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Experimental sweets and savouries take over Chennai shopkeepers’ festive offerings

Fancy an orange rasgulla or a guava Mysorepak? Hopeful of increased sales this Deepavali, shopkeepers are introducing new, experimental sweets and savouries in their festive rosters

Updated - October 28, 2021 01:09 pm IST

Krishnaa Jelabi Kadai

(Kodambakkam and Mahalingapuram)

Established in 1985 by MP Jagadeesan in Pollachi, it was renamed Krishnaa Jelabi Kadai in 2007. It launched in Chennai with a branch at Kodambakkam in September 2019. J Navaneetha Krishnan, proprietor, says, “We make unusual sweets and savouries at a pocket-friendly cost. Our special items in sweets are orange rasgulla, jackfruit Mysorepak, guava Mysorepak, sevvazhai (red banana) Mysorepak, naatu sakkarai (country sugar) ragi badam ladoo, naatu sakkarai kambu (pearl millet) badam ladoo, and a halwa made with karupatti (palm jaggery) and coconut milk.”

The famous Pollachi elaneer (tender coconut) halwa, made using cream of coconut and coconut water, is also available here. In their savouries section, they have ginger cashew thattai, mixture (with only salt, pepper and chilli flakes flavouring), shallot murukku and karasev.

Says Krishnan: “We prepare our snacks home style: soaking rice and then stone grinding it, and then using groundnut oil and ghee. We offer four festive hampers.” He adds that jalebi or imarti (called jangri in certain parts of Tamil Nadu) is one of the most popular traditional sweets of Tamil Nadu, and still among the fastest selling in the Pollachi region — which is why his father had named the shop Jalebi Kadai. Over there they have North Indian style jalebi made with karupatti, regular sugar based jangri and spicy jangri sprinkled with chilli flakes.

Shipped across India. For ordering, call: 9600920307

Ganga Sweets

(multiple branches)

Known for the consistent quality of their sweets and savouries, Ganga Sweets (established in 1992) has 36 branches in the city. Senthil Kumar, proprietor, says that corporate booking has improved this year. “This year all seems normal and we do anticipate an increase in sales closer to the festival,” says Senthil, adding, “The cost of ghee, oil and dry fruits has shot up but we are trying to keep the cost affordable for everyone.”

He states, “Usually for Deepavali, adhirasam, ladoo, badusha, Mysorepak, jangri, murukku, mixture and karasev are high on demand.” Kaju cake made with cashews, sugar and ghee, and special kaju badam katli are popular here. A bestseller so far has been their dry fruit sweet combo pack.

To place your orders, call: 9952253333

Sri Srinivasa Food Products

(Nanganallur)

Well known in the Naganallur neighbourhood for coffee powder, this city-based business gears up to make sweets and savouries every year during Deepavali.

They have been doing so for 13 years and this time, new items have been introduced: cashew coconut ladoo, Tirunelveli halwa, coconut burfi and Nagerkoil nendram chips.

Proprietor Shanmuga Rajkumar says, “We always bring in four ‘masters’ from Thanjavur to prepare the sweets, usually adhirasam, badusha, jangri and ladoo. When it comes to savouries, it is always ribbon pakkoda, thattai, thaenkuzhal, kara boondi and mixture.” He has already got an overwhelming number of pre-orders this year. Preparation of sweets and snacks is done at the godown at Perungudi, and the family members handle the packing and sales over the counter.

The store is located at 30, Third Street, Thillai Ganga Nagar, Nanganallur. Call: 9884620422

Sethu Foundation

(T Nagar)

Sethu Foundation, a Chennai-based not-for-profit organisation, has come together with GRT Grand this year, to fundraise via Deepavali hampers.

The hampers they offer come with a choice of sweets and savouries, and a part of the proceeds from their sale will be contributed towards various developmental programmes — such as its Chetna programme, under which the foundation teaches 500 children creative arts and crafts, spoken English, handwriting, and more.

There are two different hampers, premium and traditional. The premium one costs ₹2,500 and comes with one kilogram of assorted baklava sweets such as kunafa and rose burfi as well as French macroons and a kilogram of South Indian savouries such as mixture, butter murukku and ribbon pakoda. The traditional hamper costs ₹1,750 for a one-kilogram assortment of Mysorepak, ladoo, badusha and cashew cake, and one kilogram of traditional savouries. While Sethu Foundation has curated the savouries and sweets, GRT has put together the baklava hamper.

At GRT Grand, T Nagar. For pre-orders, call: 9884307150.

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