Charcoal Skewers, the venue for the festival by the pool side gleaming with lights made it perfect for an evening dine out.
“We serve unlimited kebabs,” declares S. Ravisundar, Food and Beverage Manager. “In all we have planned three non vegetarian and equal number of vegetarian kebabs. For those who love rice, we also offer two varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian biryanis,” he adds. “We timed this festival so that it offers a well deserved break to kids after their hectic exam schedule.” Sacrificing the Paya shorba, a soup made of lamb trotters, was not so difficult as there was an impressive assortment of kebabs on the plate. The tender Galouti kebab from the Awadhi cuisine made of minced meat and spices was inviting to say the least, and before I had eaten that, Executive Chef Prabhat Chandra Kuila served up the Dhaniya Macchili, a kebab made of boneless seer fish.
If the vegetarian food lovers feel let down, there are cauliflower, paneer and potato kebabs. The Malai Paneer Tikka and the Hariyali Subzi Tikki were outstanding.
It was biryanis next and I was escorted to the Nilgiri Subzi biryani. “This recipe has a cooling effect during summer,” said Kuila. “With liberal use of mint, coriander and green vegetables this biryani from Nilgiris has all the essential ingredients to lure you,” he said.
The Coorgi Gosht biryani, was another attraction. “Though the basic preparation is the same for all the biryanis, the way you marinate your main ingredient and the proportions of masala you use make the dish special,” said Kuila. The Rajasthani dish Laal Maans is a mutton curry prepared in a sauce of curd and hot spices such as red chillies. “Don’t get misled by the colour. Just taste it and you will relish it,” urged Kulia.
Mirchi or chilli is an inseparable ingredient in any Rajasthani dish, here too they had used but it was not hot. “There are different types of mirchis available in the market and all are not hot. To add more colour to the dish we have used Ratan Jot,” he said. Ratan Jot is a dried herb and the root of the herb is a natural food colouring agent. It is traditionally used more in the celebrated Rogan Josh, a signature recipe of Kashmiri cuisine.
“Laal Maans goes well with the aloo kulcha,” advised Ravi Sundar. Going by the popularity of the dish, the organisers have planned to introduce the dish in their regular menu. “We have focussed this festival on introducing different flavours, rice preparations and presentations from Awadhi, Nawabi, Hyderabadi and South Indian cuisines,” he said.
Rasmalai, rasgulla and jamoon to go with ice creams completed the dessert section. On till April 13, the festival buffet is priced at Rs.600 plus tax for an adult and Rs.350 plus tax for a child.
For reservations call 04524356789/8220136666.
