As the mercury is rising by the day and the summer is here to stay having South Indian food full of ayurvedic herbs and spices is a good option to beat the heat. It helps to detoxify the body. To enjoy the diverse cuisine of the South, visit the ongoing (concluding this coming Sunday) South Indian food festival at Blooms, the all-day dining restaurant at the Eros Hotel – Managed by Hilton in Nehru Place.
Stepping away from the usual method of hosting a mango or an ice cream festival at this time of the year, the restaurant has come up with a buffet of delicacies from the four southern states – Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The menu consists of food which promises to be a culinary adventure that treats diners to traditional Southern delights and lets them savour a variety of the intricate flavours of the region. Importantly, no attempt is made to add a local flavour to the dishes.
Starting the meal with some grilled and fried delicacies such as the kari meen, grilled prawns in Chettinad masala, banana leaf wrapped black pomphret was delightful. By wrapping the marinated fish in a banana leaf and then grilling, it helped the fish to absorb all the juices of the marination to the core. Experiencing the aroma while opening the wrap to eat the fish was simply memorable.
In the main course try the Tamil Nadu specialty the Chettinad meen — fresh water fish curry made in tamarind and coconut milk. Mutton varual made in a base of onion, coconut, bay leaf cinnamon and black pepper was a bit spicy but paired well with the appams. The Kozhi curry biryani had the perfect mix of Chettinad spices that blended well with the big chicken portions. The recipe is completely different from the Hyderabadi Biryani. Menthakku pappu — green moong dal and beans poriyal are a good option for health conscious people as both of them are low on spices and high on proteins and have good fresh veggies in them. Kids can opt for kothu paratha — a shredded parantha with some shredded veggies and egg.
Complete your main course with thayir saadam – curd rice – as many South Indians prefer to do. Don’t forget to try the unique and not-so-easily available desserts in this part of the country like Mysore pak and elanni payasam made by reducing fresh coconut cream and then adding fresh coconut water to it. One of the healthiest desserts one would come across.
Buffet is priced at Rs. 1750 plus taxes per person.
