CHENNAI: My journey with food has been quite adventurous, I must say, partly because by training I’m a jewellery designer and a gemologist. I come from a family of scholars, engineers and chartered accountants — I’m the black sheep (laughs)! But I was always fond of food and felt it was something to celebrate every occasion with. Coming from a Mangalorean family based in Mumbai, I was exposed to a lot of cuisines but always had a soft spot for my own ethnic cuisine. In fact, I spent most of my vacations at my grandparents’ house in Mumbai, where my grandmother would whip up some amazing Mangalorean dishes for her grandchildren.
I started cooking often after I got married, when I would host parties for friends and colleagues of my husband. Since 2006, I ventured out to teach cooking and baking, and loved it when my guests smiled when they ate my cooking. Most people who attend my classes come as students and leave as friends!
My first class on cooking was on Mughlai gravy, and I’m happy to hear that a student of mine still cooks the dish every week. I like variety in life; so I’ve taught Indian, Italian, continental and the like — but, Mangalorean food is always close to my heart. What you get in restaurants is completely different from what we cook at home.
For example, in the chicken ghee roast, a Mangalorean favourite, we use 30 chillies plus pepper for 1 kilo of chicken, and I can guarantee that when you eat, you will defi nitely feel the burn…but you will keep coming back for more! I want to represent my region of South Canara. The signature dish of the region is Kori Rotti, which is similar to dosa but very crisp, and we pour so much gravy over it that it becomes soggy! Mangalorean dishes are all about coconut — in fact just for this pop-up we’ve been grating coconuts for most of the time.
We also use mangoes and jackfruits in our dishes — pickled mangoes are to die for! My family still sends bottles of pickled mangoes to my brother in the US because he cannot get enough of it. Mangoes and fish gravy is another specialty. Most of these dishes have been passed on orally and haven’t been written down. I think I’m the only one who’s taken the effort to start cataloguing all the recipes. For this pop-up, I’ve included a variety of dishes from Mangalore.
The menu has happale, kara munchi, bangude, uppad, kori ruttu and payasa. I’ve done these pop-ups in Mumbai and after Chennai, I’d like to take it to Bengaluru as well. (as told to Gokul M Nair)
Tejal Suvarna’s Kitchen will conduct the Mangalorean Pop-up at Ashvita Bistro, Alwarpet from March 31-April 2. For details, call 42109990, 9791088189