The Essence of Chettinad @Feast, Sheraton Grand-Bengaluru

I was hosted by Sheraton Grand for their ongoing Chettinad food festival, which started 21st September and will end 30th September 2016. One must be lucky to eat like a chettiar its common saying across southindia "Chettiar vrinundhu" or the buffet spread consisted of both non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes.

Chef Sabari and Chef Marty who travelled across chettinad region in 2015 collected authentic recipes and put togeather a fitting feast in 2015 the popularity of this festival was most talked in town.

Chef Sabari says, chettinad cuisine is one of the spiciest and the most aromatic in India. Our younger generation and many visitors are unaware of the various thuvayals, podis, and aromatic curries that chettinad has to offer. Chicken chettinad and biryani have become so popular but authentic recipes or dishes are vanished among the few popular dishes. Our team at sheraton decided to relaunch the festival we wanted our guests to indulge in most authentic and forgotten dishes of chettinad.

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What are all the spices used in chettinad cuisine? Chef Sabri says The most essential spices used in Chettinad cuisine are , Anasipoo (Star Anise), Maratti Mokku (Dried Caper Flower Pods) and Kalpasi (A Lichen Known as the “Black Stone Flower).

We have used all the spices in moderation keeping in mind that our international clients would also like to indulge in our traditional cuisine my team makes sure to inform our clients about the spices levels before serving.

We have also set up live counters like appam and paniyaram counter, kadai/quail and mutton fry counter, panakkam, moor counter and dessert counters where guest can see the dishes cooked in-front of them which again creates an experience for a curious foodie.

Ambiance: The entry was decorated with pookolam (designs made with flowers), traditional lamps (villaku) and tanjavoor bommais inviting guests to a feast they will never forget.

About Sheraton Grand:

The Sheraton group of hotels has their outlet called the Sheraton Bangalore hotel at Brigade Gateway. It aims at providing fine hospitality services to the city’s residents. Located at 26/1, Dr.Rajkumar Road, Malleswaram, Rajijinagar it stands beside the biggest shopping mall, Metro Cash and Carry of the city and is connected to it through the sky walks. Also placed near the IT center of the city it is easily reachable for all the techy geeks of the city.

Feast, the buffet restaurant at sheraton, serves various buffets one after the other. The extraordinary interiors show you richness in the atmosphere and the environment.

Traditional Indian Salads: Kosambari, Pavakai Salad, Brinjal and Paintain salad, Pinapple Salad...

Various Chutneys, Pickles , Thuvayals and Podis on display...

Our Chettinad Feast started with Neer, Moore and Pannakam, which is a traditional offering across southindia.

Pannakam is a drink made with jaggery (raw cane sugar) dried ginger powder, lime juice, tulsi, cardamom and water this drink is not only refreshing but also filled with iron. Moore is nothing but lassi/buttermilk with cumin powder which helps in digestion.

Nei Paniyaram: is prepared using fermented rice batter which is tempered with mustard, ginger and coconut the batter is fried in a paniyaram contraption using ghee was served with 3 different chutneys coconut, coriander and chilly chutney was very rich and tasty.

Chutneys, Pickles and Podis served at our table...

Kadai (Quail) Perattal: The quail used for this feast was free range chefs had to search for a farmer who could give them free range birds for this dish since free range birds are more authentic and have a authentic game taste. The quail was fried in ghee with few spices like stone flower cardamom and chillies this dish was spicy and tasty went well with roti.

Karuvepillai Eral Fry: Crispy fried prawns in pepper, curry leaves and ginger masala.

Kari Varuval: Mutton chops cooked with an assortment of spices like cloves, cardamom, fennel and star anise then tawa fried with onion ginger and chillies. Meat was juicy and the masala paste was spicy this dish was a excellent combo with naan roti.

My Plate...

After tasting lip smacking starters we started to taste the main course from buffet. First item I ordered was the appam and Karikai avial.

Any southindian cuisine first dish in the main course you will spot the rice different types of biryani and podi sadam was on the menu

Next were the side dishes like curries and stir fries. The spread catered to various tastebuds. Some dishes like white pumpkin curry, mushroom, chinna vengayam (shallots in tamarind curry) and panner curry were prepared using coconut oil and spices, the peppery masalas dominated in all dishes.

Section for nonveg lovers consisted seer fish fry, goat curry and prawn soup...

This was my order from the live counter Appam and Aviyal. The aviyal is not regular kerela type aviyal this curry was prepared using a strong ginger masala and coconut milk very unique packed with strong flavors.

From the extensive buffet I chose goat curry, Fish fry, prawn soup crackers, naan and biryani. Briyani and fish fry could have been spicy other than that all dishes were perfect enjoyed a lovely wholesome meal.