Dravidian Era
There is something so pleasant about coming back to where it all began from. I don’t need to tell you all about my relationship with Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal. There are some brands in the culinary world that evolve to become classics over the time. Well, I am so glad that the number of food lovers is growing day by day. Every other restaurant or cafe comes up with the best possible way to serve something superlative. But, what stands ahead is what extra-ordinary thing can you offer? And, let me state the fact that Marriott Bhopal has always been a place which comes up with all the happy surprises. Been living in south for a good amount of time, travelling places and when your relatives also live in south you tend to learn and explore a lot about food. Recently, Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal has come up with ‘Dravidian Food Festival’ and I just got some happy tears in my eyes. :’)
I was fortunate enough to be invited for dinner for this 10 day culinary festival. Describing below what I had and why I would want to visit again and If you too love South Indian food then this blog post is for you.
P.S. For all those who think South Indian food is just about Idly, Sambhar, Dosa and Vada, you are highly mistaken. South Indian Food is way beyond all of these and every region is south offers something different and exclusive.
The word Dravidian takes you back into history – rather many thousands of years ago when these early settlers lived in many parts of today’s south and central India. There is also a theory that the Indus Valley people were Dravidians too. The history of the various linguistic groups of the larger Dravidian community is fascinating and so is their cuisine.
Chef Amruthavalli, who’s travelled all the way from Hyderabad has a rich experience of about 23 years and she exemplifies in South Indian cuisine. She was assisted by junior chefs from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. There were live cooking stations for Stews & Kalappam, Malabar Parathas, Appam, Puttu, idlis, chutneys and Dosas.
One can look forward to Meen Kozhambu(fish curry), Urlai roast (potato and chillies), Avial, Poriyal, Pulsu, Chicken Chettinad, Palakoora Pappu (spinach & lentil), Guttimvenkaya (eggplant & sesame curry), Puloihora(tamarind rice), Besibellah Bhath, Payasam and Appams at the buffet.
Welcome Drinks
I had a small thali that was specially prepared for me by Amma (Chef Amruthavalli) & Chef Ravinder.
My little plate of happiness consists of the following things:
Malabar Paratha
Malabar Paratha is a unique dish from Kerala and is made of a plain flour dough, rolled in a special way using a lot of oil for greasing. This gives it a characteristic texture that is flaky and slightly crisp. I relished it with Stew and it was absolutely miraculous.
Vegetable stew
Stew also originates from Kerala, and is most typically served with Appams. The delicious South Indian vegetable stew is prepared by simmering vegetables in a spicy coconut milk based gravy . I loved it because of its subtle flavours and the thick gravy which was made with coconut milk.
Idly
A South Indian breakfast food, but delicious at any time of day. 🙂 Fluffy as cotton balls and white as the moon. Idli has to be the top most comfort food for all South Indians. The texture of the idli is what made it sublime and soothing.
Dosa
Did you know that the Indian dosa is listed on the World’s 50 most Delicious Foods? Dosa is a crispy, rice-batter pancakes. Dosas are even more exciting than idlis. The masala dosa was made with a stuffing of lightly cooked potatoes, onions, green chilli and spices. It was served with a variety chutneys and sambhar, but it tastes magnificent just by itself too.
Sambhar
Brimful of the goodness!! This lentil based South Indian dal is slightly tangy to taste combined with a mix of vegetables, spices, and freshly ground sambhar powder that gives a thumping aroma. It was Heavenly!!
South Indian cooking offers a wide range of chutneys and pickles ranging from rich to simple, preserved and fresh. Flavours too vary from spicy to tangy and sweet-and-sour, so you can pick what you want depending on the what’s on your plate.
Chutneys
I was informed that Chef Ravinder has come up with a variety of chutneys specially for this food festival.
Tomato Chutney
This was a hot and spicy tomato and onion chutney that perks up your meal. It was made with tomato purée which made it a smooth chutney and had contrasting flavours.
Coriander Chutney
This is a chutney had a really good taste. The artistic green colour of this side dish adds an element of beauty to the thali, while the aromatic and flavourful nature of coriander doesn’t fail to please the taste buds.
Coconut Chutney
The most widely consumed chutney out of all. A creamy and spicy coconut chutney made with freshly grated coconut and goes extremely well with almost anything.
Mysore Chutney
This chutney hails from Karnataka. Kannada cuisine is generally marked by the moderate use of coconut and jaggery in almost all accompaniments. The Mysore Chutney, was a combination of dal, tamarind and spices. Truly appetizing.
Ginger Chutney
The appearance and aroma of this particular chutney tempted me to dip in my finger and just lick it. Well, this Ginger Chutney is sure to trigger such passion in you too! The pungent notes of ginger combined with garlic, red chillies, tamarind, jaggery and spices, topped with a traditional tempering in coconut oil, makes this tangy, sweet and sour chutney is a lip-smacking treat for the taste buds.
Pickles
Beetroot Pickle
An innovative spicy pickle. The sweet taste of beetroot gets masked with the strong flavour of oil and spices. I liked it so much that I ate it without the paratha only.
Mango Pickle
Summers are here and so are the mangos. Sweet mango pickle was one of the best parts from the buffet. The sugary syrup with garlic, cloves, bay leaf, peppercorns, spiked with chilli powder and fennel seeds were a burst of flavours. Make sure you try this!
Amma suggested me to try both of these and I was truly delighted that she could make out what all I would love from the overall menu.
Malgapodi or Gunpowder
This is one of my all time favourites and I can never get bored of it even if I consume it every day. Malgapodi, is a lip-smacking chutney powder made of roasted urad and red chillies combined with a little sesame for aroma and jaggery to highlight the flavours. It is a perfect blend of spices and I like it on my Idlies with Ghee.
I particularly wanted to try Idiappam and Puttu but then I was informed that the menu is going to change every day so I can visit again to devour it. Well, I certainly will! 😀
Meet Amma!! (Chef Amruthavalli)
Who’s simple, cheerful and a happy-go-lucky person. She loves talking about the history of the Dravidian cuisine and she sat with me for a while too. We had a gala time discussing about food from the south and a bit about our hotel career as well. 😛
What better than to end your meal with Filter Kappi!!
Amma, Nanu tumba santosavagiddene!!
(That means, I’m so happy. I know little bit of Kannada too. :P)
South India is very famous for its aromatic filter coffee. It tastes best when it’s made with thick full cream milk and freshly brewed strong decoction. I was a little disappointed with the coffee though. It wasn’t strong and had no foam. But, I guess one can ask for customization.
Well, I too look like a South Indian over here! 😀
The festival is currently underway and on till 16th of April, 2017 . The Dravidian Street food festival is perfect amalgamation of food served in southern parts of India and it is one that will leave you with some great food memories. All in all, it was a wonderful experience that took me back to my fond memories from the south. It’s a great opportunity for the food lovers of Bhopal if you wish to splurge on some authentic South Indian delicacies then you should visit Momo Cafe. 🙂
Lastly, I would like to thank my Marriott Mate Anmol. 🙂
Thank you Amma, Mr. Girish, Chef Ravinder, Soumya & Bhaskar for a divine experience.
P.S. The author was invited and the reviews are personal.
Tastes are subjective and may differ from person to person.
Till then, Happy Hogging!
Restaurant: Momo Cafe, Courtyard by Marriott
Address: DB City, Arera Hills.
Date: 6th to 16th April, 2017
Timing: 1900-2330 Hours
For Reservations Call: +91-7389909643
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