‘Thanjavur Royal Kitchen; heirloom recipes from the palace of Thanjavur’ seems straight out of the museum as Abaji Rajah Bhonsle with his team of chefs will showcase the food of the royal kitchen as documented by Rajah Serfoji, an erudite scholar. “The recipe book Sarabendra Pakashastra is a treasure and is kept at the Saraswathi Mahal library in Thanjavur. The book gives an insight into different segments that the royal kitchens had ,” explains Abaji Rajah Bhonsle, the brother of the present king Rajah Bhonsle.
Abaji, who runs a heritage hotel called Thanjavur Inn, gives a detailed breakdown of the kitchens as Maratha (non-vegetarian), Brahminical (vegetarian), Angreji (European), Sherbet Khana (sherbets), Obdhar Khana (water) and Thatti Mahal Khana (milk). “The food we eat isn't anything different. We use the same ingredients as most Tamil Nadu cuisine does. The flavour of the food comes from the process of marination which is passed on only to the ladies of the house. Our chefs have been with us for generations, but even then the marination for the fest will be taken care of by my wife,” elaborates Abaji.In the city, diners can expect kebabs, khalias, korma, Kozhambu and dishes like Mashyache Kebab, Komdiche Kebab and an array of pulaos. “The idea for Thanjavur Royal Kitchen started with my hotel. I wanted to bring back the lost culture of food, along with art and culture. After I started the food journey at my hotel, word spread fast ,” says Abaji. Festival is on from October 12 to 21@ Dakshin, ITC Kakatiya.
