Eat Like a Local: Madurai

eat out eateat away out chef special chefMadurai special EASY MENU FOR 4 eat like a local T Kothu parotta T Kaara kuzhambu T Vendakkai poriyal T Madurai vegetable biryani MADURAI T Jigarthanda Fondly called the food capital of Tamil Nadu, the temple city of Madurai welcomes visitors with its varied cuisine — from Chettinad specialities to Ceylon parathas Words and photographs CHARUKESI RAMADURAI Food photographs JOY MANAVATH adurai has been a beverage — the jigarthanda. Literally Kothu parotta city of commerce, meaning ‘heart cooler’, it is a tall glass Serves 2 n 20 minutes + resting with trade relations of sarsaparilla syrup (locally known n EASY extending to the as nannari), almond jelly (also called Kothu parotta being MRomans and Greeks. Arab merchants badam pisin), sugar, milk and ice cream, A popular roadside snack, this made on a griddle and Sufi saints also made their way with a garnish of almonds and pistas. recipe can be made using leftover to the city to trade with the Pandya Madurai is inordinately fond of parathas. You can experiment with kings since 900 AD. Closer to home, fried snacks, with shops proudly Bharathi Mohan both vegetarian and non-vegetarian the local Chettiar community traded carrying names like ‘Tamizhaga Ennai is the head chef options. extensively with Ceylon (now Sri Palagaram’ (Tamil Nadu Oil Snacks). at Heritage A lady weaving a garland with Lanka), Singapore and Malaysia. And desserts are considered incomplete Madurai. He maida 1 cup malligaipoo (jasmine) Moreover, silk weavers and merchants unless they come dripping with ghee, hails from milk 1/2 cup from Saurashtra in Gujarat have made such as the gooey Thirunelveli halwa at Trichy in Tamil salt to taste Vendakkai poriyal Madurai home for several centuries Prema Vilas Lala Sweet Shop. Nadu but has oil 2 tsp + extra for frying now. What characterises Madurai’s worked in curry leaves a few Today, Madurai’s food is a happy cuisine is the abundant use of freshly several Indian onions 2, finely chopped union of all these influences but mainly ground masalas. The most common states, as well tomato 1, finely chopped that of Chettinad cuisine, which is ingredients used in cooking are red as the Maldives. green chillies 2, finely chopped known for its fiery flavours. The chilli, fresh coconut, garlic, tamarind, He specialises mixed vegetables (carrot, cabbage, Chettinad story is seen in the rice- fenugreek and curry leaves. Star anise, in authentic beans) 1 cup, finely chopped based snacks like paniyaram (savoury kalpasi (a lichen, also known as dagad south Indian chilli powder 1 tsp snack, shallow fried in a special mould) phool) and Marathi moggu are used cuisine and coriander powder 1 tsp and idiyappam (string hoppers), primarily in gravies, along with bay seafood. fennel (saunf) powder 1/2 tsp varieties of kuzhambu (spicy stew) and leaves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, black coriander leaves a handful, for a wide repertoire of meat dishes, from pepper and poppy seeds in varying garnish chicken and mutton to crab and rabbit. proportions. In a nod to the sweltering Kothu parotta — a flaky paratha that is heat of the region, salted and sun- n In a bowl, mix refined flour, salt and spiced and minced on a hot griddle — dried vegetables and meats (known as milk. Knead well. Add a little water if is the culinary legacy of Sri Lanka but vatthal) are also used. required. Make a stiff dough and keep is commonly found in Madurai in Madurai takes its sobriquet it aside for 30 minutes. various avatars that include veggies, of ‘thoonga nagaram’ (the city that n Heat the tawa. Meanwhile, take a eggs and meat. never sleeps) very seriously. Well into small ball of dough, roll it out to form The Madurai biryani is spicier than midnight, street stalls resound with the a thin parotta and apply a layer of oil. the more famous Hyderabadi and clangs of kothu parotta being chopped Cook on the tawa until both the sides Lucknowi versions. The Muslims are up and special Madurai biryani being are done. Repeat with the remaining believed to have brought it in, along ladled out by the plateful for the dough and chop the parottas into Filter coffee at one with Madurai’s most popular roadside thronging locals and tourists alike. small pieces. of the coffee bars 4 BBC GoodFood JUNE 2012 JUNE 2012 BBC GoodFood 5 020-022-L4 Eat like a local Madurai-SHAILESH.indd 100 18/11/14 3:59 PM 020-022-L4 Eat like a local Madurai-SHAILESH.indd 101 18/11/14 3:59 PM eat out eateat away out chef special chefMadurai special Nannari syrup n Heat oil in the tawa again. Add n Add chilli, coriander, cumin, black is a heat-buster used in making curry leaves, onions, green chillies pepper and fennel powders. Sauté well beverages and sauté for 3-4 minutes. until the raw smell goes off. n Add chilli, coriander and fennel n Add tomatoes and tamarind extract powders, and mix well. Add the and stir. