The giant cut-outs of a bus-stop and a railway junction with blinking lights welcome you at Poppys Hotel, the venue for Oram Po street food festival. Aroma of a medley of flavours adds zing to the evening air. Everything is live here from the food to the music. The half-a-dozen live cooking counters lined up, resemble the ubiquious 'thattukadais'.
Street food is characteristic of Madurai and the variety and taste suit all palates and the food fest captured the essence of the city’s street food precisely. I was delighted to relive certain recipes I have grown up eating – like the fluffy soft idlis, thread-like idiyappams, crispy dosas and spongy parottas. It was an unforgettable evening having street food along with Poppy’s band playing some lilting melodies of Ilayaraja,
Along with these were a slew of gravies from the spicy Nalli Elumbu Kozhambu to the tangy Meen Kozhambu . “We conceptualised the festival based on guests' feedback. Many of them appreciated the recipes and that's why introduced maximum number of live counters. The idea is to have a ‘tawa-to-plate’ experience,” says K. Sundaramoorthy, General Manager. Executive Chef Ponnambalam offers me a bowl of piping hot Aatukkaal (sheep leg) Soup, a popular item. Aatukkaal soup is also popularly known as Paaya in these parts and it tastes best with idiyappams.
Even the salad counter reflects the theme with boiled Kondakadalai , Thenga Maanga Sundal and chaat items. Dynamic Chicken, a signature dish of the hotel makes for a perfect starter. With succulent chicken cubes cooked in red chillies and shallots, it isone of the most sought after. Oolimeen porichathu , mushroom 65 and Molaga Bajji are the other options to set your mood.
For biryani lovers, a sumptuous Turkey biryani makes the perfect pick. For the vegetarians, Pattani Kolambu and mixed vegetable kurma are the best. At the live counter – chicken, mutton and muttai along with ceylon parotta are the options.
With a variety of chutneys including coriander, tomato and mint and coconut, idli eating is redefined. One innovative dish on the list is the broken idiyappam with mutton kheema. “Idiyappam is sauted well with the mutton kheema and egg and served hot,” says Ponnambalam. “I got the idea from a guest, who wanted something different from the usual fried Idiyappam or with paaya or thenga paal (coconut milk). I tweaked the fried idiyappam and tried it with mutton kheema and it tastes good,” he says.
Another classy street food delicacy is the Muttakari made with egg and mutton pieces. Here again the chef has used mutton kheema instead of big mutton chunks. “It looks like scrambled egg but the flavour and taste confirm the presence of mutton kheema. Egg blends well with the kheema more than the mutton chunk,” says the chef.
Madurai’s street food is incomplete without the kothu parotta. Right from the way the cook chops the parotta and egg mix on the tawa with the rhythmic beat to value additions like mutton or chicken pieces make the dish one of the most sought after among street food delicacies.
Not to miss the festival’s dessert section with Mysore Pak, Nellai Halwa, ladoo, jeera boli and kulfi ice cream to complete the list.
STREET TREATS
@Poppy’s Hotel, 122, Airport – Mattuthavani Ring Road, Near Meenakshi Mission Hospital.
HIT: The distinct flavour and taste of the street food delicacies
MISS: Spicy and oily food
Meal for Two: Rs.1,200 including tax
Phone: 9566317111
