KOCHI: Think Kuttanad and images of yummy ethnic delicacies pop up in your mind - fluffy and frilly appams, spicy tapioca mesh and tangy fish curry. And if you want a bite of that homely food prepared in authentic Kuttanadan style head straight to Cheenavala restaurant at hotel Yuvarani Residency. The Kuttanadan food festival going on there has every desi delicacy you could crave.
All the spices and masala mixes used are specially dried and ground, locking in the Nadan flavour. The fest offers three thani nadan soups for you to savour - Kuttanadan inji thakkali (tomatoginger) soup, Kuttanadan attin (mutton) soup and Kuttanadan kozhi (chicken) soup. They will definitely give you a break from the humdrum of Chinese and continental tastes you are so used to. You can start with a thick tharamutta omelette, succulent and soft. For the main course they have everything you will find inside a Kuttanadan kitchen - appam, thattu dosa, Kerala paratha, puttu, kappa and rice. For a true ethnic tryst you can try the chiratta puttu, the soft and fragrant puttu cooked inside coconut shell. Since rice is something kuttanadan cuisine can’t do without, there is neychoru (ghee rice), plain rice and rice served with pickle and pappad.
The seafood platter is rich dishing out everything from karimeen (pearl spot) masala to njandu (crab) ularthiyathu.
There is Kuttanadan seer fish curry, roast, pollichathu and mappaz, a speciality of the place. Karimeen curry and fry are other items on demand. Finally there are the all-time-favourites of Kuttanadan folk - lobster and crab.
Njandu ularthiyathu is crab cooked in a masala with plenty of pepper. The chemmeen masala/ fry/curry will bring back the lingering taste of granny’s kitchen.
More than chicken and mutton, Kuttanad specialises in duck. The Kuttanadan tharavu (duck) roast comes with a delectable gravy, smooth and spicy. Like most of the other dishes this is seasoned with pepper, a stable ingredient in Kuttanadan recipes. If you are comfortable with the tough duck flesh you can opt for tharavu roast, pal curry, fry, varutharachathu or ularthiyathu. Otherwise there are smart options in chicken, mutton and even pork like kozhi mappas, attirachi roast and pork peralan.
Another specialty of the fest are the Kuttanadan toddy shop combos. Kappa, that is spicy tapioca laced with golden onion rings, comes in a plate and you can choose the accompaniment from tharavu roast, sear fish vattichathu, beef curry or njandu masala. You can taste them all and none of the hot and tangy tastes from the desi bar menu will disappoint you. Since there is no typical Kuttanadan dessert to wind up, you can order from the list of available desserts.
The fest is on till November 22. Walk in any time between 7 pm and 11 pm.
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