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. salt. If adding the vegetables, add it n Add the mixed vegetables, cover during this stage. Cover and cook for with a lid and simmer until the 20-25 minutes over a low flame. vegetables are cooked. n Stir in coconut milk and switch off n Then tip in the chopped parotta and the flame. Season to taste. cook for 3-4 minutes. n Garnish with coriander leaves and n Remove from the tawa and garnish serve with hot steamed rice. with coriander leaves. Vendakkai poriyal Kaara kuzhambu Serves 2 n 20 minutes n EASY Serves 2 n 30 minutes n EASY This stir-fry recipe made with okra is This spicy stew is prepared by cooking very easy to prepare. Wipe the okra the vegetables in tamarind extract, completely dry before cooking to and spiked with a special blend of prevent the dish from getting sticky. If spice powder. Serve it with rice and it does get sticky, don’t panic — it will be vegetable poriyal or kootu. fine after a few minutes of stirring over a low flame. sesame oil 2 tsp LOCAL KNOWLEDGE mustard seeds 1 tsp oil 1 tsp n The Meenakshi temple is at the heart of Madurai, with the Marathi moggu 2 (if not available, mustard seeds 1/2 tsp main streets spreading out as concentric squares around it. you can substitute this with capers) urad dal 1/2 tsp Most of the important shopping and eating joints are in the star anise 2 red chilli 1 dry Kaara kuzhambu Jigarthanda temple area. mace 1 garlic 2-3 cloves, finely chopped n Madurai is known for its food from the ‘mess’, local curry leaves a few curry leaves a few eateries serving home-cooked, non-vegetarian food. This red chillies 2 dried green chilli 1, finely chopped The marriage of Meenakshi and tradition is believed to have started with the influx of a large onions 10-12 small, chopped onion 5-6, chopped Shiva, presided by Vishnu is the leitmotif in the temples number of people from neighbouring towns and villages garlic 10 cloves, chopped okra 1 cup, thinly sliced in rounds during festival times at the Meenakshi temple. chilli powder 2 tsp turmeric powder a pinch n Rice is present at every meal in Madurai, either as plain coriander powder 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp white rice, or flavoured rice such as lemon rice, puliyodharai, cumin powder 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp tomato rice and biryani, or in the form of idli, dosa, black pepper powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp + extra to taste paniyaram, appam or idiyappam. The favoured rice, even fennel powder 1/2 tsp tomato 1, chopped while preparing biryani, is the local Ponni, and not Basmati. tomatoes 2, chopped coconut 1 tbsp, grated tamarind extract 100 ml (if using coriander leaves 1 tbsp, finely chopped GETTING THERE readymade paste, use 1 tbsp) Madurai airport is at a distance of 13 km from the city drumsticks 1, peeled and cut in n Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard centre and is connected by road from all areas of the city. 5cm sticks (optional) seeds, urad dal, red chilli, garlic, There are domestic flights to Madurai from all major cities brinjal 1, cut into cubes (optional) curry leaves and green chilli. Allow in India. One can also opt to travel by train, as Madurai is salt to taste them to crackle. connected to all major cities and towns across India. The coconut milk 2 tbsp n Add onion and then sauté until railway station is one of the busiest in the country and has salt 1/2 tsp + extra to taste light brown. Add okra, turmeric, chilli computerised reservation counters. If you live not too far coriander leaves a handful and cumin powders, and salt. away, travelling by bus is another option. From Madurai n Cook on low heat, making sure it Integrated Bus Terminus (MIBT) many buses to locations all n Heat oil in a shallow frying pan and does not turn sticky. Then add the over south India operate round the clock. From Arapalayam add mustard seeds, Marathi moggu, tomato and mix well. bus stand, buses to places of western Tamil Nadu like Theni, star anise, mace, curry leaves and red n Finish with grated coconut and Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Salem operate and Periyar bus chillies and allow them to crackle. chopped coriander leaves, before stand is where only city buses and private buses to major n Add onions and garlic, and fry until serving.

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