Immerse in Konkani flavours with coastal delicacies

CHENNAI: Konkani cuisine, with influences from Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa, is relatively undiscovered in Chennai. Highlighting bold seafood flavours, the cuisine stands out for its unique and rustic tastes. “Konkani cuisine offers a perfect blend of spiciness, sweetness, and sourness, with a strong presence of coconut and coconut oil. Byadgi chilli is often used for its unique colour and flavour profile. Cumin, pepper, and kokum are key ingredients, with kokum acting as a souring agent, sourced mainly from the Western Ghats and states like Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa,” explains Executive Sous Chef Lokesh Ekambaram.

To transport diners to the Konkan region, Hilton Chennai is hosting a Konkan food festival featuring two thali menus. From fiery Malvani curries to coconut-infused desserts, the dishes promise to evoke the vibrant flavours of coastal cuisine.

There is an unlimited veg and non-veg thali. The food fest starts with a welcome drink called solkadhi, which is a mildly spiced sour berry extract mixed with coconut milk. There are a variety of flavourful accompaniments like kochla nonche, a grated mango pickle, and amboli chutney.

 The starters in the veg thali comprise mushroom madul, bhajleli paneer and kelphulachi vade. In the non-veg section, the talaleli sungte, which is the dry-fried Malwani prawn, is a must-try. Squid tossed with local goan spices is tasty. The kori ghee roast is also flavoursome and a perfect accompaniment to the Konkani tawa chicken pulao. The non-veg thali is heavy on seafood.

All the items served in the main course are distinct in flavour. The stuffed brinjal cooked in a peanut-based gravy is novel. Apart from this, it includes Goan kurma bhaji, Konkani tendli sukhe, kala vatanachi rassa and moong and palak chi kichdi. All these gravies are served alongside vastad roti, pav and poi. Poi is a traditional Goan bread and has equivalent portions of maida and wheat.

The non-veg variants include the kolhapuri tamba rassa, a rich lamb curry, that is delicious with scrumptious mutton pieces. Crab with spicy coconut gravy called the Konkani kurle ambat is a must-try for spice lovers. The kane rava fry is an add-on. With all these, they also serve sannas and vegetable gassi. This Mangalorean dish has yeast-fermented steamed rice cakes, with a mixed vegetable curry, cooked with beige chilli, coconut and onion.

 For the sweet tooth, there is jackfruit payasam. The kathre pitta duddali, a jaggery halwa with arrowroot, has a subtle sweetness. Coconut barfi is also a part of the dessert menu. The Konkani food festival is on till March 10 at the Ayna, Hilton Chennai.