CHENNAI : Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, has a rich cultural heritage and an equally vibrant food scene. The food of Chennai is heavily influenced by the Tamil culture and the city’s diverse population, which includes Tamil Brahmins, people from Chettinad, Tamils from other states, people with various religious beliefs, and Anglo-Indians, all of whom have unique food habits. The influences from the people of different ethnicities who have lived here over the centuries, like the British, Saurashtrians, North Indians, Burmese immigrants, etc, have left lasting imprints.
Though Chennai does not have any unique ingredients, it has a list of unique dishes that have originated here. Known for its temples, soaring temperature, and beautiful coastline, the city also has a rich culinary heritage that reflects the story’s past.
One of the most popular dishes is the Chennai-style biryani. This is unique and is the result of a beautiful amalgamation of the Ambur and Tamil styles. The orange-coloured biryani, cooked with long-grain Basmati rice, aromatic spices, and meat that literally falls off the bone, is slow-cooked in dum style for hours over woodfire and imparts a very special and robust flavour. Any Chennaiite would vouch for the biryanis served at weddings.
Needless to say, filter coffee is an obsession here. Many households still roast their own coffee beans or have a favourite shop that roasts and grinds them with chicory (the ratio is a secret). The sight and aroma of freshly brewed decoction and mixing it with full-fat milk in a brass davara tumbler that overflows with froth is sure your tongue and wake up your senses. Early morning walkers have their favourite joints and prefer to end their workouts with a strong cup of coffee over some gossip.
Vadacurry, which originated as a dish to utilise the left-over vadais, has now become a hallmark of the food scene here. The joints selling idiyappam and paya (mildly spiced trotter curry) can be found teeming with people all day. Sambhar and rasam are staples. The Britishers loved the rasam, borrowed it and changed its name, milagu thanni to muligatawny soup after adding their twist with apples, chicken, and some rice. This was first served in the clubs that were frequented by them. Another notable and famous adaptation is the railway mutton curry, which is an adaptation from the Tamil and Bengali styles, incorporating coconut and potatoes, and was first served on the Indian Railways.
The best idli, dosa, and sambhar can be found only in namma Chennai. Every family has a favourite joint that sells fluffy, white, soft idlies, or crispy golden brown dosas with three varieties of chutneys and a bowl of piping hot sambhar.
Chennai, along with other presidency towns like Mumbai, started the street food culture long ago, and it has now become a way of life. The street food like Burmese atho, bheja, chaats, sandwiches, beach-inspired sundal, bhajji, fish fry, summer drinks like buttermilk, rosemilk, and jigarthanda, street carts selling chicken and cauliflower pakoda, and 24-hour biryani places ensure that no one is hungry on the streets of Chennai, any time of the day.
Vadacurry
Ingredients
Channa dal: 1 cup,
Tuvar dal: 2 tbsp
Saunf: 1 tbsp, Cloves: 4
Cinnamon: 2, Cardamom: 3
Red chillies: 2, Onion: 1
Shallots: 10, Tomato: 1
Ginger: 1.5 inch, Garlic: 15
Hing: a pinch,
Coconut: 4 tbsp
Curry leaves,
Coriander and mint leaves
Turmeric: 1/2tsp,
Chilli powder: 3/4 tsp
Method
Soak the dals for 2 hours and grind them coarsely with half of the ginger, garlic, red chilli, 1/2 teaspoons of saunf, and hing with a few teaspoons of water.
Mix the chopped onion, coriander leaves, and salt and fry them in oil till they become light brown (do not cook until crispy).
Heat 2 tablespoon of oil and
splutter saunf, spices, and add chopped shallots and sauté for few minutes.
Grind the coconut with saunf, and extract the milk.
Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and spice powder, and sauté till aromatic. Now add tomatoes and salt, and cook till mushy.
Add the coriander, mint leaves, crumbled vada, and coconut milk, and cook it for 10 minutes.
Serve this piping hot with idiyappam, set dosai, or even chapathi.
Food funda
Dr Nithya Franklyn
@drnithyafranklyn
(Dr Nithya Franklyn is a paediatrician, chef, and MasterChef Tamil finalist)