The Hindu Business Line : Chettinad comes to Mumbai

For Mumbaikars who think South Indian food is all about idlis and dosas, here's your chance to change your mind. Head to `Starters and More', near Eros Cinema, Churchgate, for a mouth-watering tour of spicy food and aromatic curries at the ongoing Chettinad food festival (on till May 31).

Chettinad in Tamil Nadu is home to one of the spiciest cuisines in India. The food liberally uses peppercorn, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, nutmeg, green and red chillies. So, if it's hot and tangy food that you crave for, Chettinad is the magic word for you.

At Starters and More, famous for its kebabs, live music and dance nights, you can spot the attendants dressed in traditional Tamil attire. Candles afloat in tender coconut shells light the tables. Though a Karaoke night seemed a little out of place, everyone seemed to be having fun. One can watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen, lined with a range of spices. The menu includes vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. For soup, the options are rasam or Paya soup, with a generous dose of pepper and red chilli.

For starters, you have Eral Sukha (a dry prawn preparation from Karaikudi in the Chettinad region) or Kozhi Melagu Varuval (sautéed peppery chicken) if you prefer non-vegetarian. Vegetarians have the option of Seeralam (fried idli tossed with garlic and spices) or Palkatti Melagu Peratti (cottage cheese chunks tossed in freshly crushed black pepper).

I tried the Kozhi Therakkal, chicken marinated with exotic spices and cooked in sesame oil.

The main course offers a lot of variety: Curries made of vegetables and spices and blended with fish, fowl or red meat can be eaten with rice dosa or idiyappam; Meen Curry (fish curry) is prepared in tamarind pulp and garnished with coconut scrapings; and Paya Curry (lamb trotter in an aromatic gravy). You can also sample a variety of rice preparations ranging from the tangy lemon rice and tamarind rice to the milder and richer tasting coconut rice.

I tried a combination of tamarind rice and Chicken Chettinad, a chicken delicacy marinated in pepper, which was the chef's recommendation. This was washed down with a glass of chilled buttermilk; the mildly pungent green chillies made it even better. Papads and pickles made in Chettinad style are also available.

After a karaoke break, it was time for dessert. I chose Surapinji, lentil dumplings in fresh coconut milk and flavoured with cardamom, but found it too sweet for my taste.Although the dining was a pleasant experience, one wished for better lighting in the restaurant. With prices ranging between Rs 115 and Rs 365, there was no reason to complain. And for those who can't make it to the food festival, there's some good news... the restaurant plans to include selections from their food festivals in the daily menu.

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