The kebab festival at Navaratna restaurant has a bunch of surprises in store for every food lover. The platter of kebabs that we were treated with included one made using raw banana, another with broccoli and yet another, with lamb chops containing papaya paste. Some of the kebabs were so soft that they melt in our mouths and others were juicy with a tangy twist.
Chef Anandh Krishnaswamy, executive sous chef at Meridien, said, “This unlimited kebab festival will surprise people. Nowadays, many eat outside a lot. So we decided to give them many options. We have experimented and introduced a variety of kebabs.” We were served two platters — one vegetarian and another non-vegetarian, having seven different varieties of kebabs. “People have preconceived ideas about ingredients like yam or broccoli, but when they eat from the platter without knowing what it is, they love it. They are surprised when they know what ingredients we have used,” he said. According to him, it was the Kacche Kele Ki Sheekh (combination of raw bananas and green peas) and Lukhnavi Yam Chaap (yam pieces marinated with red chilli paste,ginger and garlic) that were being asked for the most during the fest. “A man, after tasting the vegetarian platter, ordered for the raw banana kebab, six times! Things you would never normally enjoy, you begin to love. This fest is particularly organised to tantalise your taste buds,” he said.
Chef Anandh and his team had experimented a lot with kebabs over the years before coming up with the menu for the fest. Being brought up in Banaras, his inspiration rose from Lucknow’s craze for these skewers. He had travelled around the world while working with Carnival Cruiseland for 12 years where he picked up a lot of different flavours.
Some signature dishes at the fest included Makhmali Malai kebab (tender chicken supreme in cream and cheese) and Subzi Galauti kebab (tawa grilled vegetable patty that melts in your mouth). Chef Anandh recommended that the kacche kele ki sheekh be placed between two pieces of papad, like a sandwich.
The fest is on at Navaratna restaurant at Le Royal Meridien, Guindy by 7 pm till July 31. For details, call 04422314343.