KOCHI: The year 2020 was a hard one for the food industry. Restaurants had to survive a long dull lull, and return to the ‘new normal’ with many challenges lying ahead. But then, nothing lights up a foodie’s heart like good food, and that is why Juby Kurian, Group General Manager of Tellicherry Restaurant, spent the time revamping their menu, finding new flavours to add and reviving their signature dishes. The restaurant is opening up to more global flavours and focusing on creating an end-to-end dining experience.
“The lockdown affected us adversely. We had to come up with new ideas to keep the brand afloat when restrictions were eased,” said Juby. In the first phase, they introduced Tellicherry Fried Chicken (TFC), a traditional fried chicken dish served with Hummus and Ghee Porotta and Masala Puttu Chicken Fry which comes with a spicy gravy.
“We wanted our dishes to be loved by every Malayali, which is why we have accommodated a lot of familiar flavours. Our Kappa Crab is yet another signature dish, with crab boiled in bird’s eye chili, ginger and garlic paste and mixed with tapioca,” he added.
Juby, who has been in the industry for over 15 years, revamped Telichery’s menu beginning last year. “We have also brought in a few Thai-inspired dishes and other fusion food varieties this year. The spices, cooking method and flavours in Thai cuisine are similar to that of our flavour palate. That is why people can resonate with it easily. Italian, Chinese and Continental dishes are already a part of our menu. We are also planning to include few Arabic dishes such as Mediterranean salads and dips, seekh kebabs and bread soon,” he said.
Tellichery’s Avocado Khoya, a modified version of ‘payasam’ with fresh avocados and thick, sweetened boiled milk, and a nostalgic, tangy Thai Mango Salad is already among the best-sellers. According to Juby, healthy eating is as important to them as taste is. “We strictly fresh ingredients. Especially with the pandemic, we are putting in maximum effort to ensure a safe and hygienic environment for customers,” he said.
Thai Mango Salad
Ingredients
Ripe mango
Coriander leaves
Spring onions
Thai red chilli
Shallots
Lemon juice
Peel the mango and cut in small squares. Chop the rest of the ingredients and add them to the mangoes. Squeeze a lemon into it and add salt and sugar as per taste. Toss and serve it cold.