and Ladkar’s, started by Mohan Babu Rao Ladkar in 1940, are the biggest names in the business. Both have been awarded the President’s Medal and proudly show the Silver Coin received from the government. Make sure to also try another local sweet – the delectable mango-flavoured amba barfi.
Satara’s main contribution to the world of sweets is the kandi peda, a round smooth-textured sweet that comes in plain and kesar flavours. Modi sweets and Ladkar’s, started by Mohan Babu Rao Ladkar in 1940, are the biggest names in the business. Both have been awarded the President’s Medal and proudly show the Silver Coin received from the government. Make sure to also try another local sweet – the delectable mango-flavoured amba barfi.
Surti 12 handi
Surat is synonymous with sweets like ghari (allegedly invented by the cooks of Tatya Tope) and staple dishes likeundhiyu, an olio of Gujarati papdi, raw banana, small aubergine and mixed vegetables cooked in dum in a pot, which is then upturned (undhiyu), hence the name. But Surat is also famous for Surti 12 handi. The concept started off in Surat’s Muslim localities like Jhampa bazaar as ‘12 bakre ka paya’. Each part of the goat – eyes, tongue, kidney, liver, tailpiece, trotters, etc – is stewed separately in various masalas. There are different ladles and spoons for different vessels, especially for bada (beef) and chhota (mutton). To serve, the payawala mixes the various curries in the correct proportions in a bowl, which is served with khameeri roti. One of the oldest shops is Ahmed Bhai’s Islam 12 Handi below Rafat Mansion.
Surat is synonymous with sweets like ghari (allegedly invented by the cooks of Tatya Tope) and staple dishes likeundhiyu, an olio of Gujarati papdi, raw banana, small aubergine and mixed vegetables cooked in dum in a pot, which is then upturned (undhiyu), hence the name. But Surat is also famous for Surti 12 handi. The concept started off in Surat’s Muslim localities like Jhampa bazaar as ‘12 bakre ka paya’. Each part of the goat – eyes, tongue, kidney, liver, tailpiece, trotters, etc – is stewed separately in various masalas. There are different ladles and spoons for different vessels, especially for bada (beef) and chhota (mutton). To serve, the payawala mixes the various curries in the correct proportions in a bowl, which is served with khameeri roti. One of the oldest shops is Ahmed Bhai’s Islam 12 Handi below Rafat Mansion.
Tirunelveli Halwa
Sweating with ghee, as if it just came back from a workout, the Tirunelveli Halwa is a melt-in-your-mouth sweet from the temple town of Tirunelveli in Southern Tamil Nadu. Local folklore contends that the halwa was first prepared by Rajput cooks hired by the zamindar of Chokkampatti, who had tasted something similar in Kashi. After stirring up the dish in the zamindar’s palace, Jegan Singh moved to Tirunelveli where he opened his own shop. He named it Lakshmi Vilas after a relative who sold the halwa on the streets of Tirunelveli for the first time. Made from wheat milk, sugar and ghee, the halwa has a translucent, light brown appearance and is sold at Rs.240/kg. Tirunelveli halwa is available at several shops around the railway station on Madurai Road, though Santhi Sweets in the Central Bus Stand building is the best place to buy. Don’t be confused by the sight of nearly a dozen shops with the same name, variously prefixed with New, Original or Genuine. The only way to recognize it is to spot the one thronged by crowds! Another local legend where locals queue up is iruttu kadai or black shop, named after its earlier lack of electricity.
Sweating with ghee, as if it just came back from a workout, the Tirunelveli Halwa is a melt-in-your-mouth sweet from the temple town of Tirunelveli in Southern Tamil Nadu. Local folklore contends that the halwa was first prepared by Rajput cooks hired by the zamindar of Chokkampatti, who had tasted something similar in Kashi. After stirring up the dish in the zamindar’s palace, Jegan Singh moved to Tirunelveli where he opened his own shop. He named it Lakshmi Vilas after a relative who sold the halwa on the streets of Tirunelveli for the first time. Made from wheat milk, sugar and ghee, the halwa has a translucent, light brown appearance and is sold at Rs.240/kg. Tirunelveli halwa is available at several shops around the railway station on Madurai Road, though Santhi Sweets in the Central Bus Stand building is the best place to buy. Don’t be confused by the sight of nearly a dozen shops with the same name, variously prefixed with New, Original or Genuine. The only way to recognize it is to spot the one thronged by crowds! Another local legend where locals queue up is iruttu kadai or black shop, named after its earlier lack of electricity.
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