Flavours that will remind you of your aachi’s food

CHENNAI: Mynt by Vivanta Chennai is celebrating the flavours of Karaikudi and has curated an eclectic menu. This pop-up menu, with authentic the taste of Chettinadu, is curated by executive chef Jaffar Ali and masterchef Kannan.

Some of their signature dishes are meen cutlet, kudamilagai kadai, lemon kuzhi paniyaram, nandu Chettinadu, keerai masiyal, khuskhus and lots more.

We started off with their murungai ilai charu. This soup, made from drumstick leaves, was perfect in consistency and texture. The lentils in the soup kept the soup from running watery and complemented the flavours of the leaves. The dish does not try too hard to please and hits just the right notes while offering a sense of comfort to the palate. You can sprinkle a little pepper for spice. This dish is a must-try.

For salads, we were served with nethili meen poriyal and seenai kizhangu thalichathu. The nethili meen (anchovy) poriyal was dipped in a batter mix and fried with curry leaves. This dish seemed like a South Indian alternative to chips. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the poriyal and savour the zest with umami.

The seenai kizhangu thalichathu is elephant yam, tossed in a pan with spices, mustard, curry leaves, coconut shavings and lentils. The yam is cooked at just the right amount, making it soft enough to cut through easily. This dish is perfect for people who have a tongue for spicy food.

For appetisers, we were served with meen cutlet, kudamilagai kadai, uppu urundai, and lemon kuzhi paniyaram. The meen cutlet is fish with hand-pound masalas and spices made into a cutlet. The dish has gentle aromas and is soft in texture. The gentle taste of coriander powder blends well with the other herbs in the dish. Their kudamilagai kadai follows the homemade Karaikudi recipe for quail.

Their lemon kuzhi paniyaram is a call back to the original Chettinadu paniyaram. Their paniyaram made from rice, lentils, and dried chillies is a perfect palate neutraliser and can be used between dishes. Taste wise the dish is good and is worth trying. Their uppu urundai, made from steamed rice flour is rolled into a ball and sauteed with spices, mustard and curry leaves. This dish derives its taste from the tempering and has an interesting texture.

For the main course, we had their yera manga thokku, nandu Chettinadu, manathakkali vathakozhambu, keerai masiyal, urulai thakali roast, veechu parotta, and steamed rice.

The yera manga thokku is a simple home-styled prawn dish. The dish got its tanginess from the tomatoes and its tarty flavour from the raw mango. This dish is phenomenal and versatile and went really well with both rice and veechu parotta. The year manga thokku is also a must-try on the menu.

The manathakkali vathakolambu stays true to its flavour and does not try to fit into gourmet standards. The keerai masiyal is a spinach chutney made with lentils with tempered mustard. This chutney is also very versatile and went well with both rice and parotta. The flavours in this chutney are subtle and comforting and quite obviously, tasty. If the meal gets spicy, you can devour this masiyal.

What will come as a surprise is the fact that their urulai thakali roast is the star of the menu. This simple baby potato roasted with tomatoes, red chillies and spices is absolutely phenomenal.

For desserts, we tried their aachi halwa and khuskhus payasam. Their aachi halwa made from semolina and vermicelli was topped with saffron. The saffron was rich in flavour and amplified the taste of this simple dish to another level. This khuskhus payasam, made from poppy seeds, offers a unique take on your regular payasam made with rice. This is definitely worth trying.

On the whole, the food is reminiscent, flavourful and authentic. The quantity is generous and there is value for money. This is your chance to run back to your childhood and relive the time you spent eating your grandmother’s yummy food. The festival is on till March 1.